What Was The Staten Island Ferry Doing On East River Going By Roosevelt Island Today? Was It Lost?

Just saw the @ferry_staten on the east river sailing by #rooseveltIsland 🚢😳 pic.twitter.com/DpXvhl4euR

— NamelyNorm (@NamelyNorm) July 13, 2019

The answer is:

Staten Island Ferry making its annual Trip for Childrens charity on East River passing Roosevelt Island today. https://t.co/C8AEpL1h9a https://t.co/GMpsJj5D1G

— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) July 13, 2019

SI Live has more on Staten Island Ferry Boat Ride for God's Exceptional Children.

Lovely Saturday Evening On The Roosevelt Island East River Waterfront Promenade Pier - But What Was The Staten Island Ferry Doing On East River Passing Roosevelt Island This Afternoon?

Lovely Saturday evening hanging out at Roosevelt Island East River waterfront promenade pier this evening.

Earlier today, the Staten Island Ferry was spotted passing Roosevelt Island making its annual East River trip for a children's charity.

The Twitterverse was asking today what the Staten Island Ferry was doing on the East River?

What's a Staten Island ferry doing halfway up the East River? Wrong way! pic.twitter.com/W6G0W9KN0A

— Jon Benjamin (@JonBenjamin19) July 8, 2017

The Staten Island ferry is drunk. It's going north on the east river. Explain. @MTA #ferry #mta #statenisland #nyc pic.twitter.com/xk2wynBIjF

— zwiebel, kelly (@zwiebel_kelly) July 8, 2017

Today was one of those rare days when the Staten Island Ferry made a break for it up the East River. Godspeed. pic.twitter.com/1wWE1l0GwR

— Peter Szekely (@peszeke) July 8, 2017

Staten Island Ferry annual children's charity East River trip passing Roosevelt Island today https://t.co/C8AEpL1h9a? pic.twitter.com/SFcWWHkrna

— Roosevelt Islander (@Rooseveltisland) July 8, 2017

Mystery solved🔎😀 https://t.co/wqagjkTnlh

— Green Shores NYC (@GreenShoresNYC) July 8, 2017

What's The Staten Island Ferry Doing On East River Today Passing Roosevelt Island - It's Annual Boat Ride For God's Exceptional Children

The Roosevelt Island Twitterverse reports:

Staten Island Ferry passing @Rooseveltisland 😯 pic.twitter.com/YlGKgmF6UV

— Jens Wösten (@Usssel) July 11, 2015

Roosevelt Island resident Island Gawker also spotted the Staten Island Ferry on the East River today and wonders if:

The Staten Island Ferry suffered a navigational malfunction today and went past Roosevelt Island.

No. there was no Staten Island ferry navigational problem. The Staten Island Ferry was on the East River hosting the annual boat ride for God's Exceptional Children

Boat ride on the Staten Island Ferry for God's Exceptional Children. @FDNY #godsexceptionalchildren @NYC_DOT pic.twitter.com/EV88DXiscI

— Patrick (@p4de125) July 11, 2015

According to this 2014 Working Harbor Commmittee post:

... For the past 4 decades, The Marine and Aviation Club, Branch 119, has hosted a very special tour around the harbor for special needs people of all ages....

... The annual event transforms the ferry boat into a huge floating party space, with hundreds of balloons and thousands of hot-dogs, dancing clowns and costumed characters entertaining the guests while 3 DJ’s played music on the three separate decks....

The Twitterverse asks:

Bragging that I've been on both the Roosevelt Island tram and the Staten Island ferry in one day. (Brag-worthy?) pic.twitter.com/U0uRcePC8l

— Monika Anderson (@MonikaEAnderson) July 11, 2015

Yeah, I think riding the Roosevelt Island Tram and Staten Island Ferry in one day is bragworthy.

Why Was Staten Island Ferry Passing Roosevelt Island On The East River This Afternoon? - It Was The 39th Annual Boat Ride For God's Exceptional Children

Staten Island Ferry Passing Roosevelt Island On East River Approaching The Tram

The Twitterverse was asking this afternoon

Staten Island Ferry on the East River. You lost, little buddy? http://t.co/kNbahSzDrH
— Dmitry Gudkov (@gudphoto) July 13, 2013

Staten Island Ferry On East River Under Queensboro Bridge

Staten Island Ferry...in the East River? My run is hurting my brain. http://t.co/cSTCbKQ2EQ
— Kristy Lamb (@KLambPhD) July 13, 2013

Staten Island Ferry Passing Roosevelt Island On East River

Just saw the Staten Island Ferry going up the East River? Did they move Staten Island???
— Zach Lockett (@ZacharyLockett) July 13, 2013

The answer to what the Staten Island Ferry was doing on the East River this afternoon is the same this year as it has been in past years. According to SI Live:

It was a boatload of fun for more than three thousand special needs people of all ages during the 39th annual "Boat Ride for God's Exceptional Children," which embarked on a fun-filled New York Harbor trip on Saturday.

Sponsored in part by the Marine and Aviation Club, Branch 119, the harbor tour aboard the Samuel I. Newhouse Ferry included music from three disc jockey's entertaining on three separate decks. Children, adults and volunteers enjoyed music and a water salute from an FDNY fire boat....

Tugboat Pulls House Past Roosevelt Island On East River Today

We get to see a variety of East River boat traffic passing Roosevelt Island - barges, tankers, sailboats, motorboats, jet skis, kayaks, ferry boats, party boats, tourist boats and even the Staten Island Ferry on occasion but I don't ever recall seeing a house being pulled by a tugboat on the East River. This morning, Roosevelt Island resident Janet Falk reports seeing:

Tugboat bringing house upriver

and shares this picture.

Wonder where the house was going?

Why Was Staten Island Ferry Passing Roosevelt Island On The East River Yesterday Afternoon?

Image of Staten Island Ferry Passing Roosevelt Island on East River From Jonathan Kalkin via Instagram

I received several inquiries yesterday reporting the sighting of the Staten Island Ferry passing Roosevelt Island on the East River Saturday afternoon and asking why?

Roosevelt Island resident Jonathan Kalkin shares the picture above and Tweeted:

Staten Island Ferry are you lost again?

In July of 2009, I also saw the Staten Island Ferry

 passing Roosevelt Island and posted:

... 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.

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 answer to what the Staten Island Ferry was doing on the East River yesterday afternoon is the same this year as in 2009. From SI Live:

Staten Island Ferry becomes a floating carnival for 'God's Exceptional Children

... The Marine and Aviation Anchor Club, Branch 119, along with more than 24 other volunteer groups, came together and transformed the Staten Island ferryboat into a rocking party, complete with three DJ’s, clowns, hundreds of balloons and thousands of hot-dogs.

The “Boat Ride for God’s Exceptional Children” set sail Saturday morning with more than 3,000 children and adults with a variety of special needs for the 37th time....

Read the SI Live whole article here.

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.

ROOSEVELT ISLAND TRAMWAY

THE ROOSEVELT ISLAND AERIAL TRAMWAY IS TO ROOSEVELT ISLAND WHAT THE STATEN ISLAND FERRY IS TO STATEN ISLAND. IT IS A VITAL TRANSPORTATION LINK TO MANHATTAN FOR ISLAND RESIDENTS AS WELL AS A POPULAR ATTRACTION FOR TOURISTS. HERE IS A YOU TUBE VIDEO OF A TYPICAL TRIP ON THE TRAM FROM START TO FINISH.