Tugboat Race!

Yes, you've read it right. Tugboat race. There are tugboats. And they race. One of the quirky things that happens regularly in NYC.

Tugboat race, or with its full name, Great North River Tugboat Race and Competition, happens every year on Labor Day weekend, on the Hudson, west of Manhattan. The event, organized by the Working Harbor Committee, includes a parade of participating tugboats, the race from 79th Street to Pier 84, nose to nose push contests,  rope throwing competition and a general day of merriment around the colorful boats. My dear girlfriend, who is obsessed with these powerful sea creatures and myself were on the spectator boat, right in the action.

So, without further ado, here are some pictures:

One of the biggest boats in the group, Lincoln Sea, arriving at the scene.  She won the race.

Boats from the Miller family, hangin' out together before the race.

W.O. Decker was one of the prettiest boats.

This little fella is The Bronx. By far the smallest boat there. The moment it came by us the  whole spectator boat went "Awww!". No wonder they have been winning  the Little Toot award the last few years.

Here is the Bronx with another big boat, Weddell Sea.

Another pretty boat, Gage Paul Thornton.

Meagan Ann had a good race. She came in second overall and probably won her class.

And the race! At the final count there were 21 boats of varying sizes involved.

Here's the overall winner the Lincoln Sea. They also give separate awards to smaller boats.  

A fireboat greeted the tugboats at the finish.

Two Miller family boats getting into a nose to nose contest. This part is not really organized.  There are boats all around pushing each other.

The little tugboat that can? 

They are not fighting, they are just playing.

The cup!

And here's the Little Toot after it docked.

If you are in town next Labor Day, the tugboat race is the way to go. I am lucky to have a girlfriend obsessed with tugboats.