Progress Report from Robbins Reef

Robbins Reef Trip Report

Thursday, October 27, 2022 

Crew: Andrew Quisling, Carmen Campo, Erin Urban

Weather: Another windy day with plenty of sun and deep-blue rough waters, mid-50s

Access: Left Miller’s at 1:15 PM and returned at 3:30 PM on the Nicholas Miller captained by Abdel Rahmanelmasry.

Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to install the new redwood Watch Gallery door and to check on the lighthouse.

Tasks accomplished: After taking down the old door, Carmen and Andrew removed the bolts and two iron hinges.  The hinges are original and had to be straightened, and Andrew did so expertly. To straighten them out, he leveraged the hinge using a sturdy 2x4 from the basement stash and the bottom rung of the ladder to the Watch Gallery. He and Carmen then hung the new door in place leaving 1/8” gap between the door and jambs.

We will use the bolt lock from the old door. Bye-bye loyal little black rope! We will sell you for $400 bucks to a collector of lighthouse memorabilia…

Erin checked out the Light Gallery; there was water in one sill only; we will check the caulking on that window, as everything else is holding.

She swept the promenade and would like to fill the holes, especially the ones from the Coast Guard bathroom. One long old pipe trough was full of salty, smelly water. We need a jackhammer and cement. We promenade weeders and sweepers would like to address the surface and remove the remnants of iron structures once built upon it. Again this is weather and crew-sensitive work.

Next steps: Andrew will adjust the Watch Gallery and attach a hook for roping it open in the wind and paint the exterior white and probably varnish the inside because is so beautiful.  He will adjust the kitchen door threshold, and the doors will be set. 

The weather has been against us all season, and lately the humidly and rain have been unpredictable.  We have decided to wrap up the exterior painting on the advice of Lou DeBlasi and Pete Battezzato from Armorica Sales, our paint donors; Carlo Giambanco from the Triboro Bridge and Tunnel Authority, and Tony Cucurullo and  David Attwood, other engineer in the maritime field.  Gus Scott concurs, if reluctantly. We all hoped to get more done this season.

We will bring back other equipment like the generator and grinding hammers, and continue to haul back paint for storage at Erin’s house; Pete said it will be fine there.

Next steps: There’s always maintenance, and we will go out regularly to check on the lighthouse and work on interior jobs. We can now clean up the floors, as Lou gave us a 5-gallon pail of thinner, and we bought respirators and masks for anyone who wants to help.  We need a circular floor fan to supplement the breezes in Kate’s house.

On good days, when we can get a crew, we will work on the promenade and clean it up little by little.

We need a 100-volt invertor so we don’t need a generator to run equipment.

At the bottom rung of the ladder to the Watch Gallery Andrew is leveraging the hinge to straighten it out. Photo by Erin Urban

Bolt lock from the old door on the new door. Photo by Erin Urban

Carmen with the new door and original hinges. Photo by Erin Urban

Progress Report from Robbins Reef

Robbins Reef Trip Report
Thursday, October 20, 2022
Crew: Andrew Quisling, Ken Johnson, Carmen Campo, Griselda Healy, Erin Urban
Weather: A sparkling windy day, mid-50s, ocean a shiny shade of viridian
Access: Left Miller’s Launch at 2:15 PM and returned at 5:15 PM on the Nicholas Miller captained by Abdel Rahmanelmasry.

Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to work on the Watch Gallery door and to check on the lighthouse.

Tasks accomplished: We hauled out the new redwood door that Andrew made along with supplies, including a 3 gallon pail of thinner for the floors that Lou from Armorica gave us, filters for the fan, a pump sprayer for rinsing the outside before painting from Tony, and some tools. 

The lighthouse is in excellent condition—light, tight, and bright after a thorough cleaning by the Crew. What a pleasure. We installed a new filter in the fan; we did not realize that has to be done every month and will stock up on them. Griselda and Erin swept the guano-ridden promenade, hoping for rain; thank heaven the Watch Gallery deck was clean.  We also cut in on the stairwell walls, and Griselda touched up the center pole in the equipment room and sitting room.

Andrew and Carmen removed the excess jambs on the Watch Gallery doorway which had been added over the years, and replaced them with wood we had in the cellar. Andrew removed the two thresholds that had been added when new doors were put in, and came to the one he believes is the original.

Left: Andrew and Carmen at work on the old jambs. PHOTO by Erin Urban

Above: Carmen and Andrew cutting the door to size. PHOTO by Erin Urban

They set up the redwood door on the fourth floor. The sides of the door are slightly curved and Andrew expertly cut them down to size, with Carmen repeatedly checking the measurements up at the doorway and returning to help. Then they brought the door up and positioned it in place, leaving 1/8” on the sides and top.  The original exterior hinges are iron and will work well. Then they reattached the fixtures on the old door, hung it back up, and stored the new door.

Next steps:  Andrew will get an iron or brass latch for securing the inside of the door. He’ll also get a hook for roping it open in the wind.

We have, as you see, everything we need—from paint from Armorica Sales that has to be used—to transport from Miller’s—to equipment like grinders and a generator—and we can get the outside painted. We have built the platforms and rigged them.  We are set to get the job done.

Gus Scott, who is running the exterior painting job, can go out on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons from one until five.  He needs someone to spot him. You have to text him; his cell # is 347 920-6864. He will get back to you with regard to weather and tides.  If you cannot reach him, please let Erin know by calling her at 718 273 6440. She will get back to you.

We have two platforms. PHOTO by Erin Urban

Progress Report from Robbins Reef

Robbins Reef Trip Report, September 15, 2022

Noble Crew:  Leslie Petosa and Erin Urban

Weather: A sparkling day, 70s

Access: Left Miller’s at 9:15 PM and returned at 11:15 PM on the Emily Miller captained by Dave Bowser.

Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to check on the lighthouse.

