Like lots of things, the Great North River Tugboat Race is, as ws said in a comment yesterday, “alas  . . .  cancelled this year.”  So here’s some consolation, ws. . .  If you need a dose of racing, you can click here and get all the way back to tugster post 2006, or for a sampling from 2006 until 2011, follow along.  In 2006, I followed from W. O. Decker and had this view.  I’ll let you try to identify these;  if the group-source gets stuck, I’ll help out.

In 2007 . . .   of these, only Lucy Reinauer is still around here.

HMS Liberty is still around.

In 2008 . . .  throttling up releases some smoke . . .

 

In 2009, two of these are still running around the sixth boro staying busy.  The third was involved in a scandalous grouding and has been scrapped.

Meagan Ann has unique safety headgear, inspired by an ancient design.

In 2010 . . .  this was a motley armada, ranging from Atlantic Salvor to The Bronx.

Catherine C. Miller and Mary H were hurrying to the starting line here.

That year saw lots of pushing match-ups.

Vulcan III could be matched up with Viking later.

In 2011, THIS could be called the heat . . .  actually, it was a misting from one of the fire boats.

Pushing around happened all over the field for spectators on deck and photographers up high.

As always, getting a line on a bollard . . . just another event in the sixth boro games.

USMMA’s Growler is closing on the bollard as a crewman demonstrates a rodeo-influenced style.

More to come . . . all photos, WVD.  And if the last four photos above suggest a muddy Hudson, remember that 2011 had just seen Hurricane Irene flood the valley creeks feeding into the Hudson.