A Fine Day: To DUMBO and Back

By Matthew Lyon

Blustery was the only word to describe Friday morning, April 29, when a couple dozen members from the Bay Ride Center gathered at the Memorial Pier to catch a ferry trip to DUMBO. The waters doffed their white caps as the wind gently rocked the ferry slip just enough to remind us we weren’t on solid ground anymore. The adventure was just beginning.

Thankfully, for this adventure, everything went smoothly, even our vessel through the East River tide. Like we were living some kind of old Irish proverb, the sun was always at our backs as we ferried up through the Army Pier, under the bright orange gantry cranes at Red Hook, across to Governors Island, to Pier 6, then Manhattan Pier 11, and finally to DUMBO.

Once back on dry land, we made a stop at Front Street Pizza for lunch, and then spent the afternoon walking the street of DUMBO exploring the historic nooks and crannies. The neighborhood has been greatly cleaned up in the last 10 years. Derelict warehouses are now shopping centers, open spaces are now parks and paths for enjoying the open views of skyscrapers from between the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges.

As we gathered to board our ferry home, it was the comment of many that the day had really warmed up since that blustery morning rendezvous. So nice was it that many of us chose to sit topside on the ferry, despite our carefully done up hair, to enjoy the beautiful day that Friday had become.

On 13 May, we try again, this time for Governors Island. Currently, the list is full, but check in with Kathy Boyle at the Center or at 718-748-0650 ext. 113 about a wait-list.

Matthew Lyon is an intern at Bay Ridge Center and a student at the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College.