Tasks accomplished: The lighthouse is in excellent condition—light, tight, and bright after a thorough cleaning by the Crew on August 18. What a pleasure.

Next steps:  We will meet, weather permitting, at 2:45 PM at Miller’s in the coming weeks and to help and spot Gus Scott as he proceeds with the exterior painting.  If you can help paint, let Erin Urban know and she will get back to you about which weekday it will be.

On Thursdays, we will be working on finishing the kitchen door and installing the new Watch Gallery door. 

We also need help removing the linoleum glue from the floors and to remove the metal embedded in the promenade—while always performing husbandry to keep the interior of Kate’s Light in pristine condition.

Painted interior stairwell

The rooms are full of light

The Noble Maritime Collection announces the appointment of Elizabeth Bennett and Christine Johnson to its Board of Trustees

The Noble Maritime Collection has announced the appointment of two community leaders to the museum’s Board of Trustees—Elizabeth Bennett and Christine Johnson. 

Ms. Bennett has a wealth of non-profit management experience, including fundraising, audience building, equity, and programmatic collaboration.  She previously worked as Director of Program Services at the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and as Executive Director of Staten Island Arts, and is currently a journalist with The Vineyard Gazette of Martha’s Vineyard and a grant writer. 

Ms. Johnson has had an esteemed career in service to the public, including as a social worker and a victim assistance counselor, as well as a membership director at the YMCA.  She is perhaps most widely known for her service as Chief-of-Staff to former New York City District 49 Council Member Debi Rose from 2010 to 2022. 

Ms. Bennett and Ms. Johnson will bring new energy and ideas to the museum as its leadership continuously seeks to create enriching programming for the public in a welcoming and inclusive space.

Their addition to the museum’s leadership is part of an ongoing process that began with the creation of a Strategic Plan in 2021 with funding from the New York Community Trust and a Development Plan in 2022 with funding from the Staten Island Foundation.    

“We are grateful to Chris and Elizabeth for their willingness to continue to serve the public through the work we do at the Noble Maritime Collection.  They will lead the board development committee and will focus on strengthening museum relationships with public and private funders,” said Board Chair Steve Kalil, President of Caddell Dry Dock and Repair Company.

Ciro Galeno, Jr., the museum’s executive director added, “Chris and Elizabeth have been champions of the Noble Maritime Collection for many years in their previous roles, and their passion, enthusiasm, and work ethic made them the ideal candidates to join the Board of Trustees.”

The Noble Maritime Collection, located in a former sailors’ dormitory at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building D, Staten Island, is open year round, Thursday through Sunday from 12 until 5 PM. 

The new exhibition Andrea Doria: Rescue at Sea, featuring objects recovered from the wreck of the famous Italian ocean liner, is on view through June 2023.

Admission is by donation.

Progress Report from Robbins Reef Lighthouse

Robbins Reef Trip Report, Thursday, August 18, 2022

Noble Crew:  Nancy Benigus, Melissa Carp, Annie Frangipane, Erin Urban  

Conditions: High 80◦s, sunny, drought conditions

Access:  Left Miller’s at 10:10 AM and returned at 3:15 PM on the Nicholas Miller captained by Dave Bowser.

Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to perform some lighthouse husbandry.

Tasks accomplished: Starting in the Light Gallery we worked our way down, dusting, and sweeping each level and checking for leakage.  The fan was not working and we hesitated to mess with it without Gus or Tony.

We organized the equipment room and cleared the kitchen of garbage and all but essential equipment and got the extra platform boards out of the way. Melissa, Annie, and Nancy weeded the promenade top, which was littered with crab carcasses and the caisson sides.

After a plein aire lunch on the Watch Gallery balcony, we swept through again, hauled out the trash, and left the tower to Kate, with love.

 Next trip: Thursday, August 25, weather permitting, exterior painting.  Please let Erin Urban know if you can go.

Progress Report from Robbins Reef Lighthouse

Robbins Reef Trip Report, Thursday, July 28, 2022

Noble Crew:  Carmen Campo; David and his twin sons, Linus and Gorm, and Gus Scott

Conditions: High 80◦s, cloudy

Access:  Left Miller’s at 10:10 AM and returned at 3:15 PM on the Nicholas Miller captained by Dave Steckly.

Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to continue working on interior husbandry and painting the exterior.

Tasks accomplished: The Crew brought out and rigged the second platform.

David, Gorm, and Linus took in the lighthouse for the first time. David, who has experience working at heights, worked beside Gus and ground down two more panels on the underside of the Watch Gallery.  Thunderstorms were expected, and they did not paint. Carmen and the young men spotted them all day.

Here’s how to tackle that portlight.
PHOTO: Erin Urban, 2016

Linus and Gorm scraped and sanded the portlight adjacent to the fourth floor. We had not addressed it since 2016 because it is in a tricky place, as seen in the photo to the right, taken in 2016 when Damon Urban was working in that spot.  We needed someone tall—today we had two tall people—6”1” to be exact. With help from Carmen and David, they took on the project and will be able to finish scraping, sanding, and sealing it. They also spent some time down on the reef.

Next steps: We will build a new threshold for the kitchen door and finish the final adjustments to its surface and fixtures.  We are in the process of building the new Watch Gallery door and will install it, along with a new threshold and jambs.

We have to paint the red portion of the exterior. If possible we should put another coat of paint on the white, white, white Watch Gallery.

We will remove the metal fixtures in the surface and sides of the promenade and caisson and cement them.

Ongoing projects include work on the floors and touching up other areas inside.

The exterior painting has been hampered by the extreme heat and the other weather and tidal conditions, but it is progressing at a great rate thanks to many donations, especially from Miller’s Launch and Armorica Sales, our paint donors.  As always Noble Crew takes on all tasks; the dedication of its members will go down in the annals of American maritime history.

