“A sea of boats”

This chapter describes how, after both towers of the World Trade Center fell, Lower Manhattan had become an achromatic world churning with dust and paper. Desperate, ashy people pressed up against the railings along the water's edge. Though “a sea of boats” had already rallied — tugs, tenders, ferries, and more, pushing into slips and against the seawall to rescue as many as they could — more boats were needed. Now, just before 10:45 a.m., the Coast Guard formalized the rescue work already under way by officially calling for a full-scale evacuation of Lower Manhattan. At 11:02 a.m., the Coast Guard's evacuation calls were echoed by New York City's then mayor, Rudolph Giuliani. At this point, the mission grew exponentially. Now it was not only those caught in the immediate aftermath that needed transportation, but “everyone south of Canal Street.” In fact, workers were streaming out of buildings much farther north than Canal, all looking for a way home. While these people might not have been in immediate danger — though even that was unclear, given that the extent of the attacks was still unknown — they were still stranded, disoriented, and reeling.