Waterford Tugboat Roundup 2012 c

Three vessels at the roundup this year appeared there for the first time .  . well sort of.   The red one, aka Augie, was in fact there for the first time.  The other . . . on the left, Frances, has been there before but with very different appearance.

Here’s a closeup of Augie, who first made a show here and here.

The surprise newcomer at the roundup this year was Wendy B, but with a bit of search, I’ve found this blog about here journey from Toronto to DC seven years ago, by the previous owners.

Click here for the specs at the time of her last sale.  Talking with the owners, I learned she was delayed in the sixth boro–on her recent northward passage–by the 4th of July 2012  fireworks.  Does anyone recall seeing her in town?  Here are my fotos of the spectacular illuminations that day.

Here’s Augie, nestled up to Cornell, in current colors.

When I saw Frances this weekend, I first assumed I was looking at Margot, currently working on Lake Ontario.

Here’s how Frances looked two years ago.

I’m enthusiastic to see Frances (1957) covered in new paint that just exudes vitality.  Soon she’ll be working like Margot, her one-year-younger sister.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.

Unrelated but thanks to Barbara for sending this link along:  South Street Seaport in the news.

Waterford Tugboat Roundup 2012 b

Canals are like bridges . . . points of connections, although “bridge” gets used much more as the verb for “crossing the otherwise uncrossable.”  As with bridges, canals create clusters . . . centers of

communication and cooperation.

Archways can easily be created.

Within canals you find vessels passing through with connections from many different places, like White Horse and

Telluride?!!

and

Norfolk by way of Montreal . . .

and Florida . . . nearing its highest point of navigation…

Vermont, and

and Albany by way of Owen Sound, Halifax, and the Potomac . . .

Roundup tales to be continued . . . .  Will Van Dorp’s fotos.

Waterford Tugboat Roundup 2012 a

Here are a, b, c, and d from two years ago.  As I write this, the Roundup has not yet finished.  What’s left is the fireworks extraordinaire, the grand finale.  But the Roundup begins with a parade up from Albany northward.  On the west side of the river is I-787, and by parading along the Interstate at homeward rush hour Friday night, like a circus parade promenading past the farms, mills and markets of yore, this curious group of vessels is designed to convince weekend-planning commuters to hang out at the Waterford waterfront parts of Saturday and Sunday.

The Rensselaer side of the river (or maybe this is North Greenbush) looks fairly wild in places . . .  with vestiges of industry,

but Troy is proud of its present and

and past.

Once through the Federal lock,

The flotilla makes its way to Waterford.  more on that the next few days.

Amen .  . . thanks to the sponsors!!  And I enjoyed meeting so many new people.

All fotos by Will Van Dorp.