Working Harbor Committee Tug Race

Tugster, Control Geek, (and others to come) all have great photos of the Tug Race.

My favorite thing about this event is that mariners and we mere mortals get to meet and mingle. It is a mix that is too brief. And, always, I think about the relief crew, in their berths, trying to sleep through all the mayhem so that they are alert for the nightshift. They are the ones who have to miss the race, the waterworks displays, the fluttering flags, the spinach eating contest, the line toss, the tattoo contest, the donkey with the PDF and glittery hooves…

When Debora Miller sashayed by with the donkey, Rene of Fireboat J.J. Harvey said, “Well, the dog and the crab just lost.” Indeed, Buddy won.

Before the race, tugs came to practice for the line toss contest:

Mike Abegg practicing before the race. Capt: Aaron Singh

This building with the flag marks the “Finish Line.”

Control Geek mentioned the power of the tugs. The wake they all threw at the finish line was breathtaking.

pushing contest

Circle Line tug. Need a tug? go see Gus (Gus Markou, owner) Name of tug? SeaGus.
According to John McClusky, thank you!

I just missed the tattoo contest.

This is why Intrepid ‘grounded’ that November 6, 2006: the west slips of the piers along the lower Hudson silt in at a rate of 10-12″ a year.

Watch how the pro’s do it: results of the line toss contest to come.

We all have a lot of photos, I have profiles of tugs at check-in, before the race. Give a shout if you would like a photo of your tug.

And, that night, listening to vhf13, I heard Red Hook, back at work, moving and pushing as if she had never stopped to take a break and show us what she’s got.