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| Roundout Lighthouse |
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| Tanker Palanca Montevideo |
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| Esopus Meadows Lighthouse |
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| Galleon Replicas |
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| Bannerman Castle/ Arsenal |
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| Pete Seeger's Clearwater |
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At Coeymans Marina, I (Suzan) jumped off Puffin and headed home by land to Massachusetts leaving Dean to captain alone the mighty and sometimes rough Hudson River to and around New York City. So, July 10th, heading out of Coeymans with a 5 to 7 mph wind on the nose, Woodstock, the cat and I (Dean) had a pleasant trip down to Roundout Creek and the Hudson River Maritime Museum and Boatbuilding School. About two hours into the trip I spotted 5 deer playing and grazing along shore. A bit further along I noticed a bald eagle and blue heron standing on the shore right next to each other, which I thought to be kind of curious, like a couple of fishermen discussing tactics and gear. Periodically a tug and barge on water or AmTrak or freight train along either shore would pass by, whistling it's approach. We made 41 statute miles that day. Once secured dockside in Kingston I took the bike into town for some sightseeing and groceries. The following morning I was underway downriver at 6am. Ten minutes later Puffin was exiting Roundout Creek, passing Roundout lighthouse and back into the main body of the Hudson River. About a half hour later I'm passing Esopus Meadows lighthouse, warning of a large area of shallow flats at a bend in the river. Just off the town of Hyde Park on the eastern shore, on the charts, is an anchoring ground for vessels awaiting loading or unloading. There sat the Palanca Montevideo, a 182ft asphalt/bituminous tanker, obviously awaiting loading as she sat very high off the water. Another large tug and barge passed by creating a wake which sent Woodstock scurrying below decks. Shortly a breeze sprang up creating ripples across formerly placid waters as Newburgh came into view, where two black Galleon style ships like the Nina and Pinta, appeared to be taking on passengers. Next Woodstock and I passed by Bannerman's Castle on Pollepel Island. It is a Scottish style castle/ armory and residence, built around 1900 by Francis Bannerman for safe storage of his company's munitions and war materials and a summer residence. A little further downriver we pass by West Point, home to the US Military Academy for the Army, perched on a plateau above the river. It is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the US, established by George Washington in 1775. About an hour later off Peekskill I noticed a large sloop that looked like Pete Seeger's Clearwater, which, it turned out to be! The Clearwater, a replica of the sloops sailing the Hudson in the 18th and 19th centuries was created to bring attention to the toxic chemicals, raw sewage and oil pollution fouling Pete's beloved Hudson back in the 60's and 70's, decimating fish populations along much of it's length. It made me happy to see she was still at it. Pete and his boat have been very successful. You can now fish the entire length of the Hudson though one must still be very cautious of what you eat from the river. That afternoon I decided to drop anchor in Haverstraw (Half Moon) Bay. 56 miles this leg. It had been a hot sticky day so after a light dinner, just before dusk, I took my first swim since starting the trip-much of the water having been to muddy or the weather to cool or rainy. The water was so cool and refreshing, I went back in several times before turning in after a beautiful, peaceful sunset.
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| West Point Military Academy |
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| Sunset Haverstraw Bay |
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