I photographed Safe Harbor Newport Shipyard in Rhode Island for The New York Times, focusing on its effort to make the harbor more social and the larger ships now using it. I spent time chatting with and photographing people in and around the harbor.
The accompanying story examines why private-equity firms are buying marinas: larger yachts need places to dock and get repairs, while waterfront space is limited. Blackstone bought Safe Harbor in 2025 for $5.6 billion. As marina operators expand, some boaters and nearby residents are raising concerns about the scale of development and its effects on their communities.
In high school, I spent a summer working aboard the tall ship HMS Bounty. This assignment brought back a yearning to get out on the water. Keeping a sailboat or ship seaworthy takes a lot of work, and a lot of people making sure everything is in the right place. The harbor provides much of that support.
On the water
One of the vendors took me out by boat to see the racing. It was an ideal day on the water: cool, with big clouds and just enough wind to make the racing fast.
Back ashore
Read the assignment in The New York Times.
More photography from Rhode Island: Hurricane Henri hits Rhode Island.