Jack Stoney and I set out on the East River on July 11th, 2012 to observe a very special celestial phenomenon known as Manhattanhenge.
On two days each year, the sun sets along the east west axis of the Manhattan street grid.
“The term was coined by Neil deGrasse Tyson,” said Jack.
As an artist, this is  just the kind of thing Jack knows about; things having to do with the stars, the city,
and phenomenon that tug our perception toward a cosmic understanding,
or the way our lives intersect with the universe.
As the tide pulled us upstream, we stopped at Socrates Sculpture Park.
I have been wanting to see the new dock there, designed by George Trakas.
Its warm, timber terraces meet the water at a perfect scale for my boat.
We also wanted to visit our friend Jeff, who is working on a sculpture at the park.
He gave us a tour of some of the other work,
and we talk about the cement casts he will make for his piece there.
The tide was turning our way, so we headed to the boat.
Jack paddled in the back, so I could take pictures and enjoy the float.
Jack is an experienced boater, and he knew exactly how to steer the craft.
“How is it being up at the front?” asked Jack.
“Just fine.” I said.
The truth is, I was uneasy away from the helm.
I could see worrisome patterns in the water as the tidal current picked up speed.
People yelled at us from the shore of Rosevelt Island, and out of apartment windows.
“You won’t make it back!” said one man.
“Now, why would a person say that?” I asked.
“He wants to be the guy that told us so.” said Jack.
We passed the rocky outcroppings below Roosevelt Island,
Uthant Island,
and we spun in a strong tidal eddie below the islands.
We had an hour before sunset,
so we climbed ashore in Long Island City,
to wait for Manhattanhenge.
At first it didn’t look like much would happen,
and I tried to line up the sun with all of the objects in the construciton site, to make my own astronomical observatory.
Nothing seemed to work just right.
We got back out on the water a few minutes before sunset.
At first, the sun disappeared behind the empire state building.
and then we saw it;
a huge red orb, suspended between the buildings like it had fallen there,
and then was gone.
The water turned flat and calm, as though it too had been waiting for something significant to happen,
and we paddled back to shore.
“I think we were the only people to get a picture of Manhattanhenge from the East River this year.” I said.
Thanks for a great trip, Jack Stoney!
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