Provided we can, we will go out on Thursday, August 4, leaving Miller's at 10 AM.  Let Erin Urban know if you want to go; we have 4 crew people now and can take two more

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Today’s Crew, Gorm, Linus, David, and Carmen arriving at the tower. PHOTO: Gus Scott

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Gus explains how to secure the rigging

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Carmen, Gorm, Gus, and Linus lifting the second platform PHOTO: Gus Scott

Maritime historian Bill Miller to speak at museum on July 23 at 2 PM to commemorate the 66th anniversary of the Andrea Doria tragedy. The museum will also offer special hours and free admission.

The Noble Maritime Collection’s new exhibition Andrea Doria: Rescue at Sea opened last month. To honor the 66th anniversary of the greatest peacetime rescue in maritime history, the museum will offer free admission on both Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24, 2022, as well as special hours and free admission on the anniversary itself, Monday, July 25, 2022. The museum will be open all three days from 12 to 5 PM.

On Saturday, July 23 at 2 PM, renowned maritime historian and lecturer Bill Miller will present a photographic overview of the great Atlantic liners—including the Andrea Doria and her passengers’ rescue ship the Ile de France—as well as the Mauretania, Titanic, Rex, Normandie, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth.

Miller will discuss the lavish first class accommodations and the lower-deck steerage for immigrants who came westward by sea. He will also discuss the two World Wars, the Depression, and the final, pre-jet era in the 1960s and the last of this grand fleet, finishing with the current age of the Queen Mary 2.

Maritime historian Bill Miller

The SS Andrea Doria was the pride of postwar Italy. A glamorous transatlantic ocean liner, she was a “floating art gallery” and a marvel of mid-century modern design. She carried celebrities as well as Italian immigrants to new opportunities in America.

On July 25, 1956, the Swedish liner MS Stockholm collided with the Andrea Doria, which was en route to New York. The subsequent rescue was one of the most dramatic and well-documented in sea history.

The museum’s exhibition was developed with the guidance of survivor, educator, author, and filmmaker Pierette Domenica Simpson, who is the gatekeeper of Andrea Doria survivor stories. She is the author of the books Alive on the Andrea Doria!: The Greatest Sea Rescue in History and I Was Shipwrecked on the Andrea Doria! The Titanic of the 1950s.

Simpson also wrote and produced the 2016 documentary Andrea Doria: Are the Passengers Saved?, directed by Luca Guardabascio of Rome. A 15-minute preview of this film will be shown at the museum following Mr. Miller’s presentation.

To mark the 66th anniversary of the sinking, the film will air in New York City and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut on CUNY TV on Saturday, July 23 at 11:00 PM, Sunday, July 24 at 3:00 PM, Monday, July 25 at 6:00 AM and 12:00 PM, and Tuesday, July 26 at 12:00 PM.

The view the trailer for Andrea Doria: Are the Passengers Saved?, visit youtube.com/watch?v=IyFUiRrE230

The museum’s exhibition features objects and artifacts from the extensive collection of diver and researcher John Moyer. In 1993, Moyer was awarded an Admiralty Arrest in US Federal Court and named Salvor in Possession of the wreck

In addition to numerous rare photographs and artwork, on display is a lifering from the Andrea Doria, as well as china from all passenger classes, glassware, silverware, and the ship’s brass bell, all recovered by Moyer and a team of divers.

The exhibition also includes underwater footage shot by Bill Campbell and Billy Deans of John Moyer and a team diving to the wreck and recovering two 1,000-pound ceramic mural panels by Italian artist Guido Gambone (1909-1969). An example of Gambone’s work, a vase, is also on display.

Archival newsreel footage of the Andrea Doria’s maiden voyage, the collision, and the rescue of her passengers—all provided by the Sherman Grinberg Library—is shown in the exhibition on a converted Firestone television from 1956, the year of the sinking.

The exhibition will be on view through June 2023. For more information, visit noblemaritime.org/andrea-doria.

For more information on historian Bill Miller, visit billmillercruiseseverywhere.com

For more information about Simpson’s work, visit pierettesimpson.com and Andrea Doria: Are The Passengers Saved? The Movie.

For more information on Moyer's work, visit Moyer Expeditions LLC.

This exhibition was made possible, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council; the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature; a Humanities New York SHARP Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal American Rescue Plan Act; and by a grant from the Lily Auchincloss Foundation. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Progress Report from Robbins Reef

Robbins Reef Trip Report, Thursday,  July 14, 2022

Noble Crew:  Andrew Quisling and Bagz Rylez

Conditions: Sun and clouds, high 80◦s

Access:  Left Miller’s at 11:00 AM on the Nicholas Miller captained by Dave Bowser and returned at 7:00 PM captained by Abdel Rahmanelmasry.

Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to finish work on the kitchen door and assess the other carpentry projects.

The many thresholds of the Watch Gallery door, PHOTO: Andrew Quisling

Tasks accomplished: Bagz put filler in the kitchen door and re-sanded it, wiped it clean, and put on another coat of our PPG Industrial exterior gloss alkyd, “periwinkle blue,” he calls it (and it is) on both sides, and the top and bottom of the beautiful glass-paneled door and left it open to dry properly.

Andrew reattached moldings on the second floor landing and sitting room. He examined the wood in the basement; it is suitable for the new jambs for the Watch Gallery door and  a new threshold there and at the main entrance. He also did some husbandry around the tower, especially in the equipment room and Bagz took care of the kitchen.  They made a stop at a tanker on the way back, circled around it. Very cool.

Next steps: More of the same!  We have worked out a schedule for going out, and I will send it along tonight.

Progress Report from Robbins Reef

Robbins Reef Trip Report, Tuesday, July 12, 2022
Noble Crew:  Decklyn Uttmark and Gus Scott 
Conditions: Sun and clouds, 80◦s 
Access:  Left Miller’s at 10:25 on the Nicholas Miller captained by James Hyndman and returned at 5:00 PM.

Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to continue painting the exterior. 

