Memorial Day in Brooklyn: Last Chance To See Fleet Week Ships

Today -- Memorial Day -- is the last day to join the crowds at the southern end of Brooklyn Bridge Park to take in the coalition warships and Coast Guard cutters docked at Piers 7 and 8 for Fleet Week. Above is the scene on Pier 6 on Sunday. The restaurants and food carts are in operation, the fountains are turned on and hundreds lined up for the ferry to Governors Island.

Fleet Week: Coalition ships are officially open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. but come early -- yesterday people were turned away starting about 3:45 p.m. because of overcrowding.

Above: Canada's HMCS Iroquois, the Flagship of the Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 Fleet, is docked at Pier 7. HMCS Iroquois is a Destroyer.

Her weapons include surface-to-air missiles; a Vulcan Phalanx Gatling gun, which fires up to 3500 rounds per-minute; anti-submarine torpedoes; and two Sea King aircraft. The ship can also be sealed against nuclear, biological or chemical attack.

Above: USCGC Willow (202), a Sea-going Buoy Tender. Willow is one of the most advanced cutters in the Coast Guard fleet, and operates in some of the most dangerous waterways in New England. Willow also conducts Maritime Homeland Security and Living Marine Resources patrols, responds to search and rescue cases and has the ability to perform marine environmental protection in the event of a major oil spill.

Other coalition warships at Piers 7 and 8 include the Coast Guard's Seneca, (UK's) RFA Argus and (Japan's) JS Shiran, and FNS Pohjanmaa, Finland; plus tall ships: Juan Sebastian de Elcano, Spain; Cuauhtemoc, Mexico;Etoile, France and Belle Poule, France.

BTW: Events on Governors Island this weekend include a Sculptors Guild Exhibition, fashion, painting and graphic design exhibitions, kids activities and more. See the full schedule here. Ferries from Pier 6 run from 11 a.m. to 5:10 p.m. (The last ferry returns to Brooklyn at 7 p.m.)

Photos by MK Metz

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