Sat, 31 Aug 2024
Another corner of Pennsylvania
A couple of years back I wrote:
I live in southeastern Pennsylvania, so the Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Delaware triple point must be somewhere nearby. I sat up and got my phone so I could look at the map, and felt foolish.
As you can see, the triple point is in the middle of the Delaware River, as of course it must be; the entire border between Pennsylvania and New Jersey, all the hundreds of miles from its northernmost point (near Port Jervis) to its southernmost (shown above), runs right down the middle of the Delaware.
I briefly considered making a trip to get as close as possible, and photographing the point from land. That would not be too inconvenient. Nearby Marcus Hook is served by commuter rail. But Marcus Hook is not very attractive as a destination. Having been to Marcus Hook, it is hard for me to work up much enthusiasm for a return visit.
I was recently passing by Marcus Hook on the way back from Annapolis, so I thought what the heck, I'd stop in and see if I could get a look in the direction of the tripoint. As you can see from this screencap, I was at least standing in the right place, pointed in the right direction.
I didn't quite see the tripoint itself because this buoyancy-operated aquatic transport was in the way. I don't mind, it was more interesting to look at than open water would have been.
Thanks to the Wonders of the Internet, I have learned that this is an LPG tanker. Hydrocarbons from hundreds of miles away are delivered to the refinery in Marcus Hook via rail, road, and pipeline, and then shipped out on vessels like this one. Infrastructure fans should check it out.
I was pleased to find that Marcus Hook wasn't as dismal as I remembered, it's just a typical industrial small town. I thought maybe I should go back and look around some more. If you hoped I might have something more interesting or even profound to say here, sorry.
Oh, I know. Here, I took this picture in Annapolis:
Perhaps he who is worthy of honor does not die. But fame is fleeting. Even if he who is worthy of honor does get a plinth, the grateful populace may not want to shell out for a statue.
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