Tasks accomplished: With Decklyn spotting him, Gus scraped and painted the panels on the underside of the Watch Gallery and the long panel below it. 

The photos are worth a thousand words. Gus took them, and they show not only what he has been doing but how he does it.

Next steps: More of the same! And work on interior projects, such as the Watch Gallery ceiling and door, the dog door in the Light Gallery, and the floors.  We also hope to tackle the metal in the promenade and of course the red portion of the exterior.

Progress Report from Robbins Reef

Robbins Reef Trip Report, Thursday, June 30, 2022

Noble Crew:  Andrew Quisling, Bagz Rylez, Gus Scott

Conditions: Sun and clouds, 80◦s

Access:  Left Miller’s at 10:25 on the Emily Miller captained by James Hyndman and returned at 5:00 PM.

Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to haul out paint, work on the kitchen door, and start work on the underside of the Watch Gallery balcony.

Tasks accomplished: Andrew and Bagz raised the platform and rigged it.  Bagz spotted Gus all day as he worked on other projects with Andrew. Gus attacked the underside of the Watch Gallery balcony which is heavily rusted.  Using equipment loaned to us by the Noble Crew, and paint donated by our painting angels, John, Lou, and Pete at Armorica Sales, he used the generator, chipping hammer, and small hand chipping hammer, and chipped, scraped, and primed four panels along the underside of the Watch Gallery balcony.

After unloading more exterior paint stored at Erin’s house at the lighthouse, Andrew and Bagz went out and worked on the kitchen door. Andrew installed the locking mechanisms, the restored brass door plate and hinges, and doorknobs he donated.  Bagz assisted and helped him hang it.

The door was in rough shape; there were no fixtures and one of the hinges was missing, as was one of the windows and the window molding and molding on a panel. Ken Johnson, with assistance from Carmen Campo, repaired it and installed the new window. Ken fashioned the new curved molding and repaired the sides and panels. Bulls-nosing revealed the colors the door has been over at least 100 years, and we chose this one. Armorica mixed it for us.  Leslie Petosa prepped and painted the door, and we stored it up in the sitting room over the winter.  That may be the original spring.

The restored kitchen door

The restored kitchen door

Andrew scraped the landing outside the sitting room; the area at the right shows the condition before he scraped it. The landings never had linoleum on them.

Back in about 2010, Peter Yuschak made a temporary door for the Watch Gallery; it had a 12” hole through it, and several thresholds and pieces of wood serving as jambs.  It was a temporary stopgap.  Andrew will make new jambs, a threshold, and a new door out of marine grade wood at his studio and install it in new jambs with the proper opening and closing mechanisms. 

Above: The landing outside Kate’s sitting room.

To the right: The opening to the balcony. It is set into the curved side of the Watch Gallery.

Next steps: The main thrust of our work will now turn to the exterior restoration. We need people to meet with Gus and go out to the lighthouse.  Please let Erin know through this email and she will call you and put you in in touch with him directly when he is planning a trip. He will monitor the tides and weather forecast. He has thought about full-day as well as half-day trips. Erin will notify Miller’s, and they will help us as they always have, without question. 

Gus is using the generator. As a spotter for the painting work, you would help set up the work up in the third floor equipment room and haul the platform up with the rigging.  The platform is out on the caisson and ready to go, and unless we foresee extreme bad weather, we will leave it there.

You provide Gus with paint and equipment and regularly check the rigging.

If you are willing to scrape and paint, we have another platform, and you can do so. Obviously you must discuss this with Gus and Erin and make sure you have been to the lighthouse and assessed what we are doing before volunteering to paint.

For those of you who do not want to handle rigging—Erin, for example, will not—there are other ways you can assist Gus and help with other restoration work and routine husbandry.  We will, for example, continue to restore the floors, which were once covered in linoleum, we think.  We need circular floor fans for that, if you can loan us one.

Plenty of sunshine hangin’ around, fresh breezes, and breaks on the Watch Gallery balcony with its magnificent views. Satisfaction guaranteed.

PHOTOS: Andrew Quinsling

Progress Report from Robbins Reef

Robbins Reef Trip Report, June 16, 2022

Noble Crew:  Andrew Quisling, Sean Sweeney, Erin Urban

Conditions: Overcast, patches of fog and sunlight, 65-70◦s. High winds and rough water.

Access: Left Miller’s at 1:00 PM and returned at 3:15 PM on the Nicholas Miller captained by Abdel Rahmanelmasry making his first trip out to the reef and being guided by Captain George Langer, and brought us back at 3:00 PM with Captain Mike Grodeska guiding him.

Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to haul out the paint, blocks for the exterior rigging, and more water, to work on the kitchen door, and to clean and assess conditions.

Tasks accomplished:  We hauled out and unloaded 8 gallons of paint, 3 jugs of water, and the two boxes of wood blocks on loan to us from the Lilac for the rigging and checked the lighthouse.

Andrew with the door in the sitting room.
PHOTO: Sean Sweeney

Andrew adjusted the mortice in the kitchen door and readied it for the placement of the new $429.00 brass tenon. He brought out appropriate doorknobs for consideration and a tool that will work well getting the linoleum glue off the floors. We will purchase a couple of them for our strong-armed volunteers. It could come off “like butter,” as Laura Kennedy  would say.

Sean had never been out before and while photographing he surveyed various areas such as the threshold for the dog door in the Light Gallery, with an eye toward working on them

Erin cleaned the Light Gallery, where the finial is again raining down soot. Some of our towels on the sills were damp. She swept the gallery and the Watch Gallery floor and ladder and started sweeping the stairwell.

Our work was cut short when Andrew spotted the Nicholas approaching at about 2:50 PM.  We expected to leave at 4 PM because the tide would be low at 4:41 PM. We learned from Mike that the tide is one foot lower at low tide and one foot higher at high tide during a full moon, and we hurriedly packed up and left.  Miller’s always watches out for us.

