The Staten Island Ferry and its views
Staten Island Ferry, inaugurated in 1905, is a ferry service that takes commuters and tourists from Lower Manhattan to Staten Island, one of New York's 5 boroughs. 8 ferries are currently operating the rote. It is free and offers very nice views of Lower Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn, Jersey City and Midtown Manhattan. Due to the weather the photos didn't become as good as I expected. I was there in 1998 too, when the old WTC was visible from the ferry, but it was foggy and cloudy then so I wanted to go back this sunny day. But things didn't turn out as expected. It was sunny, very hot and humid as we were waiting for the ferry. But immediately when we boarded the ferry we heard a thunder, huge clouds where approaching very fast and it started to rain a lot just after the boat started to move!
You can watch videos from the ferry trip on my YouTube channel (link on top).
In 2005 the Manhattan terminal was completely renovated and modernized. It is located near Battery Park on southernmost Manhattan.
Entering the ferry "Spirit of America".
Liberty Island (left) with the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island (right), the gateway to America for immigrants between 1892-1954, now the Immigration Museum.
Lower Manhattan and Jersey City.
Brooklyn Bridge.
Lower Manhattan skyline, will in the near future once again be dominated by World Trade Center. Cruising New York Harbor by boat, particularly a Prestige Yacht for sale, can be a unique way to see the city and the Statue of Liberty.
The weather changed very fast!
The Statue of Liberty. In rain.
The Statue of Liberty, officially called Liberty Enlightening the World, is a world famous neo classical statue standing on a pedestal on the small Liberty Island. It was designed by Frédéric Bartholid and dedicated in 1886. It represent Libertas, the Roman godess of freedom, and was a gift from France. The torch is lit after dark.It is The statue is 46m high. The observation deck in the crown has been occasionally closed after 9/11. It is sometimes open, but it is not clear then. The reason for that is to prevent terror attacks! A stairway leads to the torch.
The Statue of Liberty, situated on the small Liberty Island, was a gift from France.
The Statue of Liberty in front of Jersey City, New Jersey.
STATEN ISLAND:
Staten Island is one of New York's 5 boroughs and is mostly residental, so very few tourists get off there, they just take the ferry. The island is 3 times larger then Manhattan! Despite that it is also the least populated borough, Staten Island has 469 000 inhabitants.
The ferry John F Kennedy approaching Staten Island.
Staten Island, near the ferry.
Part of the Staten Island ferry terminal.
Staten Island.
New York skyline seen from Staten Island, from the left: Jersey City, Liberty Island (Statue of Liberty), Midtown Manhattan, Lower Manhattan, the bridges and Brooklyn.
Note Empire State Bldg far behind the new WTC!
The Big Apple!
Staten Island Ferry in front of Jersey City.
Lower Manhattan skyline.
Jersey City and Manhattan.
Lower Manhattan skyline with Brooklyn Bridge to the right.
The new WTC and WFC.
World Financial Center, WTC, Battery Park and more.
The most recognizable buildings from the left: One WTC (u/c), One New York Plaza, 17 State Street, Two New York Plaza.
Approaching Lower Manhattan. Unfortunately several fatal accidents have taken place on the ferries, the worst on the Barberi ferry in 2005 and 2010.
One of the 8 orange Staten Island ferries.