Tugboat Racing in Seattle!

Seattle, WA 5/11/02 The annual Seattle Maritime Festival got under way with  unusually warm temperatures and blue skies -- unusual, because, as we all know, it always rains in Seattle! As people enjoyed the weather (and traded guesses as to what that big yellow thing in the sky was), they visited various marine oriented booths, watched survival suit competitions, and examined the boats.

In the meantime, the racing tugs gathered for the main event, either tying up in the marina, or waiting offshore.

From the pier, the audience can see the entire show.

Fireboats are always a crowd pleaser. Along with Seattle's current fireboat fleet, there was a demonstration given by the retired DUWAMISH. According to information offered on the boat's web site, at 22,800 gallons of water pumped per minute, this fireboat is  the most powerful in the world.  To learn more, click HERE to go to the DUWAMISH's web site.

	More monitor fun with Foss Maritime's giant LINDSEY FOSS.  According to Foss, this boat and her sister, GARTH FOSS, are the largest tractor (cyclodial drive) tugs in the world. Designed as tanker escorts, their engines are rated at 8,000 horsepower.

An exciting addition to this year's program, was the rescue-at-sea demonstration by the U.S. Coast Guard.

On the next page, we go to the races. Click HERE to head for the starting line!

Photography and text, copyright 2002, Carl Cook. All rights reserved. May not be reproduced in any manner without prior permission, including Internet use. Photographs are protected by Digimarc. For information or to comment, please email mailto:clcook@olywa.net

** This web site is in no way connected with, nor sponsored by the Seattle Maritime Festival. All text and photographs are by the author who takes full responsibility for their content and any errors. If you find an error, please e-mail.**

Click HERE to go back to Carl Cook's main tug racing page.