This morning dawned sunny and crisp with a touch of fall in the air. The threat of thunderstorms could be seen beginning to roll in from the bottom of the island, slowly moving North to cover Ground Zero and continue up the length of the island. The contrast of the dark against the blue sky makes the air look thick and gray toward the South - bringing back images of the ashy smoke that went past 14th Street on this day 10 years ago. Walking to the Christopher Street Pier, the streets were quiet. New York was still asleep from the night before. At 8:46am and 9:03am, church bells could be heard chiming, providing a chilling remembrance of the lives lost. At the West Side Highway, a group of activists stood between the North and South bound lanes, waving signs of "We Will Never Forget," American flags, and pictures of the towers. "Heroes Highway" was written on a sign and implanted into the ground. Drivers honked their horns and emergency vehicles sounded their sirens as they passed.
Activists on the West Side Hwy.
From the end of the Pier there was a visual of the Freedom Tower, the Statue of Liberty and in between the two, a huge combat ship with a Coast Guard rescue boat spraying huge streams of water in all directions. Runners and walkers on the pier all paused to have a moment of silence. After the streams of water stopped, a sailboat with a main and jib imprinted with the American flag sailed in front of Ground Zero. Shortly afterward, four cigarette boats raced down the Hudson toward the memorial in sync, one behind the other with large flags blowing behind.
Boats going to Ground Zero