Next steps: After the new hinge arrives (it is back-ordered) and we ready the jamb and finish the locking installation, we will hang the kitchen door, put a coat of paint on it, and attach the brass plate to the lower panel.  When the weather settles down, we will begin the exterior painting. In the meantime, we will haul out the paint, assess and check the equipment, and take care of the things like the finial.  We also need help with removing linoleum glue from the floors while addressing the husbandry—at the loving hands of Noble Crew—that keeps the interior of Kate’s Light as she did. When we start the exterior painting, we will leave Miller’s at 2:00 PM on Thursdays and Fridays. Angus needs at least two people per trip to spot and supply him while he is chipping and painting. Volunteers who can and want to help should let Erin know.

Noble Maritime Collection presents Andrea Doria: Rescue at Sea, a new exhibition about the greatest peacetime rescue in maritime history

The Noble Maritime Collection presents Andrea Doria: Rescue at Sea, an exhibition about the 1956 sinking of the SS Andrea Doria and the rescue of her passengers.

The exhibition will be on view from June 16, 2022 through June 2023.  There will be an opening reception on Thursday, June 16 from 6 to 8 PM.

The SS Andrea Doria was the pride of postwar Italy.  A glamorous transatlantic ocean liner, she was a “floating art gallery” and a marvel of midcentury modern design.  She carried celebrities as well as Italian immigrants to new opportunities in America.

On July 25, 1956, the Swedish liner MS Stockholm collided with the Andrea Doria, which was en route to New York.  The subsequent rescue was one of the most dramatic and well-documented in sea history.

The Andrea Doria foundered 11 hours after the collision, and now lays on her starboard side 250 feet below the surface, about 50 miles from Nantucket.

The exhibition will feature objects and artifacts from the extensive collection of diver and researcher John Moyer, Salvor in Possession of the Andrea Doria.

In addition to numerous rare photographs and artwork, on display will be a lifering from the Andrea Doria, as well as china from all passenger classes, pottery, glassware, silverware, and the ship’s brass bell, recovered by Moyer and a team of divers.

The exhibition was developed with the guidance of survivor, educator, author, and filmmaker Pierette Domenica Simpson, who is the gatekeeper of Andrea Doria survivor stories.  She is the author of the books Alive on the Andrea Doria!: The Greatest Sea Rescue in History and I Was Shipwrecked on the Andrea Doria! The Titanic of the 1950s.

“This exhibition opens on June 16, 2022, which is the 71st anniversary of the Andrea Doria’s launching, so this is as much about the ship’s beautiful Italian midcentury design, as it is about the tragic sinking and well-coordinated rescue,” said the Noble Maritime Collection’s Executive Director Ciro Galeno, Jr. 

He continued, “I have long wanted to present this story to museumgoers, and I have always been fascinated by the Andrea Doria.  My mother vividly recalls seeing the footage of the sinking and rescue on TV as a little girl.”

Archival newsreel footage of the Andrea Doria’s maiden voyage, the collision, and the rescue of her passengers—all provided by the Sherman Grinberg Library—will be shown in the exhibition on a converted Firestone television from 1956, the year of the sinking.

The exhibition also includes underwater footage shot by Bill Campbell and Billy Deans of John Moyer and a team diving to the wreck and recovering two 1,000-pound ceramic mural panels by Italian artist Guido Gambone (1909-1969).

In 1993, Moyer was awarded an Admiralty Arrest in US Federal Court and named Salvor in Possession of the wreck.  In the ruling, US District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez stated Moyer’s “research and archeological documentation of his effort indicate a respect for the Andrea Doria as something more than just a commercial salvage project.”

Photographs of some of the Andrea Doria survivors are featured in the exhibition, including Simpson, who, at nine years old, was immigrating to the United States with her grandparents, Pietro and Domenica Burzio, to start a new life with her mother Vivian, who had moved to Detroit eight years earlier to pursue the American Dream.

Simpson wrote and produced the 2016 documentary Andrea Doria: Are the Passengers Saved?, directed by Luca Guardabascio of Rome.  To mark the 66th anniversary of the sinking, the film will air in New York City and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut on CUNY TV on Saturday, July 23 at 11:00 PM, Sunday, July 24 at 3:00 PM, Monday, July 25 at 6:00 AM and 12:00 PM, and Tuesday, July 26 at 12:00 PM.

A DVD of the film will be available to purchase in the museum’s shop, as well as both of Simpson’s books.

For more information about Simpson’s work, visit pierettesimpson.com and Andrea Doria: Are The Passengers Saved? The Movie.

For more information on Moyer's work, visit Moyer Expeditions LLC.

For more information about the exhibition, visit noblemaritime.org/andrea-doria.

This exhibition was made possible, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, in partnership with the City Council; the New York State Council on the Arts, with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature; a Humanities New York SHARP Grant with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the federal American Rescue Plan Act; and by a grant from the Lily Auchincloss Foundation.  Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this exhibition do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The exhibition was curated by Megan Beck, Ciro Galeno, Jr., and Michael McWeeney.

The Noble Maritime Collection, located in a former mariners’ dormitory at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building D, Staten Island, New York, is open from 12 until 5 PM, Thursdays through Sundays.  Admission is by donation.

For more information about the museum, call (718) 447-6490 or visit noblemaritime.org.

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SS Andrea Doria

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The sinking

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“Where is my Nonna?”

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Lifering

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Installation shot

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Installation shot

Progress Report from Robbins Reef

Robbins Reef Trip Report, May 25, 2022

Noble Crew:   Griselda Healy, Andrew Quisling, Erin Urban

Conditions: Sparkling sun, high winds, big swells, 60◦s

Access: Left Miller’s at 2:30 PM and returned at 4:30 PM on the Julia Miller captained by George Langley, who sped us out and back.

Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to assess the kitchen door fixtures and order them, check the lighthouse, and haul out the generator, sawz-all, and more water.

Tasks accomplished:  We unloaded the equipment and checked the lighthouse from the cellar to the Light Gallery. The fan is humming quietly. The place is light, tight, and bright.

Andrew had never been out before, and he examined everything carefully, asked questions, and made suggestions. He checked the measurements for the door fixture and hinges. The lower hinge is broken and will have to be replaced. The door surround is solid.  We may want to modify or replace the threshold.  He also studied the Watch Gallery door, which has four layers of thresholds and replacement surrounds made to fit the size of the wood door, which, when we got the lighthouse, had a 12” hole through  it. Peter Yuschak made a new door, a temporary and necessary fix, which has held up, but, like its predecessor, it has no fixtures, and we have to rope it closed.  Andrew will look into it over the next months.

Griselda replaced the plastic covering on the Watch Gallery ceiling. It’s another less than simple job, as that ceiling is made of boards that taper to form the circular ceiling.

And for those who care, the promenade was washed clean by the recent rainstorms, and the first weed appeared through a crack and was dutifully pulled.

Next steps: When the weather settles down, we will begin the exterior painting. In the meantime, we will haul out the paint, assess and check the equipment, and take care of the things like the finial.  We also need help working on removing linoleum glue from the floors while addressing the husbandry—at the loving hands of Noble Crew—that keeps the interior of Kate’s Light  shockingly beautiful.

When we can start the exterior painting—and we cannot until the weather calms down and gets dry—we will meet at 2:00 PM at Miller’s to help Angus.  Volunteers who can and want to paint or help with the process should let Erin know.

Progress Report from Robbins Reef

Robbins Reef Trip Report Trip Report, Thursday, May 5, 2022

Noble Crew:  Annie Frangipane and Erin Urban

Weather:  Sunny and windy, with scattered cloud coverings, temperatures in the 50s.

Access: Left Miller’s at 2 PM and returned at 3:45 PM on the Nicholas Miller, captained by Dave Steckly.

Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to haul out supplies, prepare for the tasks ahead, and check on the lighthouse. It’s light, tight, and bright.  

Tasks accomplished:  There was some water on the Watch Gallery floor from the place where some of the ceiling boards had been removed when the Coast Guard set up its solar power.  We tightened the plastic covering over it.  We swept up the kitchen, where we are keeping the painting platforms. 

We re-checked the measurements of the kitchen door fixtures, the lock plate, door handle, mortice and hinges; we will photograph samples of appropriate fixtures, based on the hinges, the only parts we have, and purchase new fixtures with funds from our generous donors.   

Carmen Campo, Kenny Johnson, and Leslie Petosa restored the kitchen door; Miller’s cleaned up the brass door plate, which is original, and we got great windows from Staten Island Plate Glass.  

On to hanging!  What a sensation!  To look out to the Bayonne Bridge from the windows in

Robbins Reef Lighthouse front door

We painted the door based on sanding off the many different-colored layers of paint it has had in the last 100 years.

We photographed the remnants of the iron fixtures embedded in the promenade. Salt water is seeping into the fractured areas around them, damaging the promenade and caisson.  We are organizing a crew to go out with jackhammers and cement to get them out and close up the holes with cement. Later we will re-cement the entire surface of the promenade.  You’re invited; this project will take place on a weekday afternoon

In the meantime, as soon as wind and weather allow it, we will paint the exterior. Again, weekday afternoons are the best time for Angus McCamy, and he needs help and spotters. 

Experience with ropes and rigging are a plus.

To volunteer, please email Erin Urban.

Glen Miller and his staff make all this possible and we thank them!

Progress Report from Robbins Reef

Robbins Reef Trip Report Trip Report, February 24, 2022

Noble Crew:  Annie Frangipane, Leslie Petosa, Louise Petosa, Erin Urban

Weather:  Overcast, windy, temperatures in the 30s.

Access: Left Miller’s at 11:45 AM and returned at 1:45 PM on the Nicholas Miller captained by Bruce Belschner.

Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to check on the lighthouse.  It was 42 degrees inside, and everything was light, tight, and bright.

Tasks accomplished:  We replaced the padlock on the front door and checked the cellar and upper floors, which were dry.  We wiped down the windows in the Light Gallery and replaced the towels we keep on the sills because they were damp from condensation on the windows.  The finial was again raining down grit so we swept the gallery floor.  We swept the promenade as best we could.  The fan was humming.  Everything outside was fine.

Next steps:  Angus McCamy will paint the middle, white panels of the exterior.  We are set with equipment.  Angus can work after 3 PM till sunset on weekdays. We need Crew help with rigging the platforms and spotting him as he works.  John Tretout and his staff of Armorica Sales donated five 5-gallon buckets of the paint which we will haul out as needed.

We will secure the locking fixtures and doorknobs to the front door and install them and the door.  One by one we will remove the windows in the Light Gallery, clean the metal channels, and reinstall the windows with marine-grade caulk.  Someone tall has to scrape and paint the inside of the finial., or perhaps we will have to seal it.

 We have to replace the Watch Gallery door with a sheet metal-plated door that we can secure properly; we now have to rope it closed.  We also need help with installing the restored kitchen door and working on removing the linoleum glue from the floors.

 There are many jobs around the lighthouse, and if you would like to help, please let Leslie Petosa, Erin Urban, or a friend you may know on the Crew know.  We go out on weekdays about once per week in fair weather usually for 6-hour stretches.  We will go out with Angus as stated above, and perhaps you could alter your schedule to help.   Glen Miller and his staff make all this possible and we thank them all!

Louise at work on the promenade.

Leslie in their father’s jacket on the Watch Gallery deck.

Noble Maritime Collection receives grant from Investors Foundation to support Noble on Watch, a virtual lecture and concert series

The Noble Maritime Collection recently received a $2,500 grant from Investors Foundation to help further the museum’s mission of celebrating maritime history and culture through Noble on Watch (NOW), a series of virtual programs that viewers can enjoy in the comfort of their own homes.

