‘Notes from the Sea’ by Caroline Tompkins

New York City’s waters provide rare sanctuary from its urban frenzy. High-rise buildings that dominate the skyline hide the city’s identity as a historic port, a place of hellos and goodbyes down the centuries. In ‘Notes from the Sea,’ Brooklyn-based photographer Caroline Tompkins focuses on the ferries that transport commuters and tourists across the city’s archipelago. With her subjects facing out, gazing at the city ahead, Tompkins emphasizes New York City as a destination, while evoking the tranquil atmosphere of the river. Contrasting unfamiliar perspectives with traditional cityscapes, ‘Notes from the Sea’ tells the story of a city forever in flux.

This piece is part of Culture Trip’s original fiction project on the theme of arrivals and departures in London, New York City and Hong Kong.