January 17, 2009
NY Governor Paterson was correct, it was a miracle. And when you think of all that might have happened, and how it did in fact play out, all we can do is give thanks.
By now, everyone across the country has heard the story of the airplane filled with passengers which had to make an emergency landing in the Hudson River. And everyone learned with relief that all passengers and crew survived.
The plane floated down the Hudson River and came to a rest along the Battery Park City seawall, just a few hundred yards north of Dennis Conner's North Cove.
Apart from our anxiety while the plane evacuation took place and the subsequent deluge of rescue personnel and craft, Dennis Conner's North Cove was not affected. The marina stays open for it's winter customers. And we will reopen on a full time basis in the spring as normal.
Apart from that, all we can report to you is "Wow."
When you live in New York City, you are accustomed to excitement. If you stand around North Cove on a beautiful summer day, you are likely to see super models, movie stars and business moguls walk by. There is always energy in the city and the next greatest thing is just about to happen around the corner.
But this "Miracle on the Hudson" ranks right up there with all of the great stories and things we have lived through.
It will be interesting to see whether this positive and buoyant news story is a milestone and subtly helps to turn the mood of our city around. The past year has been difficult for the financial and other industries. We've been in a downward PR cycle. It bottomed just before Thanksgiving and then the good feelings of the holidays brought some stability and a slight rebound.
Recently, a cold and extremely frigid Canadian air mass descended on our city. With it, the markets began to sink again. Then a miracle. And on one of the coldest days of the year, regular people like you and me who just happened to be flying on this specific flight, stepped out of their plane and onto the wings, where the icy river lapped at their feet. And from there, they boarded nearby boats and were taken to the safety of Manhattan Island. A complete miracle. And one of the greatest stories of the year, with heroes, success and a tremendously positive ending. The next day, the markets rose.
And if there is one wish we all have for our city, it is for the PR cycle of this miracle to continue as long as possible. There will be a tomorrow and a next year. The sun will continue to rise every morning. Sure it might be different, but when tomorrow comes, we should be glad to be part of it. There are many more things to be positive and happy about than there are negative. This miracle is a message to us all.
Once all the passengers were rescued safely and everyone let out a big sigh of relief, the humor kicked in. The humor used to start on the floor of the NYSE where brokers manned phones and communicated. But in today's world, the it can begin in any place and spread by Internet. The conjectures flew about whether maritime salvage laws applied and who was first to secure a line to the plane. In England, if a whale comes ashore, it belongs to the Queen. Who would a plane in NYC belong to? And what would have happened if it floated just a bit further south and came to rest across the entrance of North Cove or somehow got inside the marina? Would we have a fiduciary responsibility to charge by the nose cone, the foot, the wing or some other variable? Or would we just be part of a great media whirlwind which has been reflecting very positively on our city and all the people who prepare for emergencies.
Somewhere along the way, a prankster went to the North Cove website and submitted a mega yacht reservation for the plane, providing all the correct details of length, breadth, etc. They must have gotten the information from a news report.
So all-in-all, there is no lack of excitement in New York City. We can now add miracles to the things that have happened off Dennis Conner's North Cove.
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