Kill Van Kull Walking Tour

image courtesy Mitch Waxman
27262063 seeable

Taught by Mitch Waxman

Mitch Waxman was raised in Brooklyn, attended the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, and worked for many years as a comic book writer and artist. He also worked in advertising production and as a photo retouching specialist for several advertising agencies. He has always had a certain fascination with historical material.

After a health scare several years ago, medical personnel advised him that he should start running to improve his health. Having grown up, as aforementioned, in Brooklyn – Mitch cannot run unless something is chasing him so he began to walk the earth and brought the camera along to keep things interesting. Soon, he found the occluded reality of the Newtown Creek and hasn’t left the place since.

Mitch started the Newtown Pentacle website in 2009 to document his adventures along the Newtown Creek(and in the greater harbor and city beyond). He has served the City of New York as a Parade Marshall three times, has been named the Newtown Creek Alliance’s group historian, is a Steering Committee member of the Working Harbor Committee, and offers regular walking, bus and boat tours of the Newtown Creek Watershed. He resides in Astoria, Queens, with his wife Catherine and their little dog.

His photography and unique point of view have attracted no small amount of attention, and Mitch has appeared in several documentaries about the Creek and is often quoted in news articles about the subject. A book collecting his photos and discoveries- Newtown Creek for the Vulgarly Curiousis available for order at lulu.com, and a second book will be published soon.

Photo credit: Steve McCann

This is an old class! Check out the current classes, or sign up for our mailing list to see if we'll offer this one again.

Join us for an informative tour along the Kill Van Kull with Working Harbor Committee's Mitch Waxman.

Enjoy the views of the Kill Van Kull and learn about its unique place in the hidden history of Staten Island. The busy waterway between Staten Island and New Jersey continues to surprise. As you pass alongside "tugboat alley," you'll see historic neighborhoods, old taverns and the NYC landmark Sailors Snug Harbor.

Photographers, bring your cameras, as the Kill Van Kull is one of the busiest industrial straits around here, with tugboats, container ships, barges and plenty of wildlife. 

Our 2.5-hour tour starts at 11:30AM. Meet up at the St. George Ferry Terminal on Staten Island. Head to the right off the boat, past the Au Bon Pain and through the North End exit doors (follow the signs for SI Yankee baseball stadium). We will be directly outside. Map: http://goo.gl/maps/kDATx

Cancellation policy