40
FOGHORN
FOGHORN FOCUS
THE BRIDGEPORT & PORT JEFFERSON STEAMBOAT COMPANY
The Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Steamboat Company 
participated in Sail4th 250, the spectacular maritime cele-
bration honoring America’s 250th anniversary.
Despite already sweltering temperatures at 6 a.m. on July 
4, more than 450 guests boarded the M/V Long Island at 
GMD Shipyard for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Thanks 
to a well-coordinated boarding operation orchestrated 
with our grounds crew, shuttle vans, a golf cart, and the 
generous support of the shipyard, all passengers were safely 
aboard within an hour.
At 7:30 a.m., Captains Mark Soderstrom and Paul Petersen 
guided the vessel to the parade staging area south of the 
Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, where the M/V Long Island 
proudly took its place as the final vessel in the Parade of 
Ships. Dressed up for the occasion, the ferry sailed past the 
Statue of Liberty and up the North River, offering guests 
spectacular views of the historic procession.
Throughout the voyage, our in-house DJ filled the decks 
with patriotic music while guests toured the 1,000-passen-
ger, 100-vehicle ferry and celebrated America’s rich mari-
time heritage.
Behind the scenes, the professionalism of the vessel’s cap-
tains, officers, engineers, deckhands, and shoreside staff en-
sured a safe and memorable day. For the Bridgeport & Port 
Jefferson Steamboat Company, participating in Sail4th 250 
was an honor and a fitting tribute to more than 140 years of 
connecting communities across Long Island Sound. It was 
truly a day that will be remembered for a lifetime.
PHOTOS: BRIDGEPORT & PORT JEFFERSON STEAMBOAT COMPANY

View this content as a flipbook by clicking here.