Jet Ski

It may come as a surprise to see these watercraft in the waters on NYC, but along with canoeing and kayaking, the city is seeing more water related activites in the rivers as they become cleaner. Jet Skis, Waverunners, Sea Doos, water scooters, personal watercraft, "thrill craft" - whatever the name, these vehicles are controversial. Many communities and locales have bans and the watercraft industry lobbies to keep them legal. They have been banned in National Parks. The issues are obvious to anyone who has observed them in action - noise pollution, water pollution and danger. These vehicles can travel at 70 miles per hour. Canoers and Kayakers generally dislike any powered craft, not just because of the noise but also the wake they create, making capsizing a risk. Accidental deaths have occurred with personal watercraft and in 2006 a teen killed another teen in Brooklyn and was charged with manslaughter - a first for a NYC boating accident - click here for article. The industry, however, has made efforts to design cleaner, quieter and safer craft. Of course I imagine from the point of view of the Jet Skiers, being out on the East River on a beautiful summer afternoon, one might see things differently - the exhilaration, the vistas, the water ...

Note: the photograph was taken at South Street Seaport, Pier 17, on the East River. The vista is looking Northeast towards the Brooklyn Bridge with the Manhattan Bridge behind it.