Hudson River Watertrail News The Newsletter of the Watertrail Association, Inc. Box 110, 245 Eighth Avenue, , NY 10011 Volume 2009, No. 1 www.hrwa.org/

A Tribute to Rob Taylor by Scott S. Keller

Those of us in the north have lost a dear friend, as have paddlers in general.

Rob Taylor, of the HRWA Advisory Board, died November 27th of a cardi- ac arrest following an accident with his hunting rifle. He is survived by his wife, Leah, and two teenage sons, Justin and Jason.

Rob Taylor managed five state parks on the Hudson River, which included Peebles Island, Schodack Island, Hudson Islands Park, and the Athens At his funeral, despite the pouring rain, …in colonial days, the Gowanus canal— and Coxsackie State Boat Launches. the line stretched for several hundred then know as Gowane’s Creek— Rob was a big proponent of paddling feet around the building, with many boasted oysters the size of dinner in general and the Hudson River people waiting the better part of an plates, that were considered the best Water Trail in particular. All five of his hour just to enter. Perhaps in this case, in the country. parks were designated as part of the the traditional words of “ashes to Water Trail. ashes” don’t apply. As the storm out- …that the East River was once plagued side the church testified, Rob Taylor with Shark attacks? Rob was known for his creativity and was a man of the waters. hard work. He built Schodack Islands Well, you’ll learn that and more when from a patch of dirt to a site with two Dr John Waldman—author of boat launches (one on the Hudson River Dr John WaldmanTo Address Heartbeats in the Muck—presents his and one on Schodack Creek), a pavilion, the HRWA March 19th lecture/slide show on the environmen- rest rooms and miles of trails. Under his tal history of the Hudson River and the watch the launches at Coxsackie and by Robert Huszar New York Harbor. Starting roughly in Athens were completely rebuilt, and the last ice age, Dr Waldman briefly Hudson Islands Park was refurbished to Did you know that… a standard never before seen. continued on page 6 …the Hudson River originally crossed Part of the reason Rob was so commit- through the palisades, a little south of ted to his work was he was a paddler Nyack, and made it’s way down to the and outdoorsman like the rest of us. He Atlantic ocean via New Jersey’s Raritan What’s inside was a longtime volunteer in the NYS River? Parks Search and Rescue Team and Greenway Watertrail Sites...... 2–4 for the past five years he co-organized …the Hudson is home to 206 species NYC Watertrail Map...... 7 the Hudson River Valley Ramble, a 3 of fish, half of which live in the harbor HRWA Board bio's...... 8–9 day paddle and camp-out which high- region? lighted all of Rob’s parks. The Hudson: A Primer...... 10–11 2 H.R.WH.R.W.A..A. H.R.WH.R.W.A..A. 3

Board of Directors Hudson River Greenway Water Trail President List of Designated Sites Site Type Paddler Services Activities Attractions Lee Goldsmith [email protected] m Vice-President/Metropolitan Region Director s t

