A Trip on the Staten Island Ferry

Staten Island is one of the five boroughs of the city of New York (the others are Brooklyn, The Bronx, Manhattan and Queens). It is located southwest of Manhattan Island, cut off from the rest of the city by a 5.2 mile stretch of New York Bay (also known as New York Harbor).

Every day, 65,000 people travel between the Northernmost point of Staten Island and the Southern tip of Manhattan via the free-of-charge Staten Island Ferry. On a steamy hot day, the temptation of a free boat ride was irresistible.

If you begin the trip in Manhattan, as I did, you'll board at the Whitehall Ferry Terminal. Completed in 2004, it replaced a structure identical to the century-old Battery Martime Terminal that still stands next door. Approximately 25 minutes later you'll arrive at the St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island, where the tourists and residents immediately part ways; the natives rush off to work, play and home, while the visitors simply turn around and catch the next ferry back to Manhattan.


Foreground, Battery Maritime Terminal (c. 1904), background, Whitehall Ferry Terminal (c. 2004)


Waiting for the ferry


Passing another ferry; background: Governor's Island


Catching a breeze near the statue


Approaching Staten Island


Pulling into the terminal


Staten Island: hazy, hot & humid


Outside the terminal


Exterior of Terminal


Running to the Manhattan-bound boat


The Statue of Liberty


Sailing on


Manhattan coming into view


Carly Simon called it "the New Jerusalem"


Terminal on the left, Brooklyn Bridge on the right


Pulling in to the terminal


The view from inside


Inside Whitehall Terminal

Let The River Run
We're coming to the edge
Running on the water
Coming through the fog
Your sons and daughters

Let the river run
Let all the dreamers
Wake the nation
Come, the New Jerusalem

Silver cities rise
The morning lights
The streets that lead them
And sirens call them on with a song

It's asking for the taking
Trembling, shaking
Oh, my heart is aching

-- Carly Simon, 1989

Staten Island Ferry

NYC Department of Transportation

Carly Simon: The New Jerusalem