Hundreds of College students and local residents flocked to the Connecticut River on Saturday for the 12th annual Tubestock.
From noon until around 5 p.m., revelers floated in inner-tubes, canoes, power-boats and homemade rafts, enjoying beverages of varying legality and music from several local rock bands, who played from the Vermont side of the river.
Though at least one student had a run-in with the Norwich Police for a violation of an open container law, the celebration was by and large a success, with warm weather and mostly clear skies.
Marine Patrol boats moved through the river, picking up floating pieces of trash and ensuring that the event remained safe.
Several fraternities and sororities built large rafts, which floated with variable levels of success.
"We built our raft out of four-by-three planks, secured together, and with 55-gallon barrels to help it float," Psi Upsilon fraternity president Errik Anderson '00 said.
"Our 'over-ragingness' on the water caused it to implode after about 20 meters," Anderson said. "But we found it was more fun than a working raft, with all of us trying to lash the pieces back together."
Anderson said he "hung out" on and around his house's raft for most of the day, partaking in the "general merriment" of the celebration.
"A great time was had by everybody," Anderson said.
Adi Herzberg '00 of Sigma Delta sorority said she had an "awesome time" on Saturday.
Herzberg said she helped construct Sigma Delt's raft, which did not have the problems experienced by other rafts.
"It wasn't that elaborate," Herzberg said. "We had a great head raft person, and she led the way. It was a lot of fun."
Herzberg said she spent her time Saturday both on her sorority's float and exploring other areas of the celebration.
"At the end of the day, we all met up again by the band," she said.
Anderson said 25 or 26 members of Psi U attended Tubestock. Herzberg said almost 30 members of Sigma Delt attended.
Tubestock began in 1987 when Rich "Boomer" Akerboom '80 threw a day-long party for his friends. Akerboom's band performed from his house on the river, and 200 students attended.
Despite Tubestock's popularity over the years, the College maintains complete separation from the event. Tubestock participants are not permitted to enter the water from the New Hampshire side of the river.
