Retro Sixth Boro NYC Tugboat Races 4

2015 is the last year I saw the race;  in the following years I was working and away.  But 2015 Labor Day Sunday had beautiful weather.

Again, I’m not going to name each;  you can read the names either on the boats or in the tags . . .  and then match up. And in the photo above, the jetskis had no names, but I hope you noticed them.

I’ll make an exception for Sea Horse, the Linden-based Sea Scout boat.  Click here for more info on the boat.

 

 

See Harvey back at the end of the line?  It was 19 years ago that Harvey came out of retirement to assist when tragedy struck.

Both lead tugs here are nicely appointed with the colorful pennants.

Ellen certainly had the best matched “riding crew” that day.

Let’s hope the this race comes back in 2021.

All photos, WVD, whose fabulous ride was care of the NY Media Boat.  If you’re looking for something to do, click on the link and book a ride.

 

NYC Tugboat Race 2015

Bravo to the organizers and participants of the 2015 NYC race.  It starts with a muster…

L to r:  Catherine Miller, Robert E. McAllister, Eric R. Thornton, Mister T, Buchanan 1, and Buchanan 12

which looks  different as you shift perspective.

Add Red Hook and Sarah Ann, with a jet ski for scale.

 

Add Thomas Witte.

 

Take a close up on Mister T with John J. Harvey in the distance.

It’s great to see race newcomers like Sea Scout Ship 243 out of Rahway NJ, and

Patricia.

By this point, some boats like Robert E. McAllister start to get impatient.

Muster then turns into a procession,  filing straight toward the starting line and

 

showing the colors

as some newcomers catch up.

James William used to be a Moran boat.

Next stage . . . it’s the tension on the starting line, feet digging into the starting blocks and muscles tensing, sort of.

There are 11 boats here, including Margot pushing a set of rock barges and not racing.

They’re off!

and water starts to cascade away from the bows…

froth by the ton.

 

But when the quick minutes of the race have elapsed, the first boat down the course is the impatient Robert E. McAllister.

And almost as in a triathlon, the dash down the course changes and the pushing starts.

 

All manner of paired struggle ensues.

 

And we need to leave.  All photos here by Will Van Dorp, with thanks to Bjoern and crew for my ride.