Happy Labor Day.  And for most of these photos, I’m grateful to William Hyman, whose perspective was Pier I at 69-70th Street.

The event starts with a parade . . .

0aaaawh1

0aaaaaapriv

including a range of serious muscle.  That’s the gray Willard operating as New York Media Boat in the distance to the right.

0aaaawh4

0aaaawh5

Even The Bronx represented that bor0.

0aaaawh6

Then there’s the line up . . . .  Anyone have the experience of waiting in the starting blocks before some foot race?

0aaaawh2

0aaaawh7

And then many engines roar . . .

0aaaawh8

and churn up the river.

0aaaawh9

William does a good job of capturing what it looks like from behind.

0aaaawh10

Scroll through this 2006 tugster post for photos of my current boat–Urger–in this race eight years ago and seen from the back of the pack.

0aaaawh11

And I took this photo yesterday of the 343‘s addition to the festivity.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Many thanks to William Hyman.  And have a great Labor Day.