January 22, 2008
To Evacuate City, Officials Work on Dunkirk Contingency
New York City officials are planning for a Dunkirk-like evacuation of Manhattan island in the case of an emergency. In the early days of World War II, a "bathtub navy" was assembled between Dunkirk, France and Dover, England, in order to move hundreds of thousands of soldiers from the Continent to safer ground as the Nazis advanced across France. Hundreds of small craft were sent across the English Channel to ferry stranded and cornered British troops back to England.
Similarly, New York officials are planning an evacuation across the harbor to Staten Island and New Jersey, utilizing small craft to move millions of people in the event of an emergency. "The Trans-Hudson Emergency Transportation Plan would use New York Harbor ferries - including over 100 private water taxis and dinner-cruise vessels, along with huge Staten Island ferries - to swiftly move people to a staging area in New Jersey's Liberty State Park."
On 9/11, a few thousand people were moved out of lower Manhattan on ferries and private craft, but the majority of people downtown had to walk off of the island on foot over the Brooklyn Bridge.
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SOMEONE watched Cloverfield this weekend!
Anyone in Manhattan during a real emergency is just screwed if they think the government is really going to help them. Your best bet is to get a quality inflatable raft and paddle yourself to Weehawken.
Of course, that's if the government doesn't decide to sink you in the middle of the Hudson.
If its summertime, I'm swimming...
Good luck swimming the Hudson or East Rivers. The currents, particularly in the East River, will kill you. If you can go north you can practically walk across the Harlem River.
Having never gone swimming in strong currents can someone explain why you would necessarily die? Everything I have heard is that if you fight the current you will tire yourself out so you should ride or swim with the current until you enter calmer water and can swim to shore.
Because the currents can also sweep you under the water, not just downstream. They are especially strong around the Hell's Gate (hence the name).
Hell's Gate is actually named Hell Gate, a corruption of the Dutch hellegate, or "bright passage." Having stood on the shore watching the currents, however, I would not want to attempt a swim across the passage. Those currents will suck you under in no time. It is a roiling cauldron.
Also, isn't the river incredibly dirty? And won't there be boats everywhere freaking out? I wouldn't want to swim amongst the boats. Then after all that you'd be in Jersey, ug. I walked on 9/11 and during the power outage and if there's something to walk on I would walk.
Dave, I've kayaked through Hell Gate, and let me tell you, even in a small, sturdy boat, it's a rough ride. Swimming is completely out of the question!
As to getting out of Manhattan in an emergency, I saw Cloverfield tonight and walked out wondering, "How the hell do you get off this island if it were attacked by a large monster?" Really, I just don't know how one would evacuate, whether due to monster or some more... probably... disaster.
A plan is a good thing. I still have to get that "go bag" together.