Nancy Brous e s

[email protected] h e rivy e te Si e ng/Grills

Founder/Secretary/Treasurer/ g g cki

Newsletter Editor l cni ayground sitor-Nature Center/Museu Huntin Trapping Bird Watching Concerts/events Pl Tour Boat Servic Natural & Cultural Resources Vi Restroom/P Pi Train Servic Trai Swimming Fishin Golf Historic Resource Robert Huszar Site Name, Community, County Latitude Longitude Cartop Launc Trailered Launch Campsit Day Use Dining/Restauran Retail/Supplie Lodging Bus Servic [email protected] 1) Mechanicville Dock, City of Mechanicville, Saratoga County 42°54'14" N 073°41'02" W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y 2) Champlain Canal Lock C1, Town of Halfmoon Saratoga County 42°49'32"N 073°39'56"W HL TL DU Newsletter production 3) Battery Park in Waterford Canal Harbor, Town of Waterford, Saratoga County 42°47'08"N 073°40'39"W HL TL C DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Jack Gilman 4) 123rd Street Launch, City of Troy, Rensselaer County 42°47'04"N 073°40'26"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Y [email protected] 5) Peebles Island State Park, City of Cohoes, Albany County 42°47'04"N 073°40'44"W HL Z DU Y Y Y Y Y Y 6) Troy Motorboat and Canoe Club, City of Troy, Rensselaer County 42°46'56"N 073°40'31"W HL C 7) 111th Street Launch, City of Troy, Rensselaer County 42°46'13"N 073°40'50"W HL Y Highlands Region Director 8) Madison Street Boat Launch, City of Troy, Rensselaer County 42°43'09"N 073°41'55"W Z Z Y Z Z Ralph Diaz 9) Forbes Avenue Boat Launch, City of Rensselaer, Rensselaer County 42°39'31"N 073°44'04"W HL TL DU Y Y Y [email protected] 10 ) Municipal Boat Launch, City of Albany, Albany County 42°39'25"N 073°44'30"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 11 ) Papscanee Island Nature Preserve, North Site, Town of Schodack, Rensselaer County 42°35'01"N 073°45'11"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Catskill Region Director 12 ) Papscanee Island Nature Preserve, South Site, Town of Schodack, Rensselaer County 42°34'26"N 073°45'00"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Ira Rosenfeld 13 ) Henry Hudson Park, Town of Bethlehem, Albany County 42°32'52"N 073°45'33"W HL TL DU Y Y Y [email protected] 14 ) Schodack Islands State Park, Town of Schodack, Rensselaer County 42°30'01"N 073°46'34"W HL TL Z DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 15 ) NYS Boat Launch, Town of Coeymans, Albany County 42°28'24"N 073°47'23"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Y Y HR Interpretive Trail, Town of New Baltimore, Greene County 42°27'38"N 073°47'13"W DU Y Y Y Y Capital Region Director 16 ) Cornell Park, Town of New Baltimore, Greene County 42°26'43"N 073°47'13"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Bob Ihlenburg 17 ) 18 ) Van Schaack Campsite at Bronck Island, Town of New Baltimore, Greene County 42°24'15"N 073°47'14"W C DU Y Y Y [email protected] 19 ) Stuyvesant Landing, Town of Stuyvesant, Columbia County 42°23'19"N 073°47'05"W HL TL DU Y YY 20 ) Nutten Hook Research Reserve, Town of Stuyvesant, Columbia County 42°21'14"N 073°47'19"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Web Lackey, Email List Admin & Idaho 21 ) NYS Boat Launch, Village of Coxsackie, Greene County 42°21'11"N 073°47'45"W HL TL DU YYYY YY Regional Desk 22 ) Hudson River Islands State Park, Town of Stockport, Columbia County, Gay's Point 42°20'08"N 073°46'53"W C DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Jeremy Speer 23 ) Stockport Landing, Town of Stockport, Columbia County 42°18'33"N 073°46'19"W HL DU Y Y [email protected] 24 ) NYS Boat Launch, Village of Athens, Greene County 42°16'20"N 073°48'07"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 25 ) North Bay Area, City of Hudson, Columbia County 42°16'12"N 073°46'57"W Z Z Z Y Y Y Y Y Riverfront Park, Village of Athens, Greene County 42°15'34"N 073°48'29"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Advisory Board 26 ) Fourth Street Slip, Village of Athens, Greene County 42°15'29"N 073°48'34"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Scott Keller 27 ) 28 ) Waterfront Park, City of Hudson, Columbia County 42°15'22"N 073°47'52"W HL TL Y Y Y Y Y Y [email protected]. 29 ) RamsHorn-Livingston Sanctuary, Town of Catskill, Greene County 42°12'01"N 073°52'00"W HL DU Y Y Y Y ny.us 30 ) North Germantown Landing, Town of Germantown, Columbia County 42°09'30"N 073°53'13"W HL TL DU Y Y 31 ) Malden-on-Hudson, Town of Saugerties, Ulster County 42°05'55"N 073°55'52"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Directors-at-large 32 ) Tina Chorvas Memorial Park, Esopus Creek, Village of Saugerties, Ulster County 42°04'17"N 073°56'44"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Peggy Navarre 33 ) Glasco Mini Park, Town of Saugerties, Ulster County 42°02'26"N 073°56'29"W HL TL DU Y Y Y [email protected] 34 ) Tivoli North Bay WMA, Town of Red Hook, Dutchess County 42°02'20"N 073°54'53"W DU Y Y Y Y Y 35 ) Turkey Point State Forest, Town of Saugerties, Ulster County 42°00'50"N 073°56'22"W Z DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y David Allen 36 ) Charles Rider Park, Town of Ulster, Ulster County 41°58'22"N 073°57'18"W HL TL DU Y Y Y 37 ) Kingston Point Beach, City of Kingston, Ulster County 41°55'50"N 073°57'55"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Y [email protected] 38 ) Kingston Point Park, City of Kingston, Ulster County 41°55'38"N 073°57'48"W HL DU Y Y 39 ) Rhinecliff Slate Dock, Town of Rhinebeck, Dutchess County 41°55'12"N 073°57'10"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Dan McLaughlin 40 ) Sleightsburg Park, Rondout Creek, Town of Esopus, Ulster County 41°55'12"N 073°58'28"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Y [email protected] 41 ) Hudson River Maritime Museum, City of Kingston, Ulster County 41°55'07"N 073°58'52"W HL DU Y Y Y Y YYYY 42 ) T.R. Gallo Park, Rondout Creek, City of Kingston, Ulster County 41°55'01"N 073°59'05"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 43 ) Freer Park, Town of Esopus, Ulster County 41°54'41"N 073°58'22"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y 44 ) Scenic Hudson’s Esopus Meadows Point, Town of Esopus, Ulster County 41°51'48"N 073°56'51"W DU Y Y Y Y Y 45 ) Indian Kill Marina & Norrie Point State Park, Town of Hyde Park, Dutchess County 41°50'02"N 073°56'31"W HL TL C DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 45 ) Norrie Point State Park Hand Launch, Town of Hyde Park, Dutchess County 41°49'56"N 073°56'30"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y 46 ) Esopus Island in Norrie Point State Park, Town of Hyde Park, Dutchess County 41°49'33"N 073°56'48"W C DU Y Y Y Y 47 ) Bob Shepard Highland Landing Park Launch, Town of Lloyd, Ulster County 41°42'56"N 073°58'55"W Z Z Z Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 4 H.R.WH.R.W.A..A. H.R.WH.R.W.A..A. 5

