It’s been 18 years since September 11th and Lower Manhattan is stronger than ever. Our World Trade Center shines like a proud beacon for all the world to see.
This year WTC Silverstein Properties and Downtown Magazine have partnered to lift Lower Manhattan up with music and love. We want to honor the first responders and Tuesday’s Children, and to thank every company, person, family, developer, architect and organization who took the chance to move downtown. Each one of you have helped to make Lower Manhattan what it is today.
This Friday afternoon come enjoy our first Music Festival as we celebrate the beautiful iconic beauty of the World Trade Center campus. Enjoy delicious food from the New-York-based Smorgasburg food market, with 25 stalls to choose from.
Our team at Downtown Magazine, along with Dara McQuillan and his wonderful team at Silverstein Properties curated an array of both local and international talent who will bring
Artists include the Brooklyn-based synth-pop sounds of Kid Le Chat, psych-pop from Rockaway Beach’s Blac Rabbit, disco-dance vibes from Greko, the powerful vocals of Marc Scibilia, and groovy pop-rock from Brooklyn’s Blake Charleton.
Take a break from your day–it may be your day off, or you’re just visiting our stunning downtown area– to stop by or spend the entire day celebrating with music Downtown and WTC. The festival runs from 2p to 7p with free admission. We’ll see you there.
Captain Greg Freitas of the Full Moon. Photo courtesy of Captain Greg
Downtown Magazine caught up with Captain Greg Freitas of the Full Moon, harbored in Brookfield Place. There, we found out a little more about the sailing life and what makes Greg tick.
Downtown: Where did you grow up and where do you reside now?
Captain Greg: I grew up on the south coast of Massachusetts, went to engineering school in Worcester, visited 38 countries while working as an Oceanographic Engineer, lived 28 years in the U.S. Virgin Islands, have a mountain home in western North Carolina, and currently live aboard Full Moon in North Cove Marina at Brookfield Place.
DT: When did you realize that you wanted to be a Captain?
CG: I realized I wanted to be a captain when I found crewing to be hard work. That was many years ago. I have had my US Coast Guard Master’s license for over 31 years. As Mel Brooks might say, “It is good to be the Captain”.
“It’s good to be the captain.” -Captain Greg. Photo courtesy of Captain Greg
DT: What was your first vessel you ever owned?
CG: I built the first boat I ever owned. It was an 8’ wooden pram. The mast was made from a closet pole and my mother made the sails. After that, I decided to buy boats instead of building them. The best boat I ever owned was a 1975 Hinckley Bermuda 40 Mark III Yawl, painted “Super Jet Black” which American Airlines contracted for their national “Fly us to the Caribbean” advertising.
DT: Are you a captain of sail or motor vessels?
CG: I actually do both. When I first joined Classic Harbor Line (then Chelsea Excursions) in 2000, I captained Adirondack, our 80’ gaff-rigged schooner. I did that seasonally through 2002. The summer of 2003, I worked in Newport, RI, running Adirondack II. Now I drive Full Moon, our 65’ motor yacht.
DT: Is there a difference between the two for our audience?
CG: Generally speaking, the difference between sailing and motoring is simple, sailing is about the journey and motoring is about the destination. However, at Classic Harbor Line, we make the journey on our motor yachts and the destination on our sailing yachts a high priority. Saying it in a slightly different way, it is hard to go wrong on any of our vessels.
DT: What is your favorite place to navigate in our US waterways?
CG: Technically speaking, the US Virgin Islands is in our US waterways so I would have to say there. But, I find sailing and motoring in New York harbor both challenging and rewarding. Sure it is a little bumpy out there but heck, that’s New York.
DT: Welcome back to Classic Harbor, we hear that you have had a long career here then left and now you are back, why did you leave and what brought you back?
