For more than a century, the Pilot and the Victory Chimes — two historic schooners with towering sails — have between them served the country in wartime, hosted the likes of Jacques Cousteau and graced the Maine state quarter. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
But an inlet just off New York City's famously polluted Gowanus Canal could be their final port of call. The boats now lie among debris in the Henry Street Basin.
Associated Press photographer Yuki Iwamura captured images on Aug. 26, 2026, showing debris of the Victory Chimes and the Pilot floating in the Henry Street Basin, next to the abandoned Red Hook Grain Terminal. Each of these vessels has its own history.
The Victory Chimes was built in 1900 and is featured on the 2003 Maine state quarter. It also participated in the Maine Windjammer Parade in Rockland in 2009. The Pilot also has a long history, known for its wartime service.
Both vessels are now in a state of ruin, their future uncertain. This story highlights the issue of preserving historic ships.