Club Profile: CSKC Hudson River Greenway Water Trail The Cold Spring Kayak Club is a not- List of Designated Sites for-profit organization with flat water Site Type Paddler Services Activities Attractions paddling adventures in the spring, m summer and fall season throughout s the , Long Island Sound as well as wilderness trips in s the Adirondacks. CSKC members t e

receive 10% discounts from partici- s h e rivy e pating merchants, as well as free te d Si e kayak lessons at our skill session. ng/Grills g g cki l cni The Cold Spring Kayak Club was aygroun sitor-Nature Center/Museu Huntin Trapping Bird Watching Tour Boat Servic Natural & Cultural Resource Concerts/events Pl Vi Restroom/P Pi Train Servic Trai Swimming Fishin Golf Historic Resource Site Name, Community, County Latitude Longitude Cartop Launc Trailered Launch Campsit Day Use Dining/Restauran Retail/Supplie Lodging Bus Servic founded in May 2000 by Joanne 48 ) Waryas Park, City of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County 41°42'25"N 073°56'25"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Salvo to bring paddling companions 49 ) DeLaval Site Boat Launch, City of Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County 41°41'39"N 073°56'21"W Z Z Z together and to promote the sport of 50 ) Reese Park & Boat Ramp, Village of Wappingers Falls, Dutchess County 41°35'36"N 073°55'37"W HL P DU Y Y Y Y Y Y kayaking. We aim to communicate 51 ) Chelsea Boat Ramp & Castle Point Recreation Area, Town of Wappinger, Dutchess County 41°33'18"N 073°58'10"W HL TL P DU Y the vast network of happenings on 52 ) NYS Boat Launch, City of Beacon, Dutchess County 41°30'22"N 073°59'07"W HL TL DU Y Y Y the Hudson River as well as support 53 ) NYS Boat Launch, City of Newburgh, Orange County 41°29'53"N 074°00'20"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Y the low-impact recreational use of 54 ) Denning’s Point in State Park, City of Beacon, Dutchess County 41°29'04"N 073°59'23"W HL C DU Y Y Y Y Y the Hudson Valley Waterways. 55 ) Kowawese Unique Area, Town of New Windsor, Orange County 41°27'46"N 074°00'44"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 56 ) Cornwall-on-Hudson, Town of Cornwall, Orange County 41°26'40"N 074°00'00"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y 57 ) Little Stony Point in Hudson Highlands State Park, Town of Philipstown, Putnam County 41°25'45"N 073°58'10"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y See our website: http://www.cskc. 58 ) Foundry Dock Park, Cold Spring, Putnam County 41°24'51"N 073°57'29"W HL P DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y org for more info. 59 ) Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary, Town of Philipstown, Putnam County 41°24'04"N 073°56'18"W DU Y Y Y 60 ) Fort Montgomery State Historic, Creek, Site, Town of Highlands, Orange County 41°19'24"N 073°59'20"W DU Y Y Y Y Y Tom Galvin, Commodore 61 ) Annsville Creek Paddlesport Center in Hudson Highlands State Park, Town of Cortlandt, Westchester County 41°17'50"N 073°56'14"WHL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Cold Spring Kayak Club 62 ) Annsville Preserve, City of Peekskill, Westchester County 41°17'39"N 073°56'09"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y 914-213-3421 63 ) Riverfront Green Park, City of Peekskill, Westchester County 41°17'08"N 073°55'56"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Y [email protected] 64 ) Stony Point Battlefield State Historic Site, Town of Stony Point, Rockland County 41°14'24"N 073°58'29"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 65 ) George’s Island Park, Town of Cortlandt, Westchester County 41°14'07"N 073°56'32"W HL DU Y Y Y YYY 66 ) Oscawana Island, Town of Cortlandt, Westchester County 41°13'36"N 073°55'29"W HL DU Y Y Y 67 ) Haverstraw Bay County Park, Town of Haverstraw, Rockland County 41°12'45"N 073°57'54"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 68 ) Croton Landing Park, Village of Croton-on-Hudson, Westchester County 41°12'23"N 073°53'41"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 69 ) Croton Point Park, Village of Croton-on-Hudson, Westchester County 41°11'13"N 073°53'37"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 69 ) Croton Point Park, Village of Croton-on-Hudson, Westchester County 41°11'10"N 073°52'07"W C DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 70 ) Village of Ossining Pier Village of Ossining, Westchester County 41°09'26"N 073°52'13"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 71 ) Louis Engel Waterfront Park, Town of Ossining, Westchester County 41°09'23"N 073°52'12"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 72 ) Nyack Beach State Park, Town of Nyack, Rockland County 41°07'15"N 073°54'39"W HL DU Y Y Y Y 73 ) Memorial Park, Village of Nyack, Rockland County 41°05'15"N 073°54'57"W HL TL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 74 ) Gesner Avenue Park, Village of South Nyack, Rockland County 41°04'52"N 073°54'57"W HL DU Y Y Y 75 ) Horan’s Landing Park, Village of Sleepy Hollow, Westchester County 41°04'50"N 073°52'07"W HL DU Y Y 76 ) Parelli Park Boat Launch, Village of Piermont, Rockland County 41°02'32"N 073°54'55"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y 77 ) Scenic Hudson Park, Village of Irvington, Westchester County 41°02'30"N 073°52'26"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 78 ) Kinnally Cove (formerly Marinello Cove), Village of Hastings-on-Hudson, Westchester County 40°59'49"N 073°53'06"W Z Z Y Y Y Y Y 79 ) Dykman Tubby Hook, Borough of Manhattan, City of New York 40°52'10"N 073°55'55"W HL 80 ) 79th Street Boat Basin, Borough of Manhattan, City of New York 40°47'12"N 073°59'06"W HL DU 81 ) West 72nd Street, Borough of Manhattan, City of New York 40°46'54"N 073°59'17"W HL continued from page 9 Hudson River Park, Pier 96, City of New York, New York County 40°46'17"N 073°59'44"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Guide to the Hudson. 82 ) 83 ) Hudson River Park, Pier 84, City of New York, New York County 40°45'50"N 074°00'05"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 84 ) Hudson River Park, Pier 66, City of New York, New York County 40°45'06"N 074°00'30"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Ralph moved to Highland, NY, in 2003. 85 ) Hudson River Park, Pier 40, City of New York, New York County 40°43'47"N 074°00'39"W HL DU Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y There he helped the town get its first 86 ) Hudson River Park, Pier 26, City of New York, New York County 40°43'17"N 074°00'45"W Z Z Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y public access to the Hudson, the Highland Landing Park. He has been 86 Totals 76 31 13 81 43 59 25 20 10 13 14 44 9655210210 6373 46 11 president of the Highland Rotary and serves on several not-for-profit local Legend P Permit use only This chart is property of the N.Y. boards. While he still answers to CCampsite TL Trailered launching allowed State Greenway and can not be DU Day use attractions and/or facilities YOther allowed use altered in any way “Ralph,” nowadays he prefers Rafael, HL Hand launching allowed ZTo be built/ Not yet open which is his actual given name. 6 H.R.WH.R.W.A..A. H.R.WH.R.W.A..A. 7

