Taking Jupiter Home

Jupiter pushed off the docks of Baltimore at 8:00am to the expectation of a beautiful, clear day.

Our captain, Ralph, called me up to the wheel house and asked if I would want to take Jupiter for a "joy ride" around the inner harbor of Baltimore before we headed back to Philadelphia. I didn't hesitate! I steered Jupiter smoothly around the harbor (well, I didn't hit anything) under the watch of our relief captain, Bill Wiley. The crew is treated with the trust to carry out any of Jupiter's needs.

It was a beautiful day. We were fortunate to only have rain Thursday night before we left, but the rest of the weekend was blue skies.

Jupiter is not only available for the crew. Jupiter is a great place to host a party! Jupiter is available for unique celebrations on an historic tug. Jupiter is also open for tours, field trips, students and groups. Even if you would like to check Jupiter out with your friends, give the guild a call and we can arrange it.

As we entered the Canal, I was called up to the wheel house again. (Also known as pilot house). There was a lot of traffic on the water as I took the wheel. Sailboats, motor boats, jet skies and other tugs passed us.

As we got closer to home, the crew continued to make sure Jupiter was clean and ready to dock. Ann Preston and Bobby Flemming organized paperwork, folded pamphlets and kept us in order though their usual hard work. As Bobby reminded me, whether your scrubbing the deck or writing a pamphlet, it is all equally valued ways to maintain and preserve Jupiter.

Jack Gifford baked his homemade sticky buns and fixed us one last meal of chile. He also made sure throughout the trip that there was always hot coffee, iced tea and he even had homemade Gatorade.

We entered Philadelphia with the help of guild members on land. Jupiter was all tied up by 1800(6:00 pm).

I am so thankful to get the opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful crew and under the leadership of a great captain.

I know that I will never forget this experience on Jupiter and will continue to be very involved.

Thank you to everyone that has been reading this blog and supporting Jupiter!
Abby Fazio

July 18th: Leading Savannah

Waking up on Jupiter comes easily to me. I don't want to miss anything that happens on board. There is nothing like it, waking up on the water, and the first thing you feel is the sea breeze. How did I get so lucky that I ended up on a tug?

Our cook, Jack, prepared us a filling breakfast; pancakes, sausage and fresh fruit.

Several members of the crew dressed Jupiter in her various signal flags. Others, swept her decks and dusted the port holes. Jupiter was ready for the parade.

We left the dock at 11:25 to join the other tugs. After circling each other for ten minuets, we took the lead and headed for Baltimore's inner harbor.

First, we passed by Savannah and the hundreds of people standing on deck. We sounded the horn in celebration of Savannah's 50th anniversary, and the following tugs did the same. It was quite an exciting experience to see everyone gathered in honor of Savannah and other historic tugs.

After we passed by inner harbor, the parade broke off and we headed back to Pier 13. There, we hosted guests for open ship tours until 4:00 pm. The crew worked together well welcoming guests on board and telling Jupiter's history.

Now, the crew and I are nice and sunburned and ready for some downtime. After such an exciting and historic day, we are ready to relax before Jupiter leaves in the morning.

Experiencing history in the making,
Abby Fazio

July 17th: 10 knots with the tide

As Jupiter awaited her trip to Baltimore in the morning, I sat watch from 10 pm to midnight. Standing watch while Jupiter is docked, is mainly to make sure we don't have any unexpected visitors. I woke up at 0300 (3:00 am) to the sound of the engine roaring. I walked on deck just in time to see Penn's Landing slipping away from sight. The captain, engineer and a few brave crew members woke up early to send Jupiter smoothly onto the C and D canal (Chesapeake and Delaware canal).

On board we have 15 crew members, 6 women and 9 men. I am the youngest and least experienced on board. (but I wont tell you who is the oldest!) Although this is a small crew, no one hesitates to offer advice or lend a hand. That is a reason I assume so many people stick with the guild and continue to volunteer, because every person is willing to pull you on board whether your ready for it or not.

Our route was about 107 miles, so our captain, Ralph Onesti, estimated that we arrive in the Baltimore harbor at 1500 (3:00 pm).

The skies were clear with scattered clouds, allowing us to glide smoothly down the canal. We got up to 11 knots.

I spent time in the wheel house with Ralph, our captain and he taught me how to steer. Yup, I steered a 147 ton tug. In the wheel house, I learned how to navigate through the buoys, research tides and currents and read the GPS. I also learned whistle signals. Two whistles from the captain tells oncoming vessels that, "I'm leaving you on my starboard side." One whistle says, "I'm leaving you on my port side." These signals eliminate confusion when passing other vessels.

Right before our sloppy Joe's' lunch, we had a wash down. This is accomplished by using the fire hoses to wash down the deck.


We docked in Baltimore harbor Vane Brothers, Pier 13 at 1300 (2 hours before our estimated time!)

After we were settled right beside Savannah, we gathered for an emergency review meeting. We reviewed where the fire extinguishers are, life jackets, and what to do during an emergency.

Tomorrow morning we will wake up to dress Jupiter is assorted flags. She will be leading the tug parade!

Safely docked at Pier 13,
Abby Fazio

Jupiter is invited to a Party!

This weekend of July 18-19, Jupiter will join the festivities in celebration of the world's first nuclear-powered merchant ship, the N.S. Savannah. This historic ship was built in Camden, NJ and when launched in 1959, Jupiter was one of the tugboats that assisted. Savannah is berthed in Baltimore at Pier 13, the Canton Marine Terminal. Jupiter will be there to help celebrate the 50th Anniversary of N.S. Savannah’s launching.

Jupiter is a historic tugboat that docks at Penn’s Landing, and is sailed and operated by the all-volunteer Philadelphia Ship Preservation Guild.


The 101 ft and 147 ton tug was built in 1902 at the Philadelphia shipyard of Neafie & Levy. Jupiter was built as a steel harbor tug and originally commissioned by Standard Oil Co. she worked in the New York City area hauling fuel ships and barges. Her original name was Socony 14.

In 1939, Philadelphia’s Independent Pier Co. purchased the tug and renamed her Jupiter. The company’s tugboats were all named for Greek gods, and its other tugs were named Saturn, Triton, Venus, Mercury and Trojan.

Her last big commercial job was towing tunnel sections for the Baltimore Harbor and Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnels in the 1980’s.

Today Jupiter takes part in educational programs, festivals and boat parades-reminding people of Philadelphia’s deep maritime history. Although a historic ship, she is still a functioning tug, still capable of doing a good day’s work, guided by the Guild volunteers who maintain and operate her. The guild also sails and operates the 1883 historic tall ship Gazela.

Friday morning at 3:00 am Jupiter will be leaving Penn’s Landing as the tide goes out.

Stay tuned to life on a tug,
Abby Fazio

For more information about Jupiter, Gazela or the Guild visit http://www.gazela.org/
To see my blog about Gazela's trip to Alexandria, VA, visit http://thegazelaalexandriatrip.blogspot.com/

Fun Jupiter Facts:
Following World War II, Jupiter’s original steam engine was replaced with a war-surplus diesel engine from a decommissioned Landing Ship Tank (LST).

The large “M” on Jupiter’s stack commemorates the Meyle family, whose several generations operated the Independent Pier Co.