What Was The Staten Island Ferry Doing On The East River Passing Roosevelt Island and East Side of Manhattan?

One of the pleasures of living on Roosevelt Island is the chance to see all kinds of boats traveling up and down the East River in the West Channel between Manhattan and Roosevelt Island. We often see barge, tug, tour, motor and sail boats of all sizes, Coast Guard, NYPD, FDNY Boats as well as speed boats, kayaks and jet skis.

Barge and Tug Passing Under Queensboro Bridge and Roosevelt Island Tram

What we don't usually see but I did see on Saturday afternoon while walking on Roosevelt Island's West Waterfront Promenade was the Staten Island Ferry making it's way north on the East River passing Roosevelt Island.

I wondered what could be the reason for this? Was the Staten Island Ferry lost, did it make a wrong turn in NY Harbor or was it just trying to escape Staten Island and explore other parts of New York City?

The Staten Island Ferry also appeared to have a Coast Guard boat as an escort.

Apparently, I was not the only one wondering about this since there were several Twitter Tweets asking the same question.

Can someone explain to me why the Staten Island Ferry went apparently all the way up, and then back down, the east river today?

The answer to what the Staten Island Ferry was doing on the East River Saturday afternoon comes from SI Live. On Saturday, the Staten Island Ferry"

... carried about 3,400 guests on the Marine and Aviation Anchor Club's 35th Boat Ride for God's Exceptional Children. ...

...The party people included those with muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, mental retardation and autism, plus nursing home residents who rarely take in the cityscape offered by a Staten Island Ferry ride. Many of the participants live in community residences or group homes....

... As in previous years, the 2009 ride included a salute from the city Fire Department's Marine 9. But yesterday's sail deviated from the cruise's usual route. This trip took passengers up the East River to Execution Rocks Lighthouse in the Long Island Sound instead of to the George Washington Bridge....

That's the answer. A good cause and I am happy to learn that the Ferry was not trying to escape from Staten Island.