continued from page 1 outlines the geological forces that Watertrail free map printed by the advocacy non of tidal current lag in a graphically shaped our favorite paddling destina- group, Going Coastal—will include an simple way (details available here: tion, before moving to the effects of By Rob Buchanan additional ten new launch sites, five of http://www.newyorkharborbeaches. early colonization and the first days of Village Community Boathouse, them in Jamaica Bay. org/blog/. transcontinental shipping. From those Pier 40, Manhattan early days up to the 1800’s, the This winter, a small group of human- Ultimately, we hope to form an umbrella Hudson was still in a relative “golden Last April, with a good deal of fanfare, powered boating advocates came group that can effectively represent the period,” supporting a massive oyster the New York City Department of Parks together to support the trail initiative collective interests of all of the harbor’s industry and a fishing industry that & Recreation announced the creation of and formed the New York City Water paddling and rowing organizations. prompted sport fishing authority, the NYC Water Trail—a recreational net- Trail Association. Out mission is to sup- William Zeisel, to declare New York City, work consisting of 18 existing and ten port the safe use of the Water Trail, to The map shown here is a static version America’s angling capital. Unfortunately, new public canoe and kayak launches in lobby for more launches, landings and and does not show all the new sites. For by the early 1900, the unregulated all five boroughs. In other words, a gov- boathouses, and to advance aware- the complete interactive map, please growth was starting to take it’s toll, and ernment agency began officially encour- ness of the public’s ownership of our visit the Parks Department website at in 1906 the Metropolitan Sewerage aging human-powered boaters to use urban waterways. http://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/ Commission warned of “seas of float- kayak. For a paper copy, send a self-ad- ing garbage” as a far as fifteen miles dressed, stamped envelope to Going from Manhattan. It’s pretty much down- Coastal, Inc., 230 Sackett St. 2L, hill from there, until the pendulum Brooklyn, NY 11231. You can reach began to swing the other way with the them via e-mail at [email protected] passage of the Clean Water Act of 1972. Dr Waldman takes us through If you’re an individual paddler or rower the river’s decline and through the riv- who’d like to be on our mailing list, or if er’s resurgence, conducting a tour your group would like to join our coali- along the way of our present waterway tion, or if you just want to tell us about and all its intriguing NY/NJ back bays, a launch or landing site that ought to issuing a health report as he goes. be on the map, please write us at: Want to know the status of your favor- [email protected]. ite paddling habitat, then you can’t miss this lecture. NYC Human Powered ment of the Hudson ecosystem. During In addition to Heartbeats in the Muck, John Waldman earned his Ph.D. in that time, he also supervised the Dr. Waldman has authored and edited Boating Events Calendar Evolutionary Biology through a special striped bass tagging program. more than 60 scientific articles and ten (see nycwatertrail.org for further joint program between the City books, including, The Dance of the listings and more information) University of NY and the American In the Fall of 2004, Dr. Waldman joined Flying Gurnards, and 100 Weird Ways Museum of Natural History. He spent the faculty of Queens College as a ten- to Catch Fish, which sheds new light Sunday, March 29, 9:00am the next 20 years working at the ured professor of Biology, where his on the age-old battle of wits between NYKP pool session at SPC Hudson River Foundation, where the research is focusing on the ecology and mankind and fishes. goal was to to expand knowledge evolution of fishes, especially the diadro- Saturday, April 11, 6:00pm about the river among the scientific mous forms—those that migrate Dr John Waldman will be doing his Marcus Demuth, Falkland Islands community, policy makers, and the between fresh and salt water— and the “Heartbeats in the Muck” talk and slide- Circumnavigation Slideshow public at large, in an effort to launch ini- historical ecology of rivers and urban show at the Beczak Environmental tiatives that would enhance manage- waterways, as well at estuarine biology. Education Center, 35 Alexander Thursday, April 23, 7:00pm Street, Yonkers, NY, on March 19 at East River Crew Benefit Party 7pm. We are asking for a $5.00 sug- gested donation and will be serving Saturday, May 9, 9:00am light refreshments. For directions either Hudson River Pageant—TBA google Beczak Environmental Education Center, or e-mail Jack the harbor. Considering our societal So far, we’ve established a harbor-wide Saturday, May 16, All day Gilman at [email protected] obsession with safety and liability, it was event calendar ( www.nycwatertrail.org) East River Crew Training Weekend a remarkably bold initiative. and begun to lobby for more access at 9:00am a couple of ’hot spots,’ including the Downtown Boathouse Opening Day Under the direction of Queens Borough Bronx Kill and the state parks along the 9:00am Parks Commissioner—and avid kayak- East River. We’ve also written a grant er—Dorothy Lewandowski, the network proposal for the installation of ‘tide Sunday, May 17, 1:00pm has continued to expand and the sec- wheels’ at harbor launch sites that Red Hook Boaters Free Walk-up ond edition of the Water Trail Guide—a would convey the peculiar phenome- Kayaking City of Water, Governor's Island, NYC 8 H.R.WH.R.W.A..A. H.R.WH.R.W.A..A. 9

