Yorktown arrives in Saugatuck

The crew of the Yorktown moves the gangplank into position.

Note some leaves by the gangplank.

The gangplank for the passenger ship Yorktown swung over the vessel after it docked at Wicks Park on Friday morning. The ship’s crane easily lifted the walkway over the ship’s deck but had a little trouble with one of the trees lining the sidewalk along the Kalamazoo River.

First, the tethers tossed by a crewman got tangled up in the branches. The worker on the ground had a some trouble reaching the line, eventually jumping up to pull the green ropes through the boughs.

Then, the metal gangplank itself had to be pushed through the leaves, pulling down several branches with it.

After disembarking from the Yorktown, the first thing Capt. Jim Abbruzzi said to the crowd was an apology. He was sorry the tree was damaged by the gangplank and promised to do better on the ship’s next visit to town on Sunday.

For more on the arrival:

Story: http://www.hollandsentinel.com/newsnow/x448233971/After-83-year-drought-U-S-cruise-ship-back-in-Saugatuck-waters

Photos: http://www.hollandsentinel.com/photo/x448233768/PHOTOS-Cruise-ship-Yorktown-in-Saugatuck?page=0

Videos:

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/videos/x448233707/Yorktown-arrives-in-Saugatuck?page=0

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/videos/x448233719/Saugatuck-welcomes-Yorktown?page=0

Other images from the day:

Felicia Fairchild, executive director of the Saugatuck Douglas Convention and Visitors Bureau, talks with volunteers at Wicks Park before the arrival of the Yorktown on Friday morning.

Felicia Fairchild, left, executive director of the Saugatuck Douglas Convention and Visitors Bureau, talks with Patty Birkholz, center, director of the Michigan Office of the Great Lakes, at Wicks Park early Friday morning before the arrival of the Yorktown.

The Yorktown and the chain ferry.

The captain of the Yorktown ascends the steps at the gazebo at Wicks Park.

Saugatuck City Councilman Henry Van Singel rests on a bench at Wicks Park next to the Yorktown.