BOATLIFT
THE GREAT BOATLIFT OF 9-11 BECAME THE LARGEST SEA EVACUATION IN HISTORY
They were trying to evacuate Manhattan because nobody knew what was going on. There was madness on one side, and wanting to help people on the other side. People were just streaming out of the buildings and the first mode of transportation that they saw was a ferryboat, that’s when they knew that this is how i’m getting out of here.
YOU HEARD THE BUILDING GO DOWN, BUT WE’RE IN THE SHIP SO WE DIDN’T SEE IT. ALL OF A SUDDEN IT GULFED, YOU COULDN’T SEE ANYTHING
Vincent Ardolino, Captain of the Amberjack V, convinced his wife he needed to help. “They were feeling helpless, and that is the worst feeling in the world. What was a person on the ground going to do, buildings were down, there were people lying under the rubble of the building. My wife was there and I turned around and said, “I’ve got to do something” Just like that and she looked at me “What are you going to do, you maniac” I’m going to take the amberjack up into the city and help. She says, “Well what if they’re attacked again” I said well than that’s something I have to live with, I have to do what I have to do and nobody can stop me.
James Parese, Captain of the Staten Island Ferry, recalls the uncertainty of the events of the day. “They didn’t know what was going on, they see this building getting hit with two planes, as far as they were concerned we were being bombed. I was wondering if they were going to come on the boat, if they had people with bombs, we were a big orange target in the middle of the harbor. My goal was to keep the boat safe, passengers safe, aand my crew safe.”
There was a small boat that was at the lower tip of Manhattan; I thought the boat was going to flip over because there were so many people trying to get on it. And as I looked behind, the line was about 10 deep.
THAT’S KIND OF WHAT GAVE US THE IDEA. WE DECIDED THIS HAS TO GET BETTER ORGANIZED, AND WE BETTER DO IT, AND THAT’S WHAT WE DID.
SO WE DECIDED TO MAKE THE CALL TO THE RADIO
ALL AVAILABLE BOATS, THIS IS THE UNITED STATES COAST GUARD, ABOARD THE PILOT BOAT NEW YORK. ANYONE WANTING TO HELP WITH EVACUATION ALONG MANHATTAN REPORT TO GOVERNORS ISLAND
MICHAEL DAY, COMMANDER US COAST GUARD
Robin Jones
Engineer, Mary Gellatly
If it floated and it could get there, it got there. All different sizes and shapes, zooming across this water. Hundreds of boats converged on the city, leaving the sun-bathed harbor behind them. I worked on the water 28 years and I’ve never seen that many boats come together that fast. One radio call and it just came together that fast.
Robin Jones
Engineer, Mary Gellatly
If it floated and it could get there, it got there. All different sizes and shapes, zooming across this water. Hundreds of boats converged on the city, leaving the sun-bathed harbor behind them. I worked on the water 28 years and I’ve never seen that many boats come together that fast. One radio call and it just came together that fast.
Paul Frank
Captain, Resolute
That is something I wont forget, it was just low dark black smoke. It looked like there was a big chimney in Manhattan. When we got to Pier-11, it was unbelievable. And then out of nowhere you just saw people coming, it looked like zombies through the fog. And you knew that those were human beings.
Paul Frank
Captain, Resolute
That is something I wont forget, it was just low dark black smoke. It looked like there was a big chimney in Manhattan. When we got to Pier-11, it was unbelievable. And then out of nowhere you just saw people coming, it looked like zombies through the fog. And you knew that those were human beings.
Vincent Ardolino
Captain, Amberjack V
I have one theory in life, I never want to say the words “I should have” If I do it and I fail, I tried. If I do it and I succeed, better for me. I tell my children the same thing, never go through life saying, “I should have.” If you want to do something, do it.
Vincent Ardolino
Captain, Amberjack V
I have one theory in life, I never want to say the words “I should have” If I do it and I fail, I tried. If I do it and I succeed, better for me. I tell my children the same thing, never go through life saying, “I should have.” If you want to do something, do it.