Lee Goldsmith—President Nancy Brous—Vice President, Bob Huszar—Founder/ Scott Keller–Advisory Board Jack Gilman–Newsletter Rafael Diaz– Highlands Region Metropolitan Region Director Newsletter Editor Production Director Lee Goldsmith started kayaking in Advisory Board Member Scott Keller is Maine in 1990. Back then, whether Nancy Brous has a BA in Political After a long stint in the post-production the Trails and Special Projects Director Jack is a graphic artist who has lived Rafael Diaz is the longest standing paddling on vacation or in his home Science and an MFA in Theatrical world, working on such diverse films as for the Hudson River Valley Greenway on the shore of the Hudson River in board member of HRWA. He has long waters of the Long Island Sound out of Design and has worked for 15 years Spike Lee’s JIM BROWN, ALL and the Hudson River Valley National Yonkers, NY, since 1980. Having that been a champion of kayaking and Mamaraneck Harbor, he often found designing costumes for both stage and AMERICAN and Godfrey Reggio’s Heritage Area. He is responsible for the backdrop, it is only natural that the river access to the water. In the 1980s, himself paddling alone. screen. NAQOYQATSI, Bob has returned to his development of the Hudson River and recreation would both come Ralph helped create a number of NYC roots as a freelance writer, a Registered Greenway Water Trail, an 86 site water together for him. After buying his first Parks Dept launch sites and wrote a The picture he decided to use was As a kayaker, Nancy is a trip leader for Nurse, and a kayaker. trail from Whitehall, New York at the kayak in 1982, Jack has been trying his guide to these. He was the head of the taken in 2007 while he participated in the Downtown Boathouse and a head of Lake Champlain to Battery best to be a dedicated river rat. Human Powered Boating Group that the second Ederle Swim, which Member of the NY Kayak Polo Women’s As a writer, his work has appeared in Park in Manhattan. defended kayakers from restrictions on stretched from Battery Park in lower and B division teams, both of which New York Outdoors, New Age, and Jack has been active with HRWA, serv- their use of New York City’s waters and Manhattan to Sandy Hook in NJ, and it have placed in the playoffs at the US Sea Kayaker magazines. His play, He is also responsible for the Great ing previously as a board member then fostered cooperation with commercial exemplifies the changes that have National Championships for the last sev- RAINDANCE, was performed at the Hudson River Paddle, an annual 150 a member of the advisory board. He users of the harbor. occurred in the intervening years. eral years. Nancy also holds a British West Bank Café. His latest project was mile paddling and camping trip from also was instrumental with Jim Logan Canoe Union 3 Star Certification in Sea PURE ANIMATION (2008, Merrell Albany to Manhattan begun in 2001. in designing and producing the HRWA For a number of years, Ralph organized When he first started to paddle he often kayaking and Canoe (Kayak) Safety. Publishers Limited), where he was He has served on the HRWA Board Guide. and participated in kayak support for found himself alone on the water. Now employed as the technical writer. since 1994 and is a past President and numerous swims on the Hudson. He kayakers are involved in swimmer escort Nancy is a founding member and vice- past Vice President. He has also been involved with Scott devised basic techniques for kayakers and he participates whenever he can. president of NY Kayak Polo, a founding As a kayaker, Bob founded the Hudson Keller as part of the organization of the to work effectively with swimmers to Today, thanks to the various clubs, swim member and president of River Watertrail Association, after his Scott is married, has three children and Great Hudson River Paddle, and also keep them out of danger and on groups and organizations like HRWA he NYRiversports/pier66nyc.org, and has solo paddle from New York to Canada. lives near Albany. Paddling has been an served as a guide for all the trips. At course in confusing waters. finds himself surrounded by dozens, lit- worked as the kayak coordinator for Additionally, Bob was a Co-owner of integral part of his life since he was a this point, Jack has done the Albany to erally, hundreds of other kayakers. the Manhattan Island Foundation, orga- the Manhattan Kayak Company, NYC’s child. Prior to his transfer to Albany, he NYC trip 9 times, as well as a trip from Ralph’s wider claim to fame was in the Suddenly, it was more then just exercis- nizing the safety-kayakers who guide first full service touring and teaching commuted to work by canoe across Burlington, VT to Albany on the world of folding kayaks. He wrote The ing, or enjoying the scenery, it was the swimmers in open water races in facility. In 1995 he was a guest of the the Hudson between Ulster and Champlain Canal. Complete Folding Kayaker that was about involvement. In Lee’s words, “The and around Manhattan. Nancy is also a Dunajec River Festival, the oldest kayak Dutchess Counties published by McGraw-Hill and went HRWA represents that involvement and member of the NY/NJ Harbor Estuary rally in Europe and has guest lectured Recently, Jack has been actively into a 2nd edition. The book is consid- exemplifies the good work that kayakers Program’s Public Access Working at L.L. Bean in Maine and Paddlesport involved with the Yonkers Paddling and ered a bible by many and is used by from the Adirondacks to New York City Group, a member of Manhattan in New Jersey. Rowing Club, serving as its US Special Forces in their training. He have done for our community. That’s Community Board 2’s waterfront com- Commodore from 1999-2000, and is also did a newsletter on folding kayaks why I got involved: to be a part of the mittee, and a founding member of the When not on the water, Bob can be currently the House Captain. He also that had subscribers in over a half next edition of the Hudson River Water NYC Watertrail Association. found riding either Creamcycle or runs the YPRC boat building shop, dozen countries. Trail Guide; to help organize the Great Torque, exploring the labyrinth of New offering classes in boat building to club Hudson River Paddle; to open and Nancy also serves on the Hudson River York City bike trails. members. The Hudson remains Ralph’s favorite establish new camp sites and water Park Advisory Council where she has place to paddle. In the early 1990s, access on the river; but mostly I got been an unstoppable lobbyist for boat- Ralph paddled a double Klepper with involved for the pleasure of meeting you er’s rights and access issues on the Ian Giddy from Albany to NYC as Ian all on the water and sharing your Hudson River. did research for the HRWA’s Paddlers involvement in our beautiful river and it’s trails.” continued on page 4 10 H.R.WH.R.W.A..A. H.R.WH.R.W.A..A. 11