CG: It was early July 2000, I was living on my boat, Spitfire, in the Virgin Islands, and made it known to anyone that would listen, that I did not want to be there during the upcoming hurricane season. One of the few people who was listening was related to the owners of Chelsea Excursions (now, Classic Harbor Line) and made the introduction. The next thing I knew I was boarding a plane to NYC. I arrived at 8:00 PM on a Wednesday and had my first charter running Adirondack the morning after. I enjoyed it so much that I came back in the summer and fall of 2001 and 2002. In 2003, I worked in Newport, RI, and ran operations there. At the end of that season, I bought a charter boat company out of Caneel Bay Resort on St John and spent my time operating that business. Coincidently, it was another hurricane, Irma, that brought me back to CHL last year.
DT: You are full of great stories, can you share a New York one with our readers?
CG: Which one do I tell? How about the one of us sailing Miss Universe around the harbor? Or the first time I brought the Adirondack (CHL’s 80’ schooner) into North Cove? Or record-setting racing in the Mayor’s Cup? September 11 evacuation by boat?
DT: Tell us about the Full moon, why you like this boat and what you hope to see from this vessel?
CG: The motor vessel Full Moon was built in Chicago in 1950, lived on the west coast for a number of years, was moved to Maryland in the late 1990s and then to Boston in the early 2000s. Classic Harbor Line bought her in 2017 and she spent almost a year undergoing an extensive refit in Albany. Her engines are new but her lines are original. What I love about Full Moon is that she is classic, very comfortable and responsive. The main salon looks like a set from “Mad Men”. It is like a floating living room. I could see Full Moon being club-like that Battery Park residents would bring their out-of-town guests to go visit the Statue.
DT: Is there anything that you would like to share with our readers that I may not have asked you about?
CG: A cruise on Full Moon is like a trip to the country where you leave the hustle of the city behind. Plus, we serve great drinks!
Captain Greg on Sept. 10th, 2001. Photo courtesty of Captain Greg
September 11th, 2001 was an infamous day in American history; the tragic events impacted thousands of lives, within the neighborhoods of New York City and beyond. Many people simply couldn’t fathom the gravity of the day, and the tragedy was even more difficult to explain to young children. Most kids were simply too young at the time to realize what was happening. And it’s even harder to relay the tale to children who were born following the tragedy. Despite this, 9/11 is a topic that will remain in the public consciousness; it will more than likely be an event that is discussed within the safety of families as well as at schools, as kids are introduced to U.S. history and the significance of that day.
As such, 9/11 is a topic that has many controversial view points with regards to religion, patriotism, nationalism and even conspiracy theories. But what if you were to remove all of the hot button topics and simply tell the story of 9/11? What if you simply explained the events, and how they affected families throughout New York City? What was that day like for those directly affected? These reflections are perhaps the simplest, and yet the most poignant stories of all.
Eleven, by Tom Rogers, tells the story of a boy named Alex, who turns 11 years old on 9/11. His point of view is unlike others in popular media, allowing the reader to see the tragedy through a new lens. The novel focuses on two families, but unfortunately, only one has a happy ending. Throughout the novel, readers will sympathize with the families; both are equally enduring in the face of fear, worry, and tragedy. Though Eleven is a young adult book, Rogers accomplishes notable character development; Alex is tough, but shows glimmers of vulnerability. The incorporation of Alex’s childhood friends and his love for baseball, helps create a feeling of familiarity to the reader; these typical American topics are easy to relate to and help bridge the age gap between characters.
Ultimately, the story is a coming of age tale, set in New York City at a terrible time in U.S. history. Still, the unflinching manner in which the characters and circumstances unfold doesn’t scare away the reader. Instead, it creates an understanding and a feeling of empathy for the families. It helps explain the tragedy to young adults in a simple, yet moving manner. Tom Rogers has told the story in a way that most parents and educators have struggled to accomplish. It’s a thoughtful and important book for readers of all ages.
Why We Love It: The book is a great resource to begin a 9/11 related dialogue with young adults. The thousands of people affected by 9/11 will appreciate what the book says, and perhaps more importantly, what it doesn’t say. It is respectfully written and is not graphic in nature.
About the Author: Tom Rogers is a novelist and a screenwriter of numerous animated films including Disney’s Secret of the Wings and LEGO: The Adventures of Clutch Powers. Eleven is his first novel for young adults.
