New Yorkers Skip Across the Brooklyn Bridge

On October 7th, 2000, the New York City skippers leapt across the Brooklyn Bridge…Here are a couple of recaps from what ended up being two groups of skippers!!!!!! The great images were taken by Andrzej Bialuski. (Notice the twin towers that were still standing at that time.)

“MANY RIVERS TO SKIP” By NYC skipper Gavin Heck

So we gathered 15 strong in the early afternoon after a late night of making placards with slogans from Walt Whitman’s “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” and Elizabeth Bishop’s “Invitation to Miss Marianne Moore”. Some new faces, some vintage skippers, all eager… put on their signs and began the grueling but joyful skip across the bridge.

“What are you protesting?” a passerby chimed “Gravity” I said without thinking much, and smiled.

A few passersby joined in for moments, a few smiled and took pictures.

We stopped to sweat and pant and enjoy the beautiful mid-day sky. We skipped on stone and wood and felt the old bridge yield a little with each buoyant step.

People tried to read our signs

“how curious you are to me!”
“from Brooklyn, over the Brooklyn Bridge, on this fine morning, please come flying”
“we love you – there is perfection in you also”
“please come flying”

They were bobbing their heads with our motion.

Before we knew it we were at the base of the Brooklyn side  of the bridge, where one of the later stanzas is in the metalwork…

” Flow on, river! flow with the flood-tide, and ebb with the ebb-tide! Frolic on, created and scallop-edg’d waves! Gorgeous clouds of the sunset! Drench with your splendor me, or the men and women generations after me! Cross from shore to shore, countless crowds of passengers! Stand up, tall masts of Manhattan! stand up, beautiful hills of Brooklyn! Throb, baffled and curious brain! throw out questions and answers!”

It was time for catching our breath, pictures and goodbye for some, off to lunch and drinks (and more skipping) for others. Sincere thanks to all who participated, especially Andrezj for the wonderful pictures