The Hudson: History and (Kingston) and Beverwyck (Albany). The lish its identity. Sites associated with be grown more cheaply in the west, The works of the Hudson River School endowed the mythology of the Hudson Habitat: A Primer for Dutch introduced a sailboat known as the war for independence and the and turned to the diary and fruit farm- painters can be viewed at the New Valley with The Legend of Sleepy Kayakers the Hudson River sloop to conduct beauty of the River’s scenery drew trav- ing which still predominates today. York Historical Society in New York Hollow and Rip Van Winkle. Bryant trade along the River. The sloops were elers from around the world. City, The Hudson River Museum in Park, behind the New York Public By Cynthia Walsh in use for 200 years and the present Wilderness became fashionable, and 1828 saw the completion of another Yonkers, the Albany Institute of History Library on 42nd Street, is named for day Clearwater is modeled on these the Hudson had plenty of it. important waterway: the Delaware- and Art and the Frances Lehman Loeb the author of Thanatopsis. Fennimore (Article courtesy of Atlantic Kayak Tours boats. Hudson Canal. Connecting Honesdale, Art Center at Vassar College in brought the upper Hudson Valley to life See their website: http://www.atlantick- The invention of the steamboat made Pennsylvania to Rondout on the Poughkeepsie. In addition, Fredrick with The Last of the Mohicans and ayaktours.com for more information.) The Dutch and the British both claimed the Hudson more accessible to more Hudson just south of Kingston, the Church’s home, Olana, is open to visi- other novels (together known as The the Hudson River and its valley. The people. Actually invented by John canal allowed anthracite coal (hard tors as a State Historic Site. It is locat- Leatherstocking Tales). “The work of Explorers, revolutionaries, writers, British prevailed, and ruled from 1664 Stevens (The Stevens Institute of coal) to be transported easily to New ed just south of the town of Hudson. Irving, Cooper, and other painters, inventors, empire builders, to 1776. The Hudson played an impor- Technology in Hoboken, N.J., is named York City, where it was used for heat- Knickerbockers cast a spell of history sightseers, environmentalists...and kay- tant role in the Revolutionary War; for him and his family), the steamboat ing. Conceived by the Wurts brothers The painters’ praise of nature and inter- and legend which the public would not akers. Unique in the nation’s history approximately a third of its battles were was put into commercial service by the who owned coal mines in Pennsylvania, est in the Hudson was shared by the soon forget. No less important was and rich in its estuarine habitat, the fought along the River’s shores. The man whose name is associated for it was the first privately owned canal in writers of the time. In fact, the writers’ their contribution to national thought Hudson River has inspired them all. River was central to the British strategy most of us with its invention: Robert the country. John B. Jervis, a former captivation with the River’s wild beauty about nature’s spiritual value. Like the of dividing the New England states Fulton. Fulton’s boat had her maiden engineer on the Erie Canal and name- predates the painters’ and helped to Hudson River School artists, the The Hudson originates in Lake Tear in from the other colonies. They attempt- voyage in 1807; it was originally named sake of Port Jervis, N.Y., was one of pave the way for it. The Knickerbocker Knickerbockers were druids at heart.” the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount ed to control the River by advancing the North River and later renamed the the chief engineers of the D&H. John A. writers, named after Washington (The Hudson River Highlands, Dunwell, Marcy, the highest mountain in the north from Manhattan and south from Clermont, after his father-in-law’s Roebling, who later designed the Irving’s fictional account, A History of 1991, p. 61). Adirondacks. From there it flows 315 Canada. While successful in their Hudson Valley estate. She sailed from Brooklyn Bridge, designed bridges and New York by Deidrich Knickerbocker, miles to the Battery in New York City. advance up the River, capturing Forts New York to Albany and back in 62 aqueducts for the endeavor. The began to write in the first decade of the Part II of “The Hudson: History and Bordered by the Catskills and Hudson Montgomery and Clinton and burning hours, a journey that would have taken canal’s completion transformed 1800’s. The group included Washington Habitat” will follow in our next issue. Highlands in the west and Taconic Kingston (then the provincial capital of at least a week under sail. Steamboats Rondout into the primary Hudson River Irving, William Cullen Bryant, and mountain range on the east, the drain- New York), the British advancing from soon became the accepted way to port between New York and Albany; in James Fennimore Cooper. Irving age area of the Hudson and its tributar- the north were defeated at the decisive travel and opened up the Hudson to 1855 its population of 6,000 surpassed ies is about 13,400 square miles. Battle of Saratoga in 1777, thus frus- large numbers of visitors. By 1850, 