Boats of the Bay

Boats of the Bay. . , 1. Ferry , Increasing numbers of Rhode Islanders board cruise boats and ferries to get out of the Bay. These ferries are reminiscent of the pleasure steamboats that were so common on Narragansett Bay one hundred years ago., 2. Fast Frigate , Navy destroyer tenders carry sophisticated sonar equipment, making them capable of anti-submarine warfare. Their guns and missile launchers equip them for anti-air warfare as well., 3. Recreational Fishing Boat , Numerous sportfishing boats seen on Narragansett Bay reflect the productivity of these waters. Many other recreational power boats can be seen cruising the Bay in good weather., 4. Sloop , Sloops, such as this one, are very common here. The protected waters and sheltered harbors of Narragansett Bay make it one of the finest areas for sailing in New England. Other common sailing vessels, having more than one mast, include yawls, ketches, and schooners., 5. Coast Guard Boat , U.S. Coast Guard boats of various designs perform many duties in the Bay. Some are used for search and rescue operations, while other boats are used to maintain and repair aids to navigation such as buoy markers and lighthouses., 6. Tug Boat , Powerful tug boats push and pull barges and other marine vessels. A mop-like bumper at the bow prevents a tug from damaging a vessel while it is being pushed., 7. Quahog Skiff , Quahoggers work the shellfish beds from these sturdy flat-bottomed skiffs. They use tongs and long-handled bull rakes to unearth the quahogs from the mud at the bottom of the Bay., 8. Lobster Boat , Lobstermen lower lines of baited traps, called lobster pots, to the floor of the Bay where lobsters live. Small buoys seen bobbing in the waves mark the places where lobster pots have been set., 9. Research Vessels , This boat is a western-rigged dragger used by the Department of Environmental Management as a research vessel. Marine biologists conduct a variety of surveys from the deck of this vessel, including finfish surveys and dredging for quahog samples. Except for its special equipment, this boat is similar to many commercial fishing boats seen in the Bay. Scientists from the U.R.I. Graduate School of Oceanography and the E.P.A. Laboratory in Narragansett also use various research vessels for their work. These studies often provide information that is needed to manage and protect the Bay’s resources., 10. Oil Tanker , Petroleum products are the major imports to the Port of Providence. Much of the petroleum is carried in oil tankers that are guided by tug boats up the Bay to the port. About half of the petroleum is used within Rhode Island and the rest is trucked or piped to neighboring states., 11. Barge in Tow , It is a common sight to see barges being pushed or towed the length of the East Passage to the Post of Providence where they are unloaded. Many barges carrying goods down the Bay are on their way to New York. There the cargo is transferred to large oceangoing ships.