Through the NOW platform, diverse scholars, authors, and musicians make monthly presentations at noblemaritime.org/now and on the museum’s Facebook page, facebook.com/noblemaritime.  All programs are free and can be viewed anytime after they premiere. 

The upcoming schedule includes a lecture by local author and historian Pat Salmon about the former quarantine islands off Staten Island on March 24.

The museum debuted NOW in 2020 to provide programming during the pandemic shutdown. The project successfully increased the museum’s program attendance tenfold, from 50 to 500 viewers on average.  In addition to pre-pandemic museum goers, new audience members included seniors, people with disabilities and limited mobility, and those outside a drivable distance to the museum.

“I am so proud of the Noble on Watch initiative, and grateful to the Investors Foundation for their support,” said Ciro Galeno, Jr., Executive Director of the Noble Maritime Collection.  “NOW grew out of necessity during the pandemic lockdown, but the high-quality and relevant lectures—including diverse stories in maritime history and collaborations with scholars from across the world—have proven to be immensely popular, and continue to help us educate the public with no limits to accessibility.”

Past NOW programs, available to view at noblemaritime.org/now, include the lectures Untold Stories of the Titanic: The Only Black Passenger by Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson and Nellie Bly: Around the World in 72 Days by Gerard Thornton, as well as the spoken word and musical performance, Rockaway Blue: An Evening with Larry Kirwan.

Investors Bank, headquartered in Short Hills, New Jersey, is a full-service community bank that has been serving customers since 1926. With over $25 billion in assets and a network of more than 150 retail branches, Investors Bank delivers personalized services and products tailored to the needs of its customers. Investors Bank’s services include complete deposit, loan and cash management products for consumers and businesses. Investors Bank. Member FDIC and Equal Housing Lender.

Investors Bank created the Investors Foundation in 2005 to support the communities Investors Bank serves. Investors Foundation supports initiatives in the arts, youth development, health and human services, education and affordable housing.  Investors Foundation works to improve the lives of its customers and neighbors.

For more information, please visit: myinvestorsbank.com/Community/Investors-Foundation

The mission of the Noble Maritime Collection, an art and history museum in Staten Island, New York, is to present exhibitions and programs that celebrate the working waterfront of New York Harbor in the tradition of distinguished artist John A. Noble (1913-1983), and to preserve Robbins Reef Lighthouse and the history of Sailors’ Snug Harbor.

The museum is located in Building D, a former mariners’ dormitory at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island, New York, 10301.  It is open from 12 until 5 PM, Thursdays through Sundays.  Admission is by donation.

For more information, call (718) 447-6490 or visit noblemaritime.org.

Progress Report from Robbins Reef

Robbins Reef Trip Report, December 16, 2021

Noble Crew:  Nick Boyle, Tony Cucurullo, Erin Urban

Weather: Early sunset coming on, with sun and wind 40s

Access: Left Miller’s at 2:15 PM and returned at 4 PM on the Nicholas Miller captained by Dave Steckley.

Purpose of the trip: The purpose of the trip was to check conditions, move vulnerable objects and supplies upstairs, and bring back the generator and other equipment.

Note: Access was made impossible by the Coast Guard, who had removed our lock and substituted theirs for the third time in 10 years.  Fortunately Tony spotted a small key on the promenade, and it worked.  Obviously the Coast Guard lost the key we had supplied to them, substituted a new padlock, and did not inform us or give us a key.  Had Tony not spotted it, we would have wasted Miller’s time and ours. 

The door settled under a tarp in the sitting room and some wire for rigging the painting platforms…

Tasks accomplished:  Tony and Nick rigged the generator and got it, with other heavy tools, down to the platform.  Tony will store the generator at his shop.  They moved the kitchen door, which Carmen Campo, Ken Johnson, and Leslie Petosa have been working on all year, to the second floor for safekeeping.  Erin helped move other equipment and supplies to the equipment room.  The place, as you can see, is spotless because of the ventilation system and the respectful lighthouse husbandry of the Noble Crew.

The Coast Guard had switched off the breaker to our fan, and Tony and Nick had to get it going again.  We placed a sign on our panel box stating “Please (Tony’s word) do not turn off the ventilation system.”  He and Nick checked the Watch Gallery and balcony, and the Light Gallery, where there was almost no soot, as we had cleaned the finial this summer.

Next steps: We will meet on a semi-monthly basis as weather permits and go out to check on the lighthouse and make more progress on the interior.  We will secure the hardware for the kitchen door and perhaps be able to rehang it.  We also need help with removing the linoleum glue from the floors.

We are set to start the exterior painting as soon as Spring arrives.

Year-end letter from the Director

Season's greetings from your friends at the Noble Maritime Collection!  The GIF above was made from photographs of John A. Noble taken when he was a toddler by his father in their flat on Nevern Square in Earl's Court, London, around 1916.   

The museum’s mission has never before been more relevant, and during this past year, we have embraced our history and found inspiration in art that depicts strength during adversity, and programs that celebrate joy in music and understanding through storytelling. 

We have been exploring ways to make the museum’s collection accessible to all.  Curator Megan Beck has been assisted by undergraduate and graduate interns from the College of Staten Island, Wagner College, and New York University.  Our internship program is something I am very proud of, as we hope to inspire a new generation of museum administrators, educators, curators, and historic preservationists.  Noble interns get a chance to do hands-on work with objects and historic documents.  There is no greater testament to the program’s success than the fact that Megan started as an intern herself!

We greatly value education, and this year for the younger grade levels, Director of Programs Dawn Daniels led our teaching artists to conduct programs that included Maritime Careers of New York Harbor, an early workforce development program for elementary and junior high school students; Waves of Inspiration, a unique public art exhibition of work created by special education students; and La Capitana Dice, our first Spanish education program for English Language Learners.  Through in-person sessions and creative virtual classes, nearly 2,100 students participated this year, approaching pre-pandemic levels.