100 that of nearby Kingston. However, by trating the British plan to control the steamboats plied the River, carrying a the late 1800’s the railroad had taken During the last Ice Age, glaciers thou- Hudson. million passengers (The Hudson—An over as the transportation of choice for sands of feet thick gouged the River’s Illustrated Guide to the Living River, coal. The town slipped into obscurity, bed to below sea level. At that time, so The Hudson Highlands were especially Stanne et al, 1996, p.123).”The inven- and merged into Kingston. much of the world’s water was bound prominent in the Revolution. “Military tion of the steamboat made the up in ice that the Hudson flowed an records...show that the region Hudson more accessible to more peo- The same beauty that lured travelers additional 120 miles beyond Manhattan became...a site vital to the nation’s ple.” attracted artists, whose paintings in turn to reach the sea. As the glaciers defense strategy and a stage for heroic inspired others to visit the River. These retreated about 18,000 years ago, the dramas...In the public mind, the evolv- The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 painters turned to the Hudson as an ocean’s waters rose and poured in ing image of the Hudson Highlands contributed enormously to the flow of embodiment of the Romantic philosophy behind them, mingling with fresh water became that of a citadel, symbolizing people using the River for travel and of Rousseau and other Europeans. from the River’s newly thawed tributar- the fight for democracy.” (The Hudson commerce and changed the econo- “They celebrated nature’s grandeur in ies to form the river we see today. River Highlands, Dunwell, 1991, p. 14) mies of the towns along its banks. both its beautiful and its savage aspect, Pitched battles were fought here, and Stretching from Albany to Buffalo, the especially the vast, pristine wilderness. The Algonquins referred to the Hudson massive chains were stretched across Canal joined the Hudson and the Great These artists associated unspoiled as “River-Which-Flows-Two-Ways.” The the Hudson at Fort Montgomery and Lakes, creating a sea passage from the nature with virtue...[they held that] nature Hudson River Valley was first settled West Point to block the passage of east coast to the Midwest. Originally was God’s finest work.” about 10,000 BC by Native Americans British warships. Benedict Arnold com- derided as “Clinton’s Ditch,” after its attracted by its abundance. The first mitted treason and escaped at sponsor Governor DeWitt Clinton, the The Hudson River School of painters European to discover the Hudson was Garrison, across the river from West canal was a huge success. “It turned was born, and included Thomas Cole, Giovanni da Veranzzano, who sailed Point. The Revolutionary War saw the New York Harbor into America’s num- Asher Durand, Stanford Gifford, Jasper past the River’s mouth in 1524. It was establishment of Fort Montgomery and ber one port, and it shaped the social Cropsey and Frederic Church, among not until 1609 that Henry Hudson, an West Point, and with them many of the and economic development of the others. They all had homes along the Englishman sailing for the Dutch and old place names along the river were nation. Shipping costs dropped dra- River, since at that time, “residing and looking for the mythical Northwest replaced with new ones that continue matically, immigrants to America, in painting in the Hudson Valley was con- Passage to India, explored the length of in use today: Constitution Island, search of new lands and new opportu- sidered essential to art education....” the River up to present day Albany. Beacon Mountain, and Hessian Lake. nities in the west, crowded canal (The Hudson River Highlands, Dunwell, Shortly thereafter, the Dutch began to boats.” The Hudson River Valley, which 1991, p. 53-54). The Hudson River establish settlements along the Hudson After the end of the war, the new coun- had been America’s breadbasket, School had its heyday between 1825 New Amsterdam (Manhattan), Rondout try looked to the Hudson to help estab- ceased to produce wheat, which could and 1875. Bear Mt. Bridge and Poppolopen Creek HRWA is back! HRWA Membership Application Welcome to our first, newly-renovat- ed newsletter of the HRWA. We are

name (1) new, we are improved, but we are only as good as you help us to be. The HRWA is, and always was, a address volunteer organization, dedicated to building and maintaining access city, state, zip sites and campsite for human pow- ered boaters on the Hudson River and beyond. That means we need telephone # updates (photos and words) on all 86 sites, plus assessments of possi- e-mail address ble future sites. And if you don’t do it... well, you really don’t want Jack I am available for volunteer activities ______and I camping in your backyard for a week... do you??? Type of Membership: New ______Renewal______

Basic $35 Renewal $25 Contributor $100

Patron $500 Saint $100

Send to: Hudson River Watertrail Association Box 110, 245 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10011

Hudson River Watertrail Association Hudson River Watertrail Association, Inc. Box 110, 245 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10011 www.hrwa.org/