This year, we were honored to host the September 11th anniversary exhibition Arc of Twenty Years, guest curated by Michael McWeeney and Sarah Yuster, featuring the diverse perspectives of eight local artists.  We also presented E.F. Neilson (1865-1909): Paintings by a New Brighton Artist in the Sailors’ Snug Harbor Collection, featuring six newly conserved works of art. 

Currently on view now through the spring is an expanded exhibition of John A. Noble’s lithographs and paintings from the museum's collection and on loan from private collectors.  If you are a fan of his work, now is the time to visit, as there are 22 paintings, 32 prints, 7 drawings, and 3 litho stones on display.  We are also currently working on an exciting new exhibition about the Italian liner SS Andrea Doria, set to open in June!

We are grateful to our public and private funders who supported the museum this past year, and to all of those who participated in our benefit art auction last month.  Thank you!

If you were planning to make a tax-deductible contribution to the museum and have yet to do so, please consider including the Noble Maritime Collection in your end-of-year giving.  You can do so easily by visiting noblemaritime.org/contributions.

Happy holidays, and thank you!

Warm regards,

Ciro Galeno, Jr.
Executive Director

Holiday market Culture Shop returns as an in-person event at the Noble Maritime Collection, 12/4/21

Join us on Saturday, December 4, 2021 from 11 AM until 4 PM when we present our annual holiday fair, Culture Shop.

This event supports artists and craftspeople on Staten Island.  Over two dozen vendors will be selling art, antiques, photography, and handmade books, candles, cards, jewelry, ornaments, prints, scarves, soap, and more.

The Viva Voce Brass ensemble will present live holiday music at 2 PM in front of artist John A. Noble’s houseboat studio.

“We are pleased to once again be presenting Culture Shop and welcoming everyone to the museum to mark the start of this festive season,” commented Ciro Galeno, Jr., Executive Director of the Noble Maritime Collection.  “Our friends at Art Lab, Staten Island Museum, and Snug Harbor Cultural Center are holding holiday fairs at the same time, so as always, it’s a great opportunity for the community to shop small in support of local artists and makers.”

Vendors selling vintage, original, and unique jewelry include Hey, Dollface!, Juniper Moon Designs, August Moon, Bee Baa Art Jewelry, Laura Del Prete, PJC Guitar Pick Jewelry & Gifts, Sage Reynolds, Linda Rossi of Sunset Hill Design, Carmel Simone, Ann-Marie Wold and Alana Gilkeson, who will also be selling suncatchers.

Artists Kevyn Fairchild, Elle Finn, Meghan Joseph, Michael McWeeney, Bill Murphy, Donna Napoli-Steele, Kristi Pfister, and Sarah Yuster will sell a collection of photographs, prints, watercolors, and greeting cards.

Books will be sold by Allan Avidano and Nancy and Chris Benbow, while Fundaroma will sell a variety of homemade candles.

Holiday ornaments and assorted gifts will be available from Donna Pagano and Omar K. Aviles, and Linda Klein and Janice Patrignani will offer handmade scarves.

Ava Quinn’s also returns with a selection of handmade soaps.

Chapman Grafik will present a selection of rare antiques.

The Noble Maritime Collection’s museum shop will be stocked with its unique selection of books, cards, affordable art, and toys.

Please note that as mandated by the City of New York, all visitors and vendors must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination to attend, and the museum requires that masks be worn while indoors. 

The Noble Maritime Collection, located in a former mariners’ dormitory at Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Building D, Staten Island, New York, is open from 12 until 5 PM, Thursdays through Sundays.  Admission is by donation.

For more information about the museum, call (718) 447-6490 or visit noblemaritime.org.

A letter from the director on Giving Tuesday

Dear friends,

This year, the Noble Maritime Collection’s home, Building D, is 180 years old, and the museum itself is 35. The current generation of leadership takes seriously the responsibility of caring for this National Historic Landmark, maintaining the meticulous work of the volunteer Noble Crew who restored it, and interpreting its history. We have limited resources, but this is a labor of love for all of us—the staff, the board, and our volunteers. We treat this museum like it’s our home—and indeed it was a home for sailors for many years—and so we always want everyone to feel welcome here.

The objects in the collection and this building itself are important, but only so because they are links to people from the past, and they are only relevant when they are being appreciated by people in the present. John A. Noble believed in access to art for all, hence why he chose printmaking as his preferred medium. He used his art to preserve history, particularly through his depictions of the last days of the Age of Sail, and overall he wanted to open people’s eyes to the working waterfront. Inspired by that, we too value historic preservation, particularly that of Noble’s houseboat, Building D, and Robbins Reef Lighthouse. But more so, as it concerns the people we serve, we value knowledge gathered and shared; being inclusive of the infinite and beautiful differences in our community, including diverse viewpoints; and perhaps most simply, but most profoundly, being kind in all of our interactions.

We are planning new exhibitions by guest curators, lectures by special presenters, and innovative programs such as La Capitana Dice, an education program in Spanish for English Language Learners in a local elementary school. And again, perhaps most simply but most proudly, in a stressful world, we look to ensure that everyday visits to the Noble are peaceful respites where one can enjoy the beauty of the past and appreciate how important the maritime industry was and is to our community.

Today is Giving Tuesday, a global initiative to support non-profits. If you believe in the work we are doing and are in a position to give, we would be very grateful.

To make a gift in any amount, please click here.

Thank you, and we look forward to welcoming you to the museum this holiday season!

Warm regards,

Ciro Galeno, Jr.
Executive Director

PS - We hope to welcome you at our annual holiday fair, Culture Shop, this Saturday, December 4 from 11 AM to 4 PM. Click here for more information.