Free Kayaking at Pier 40 in NYC - 08/15/2010

I went down to pier 40 in NYC to meet a group of people from the http://www.meetup.com/The-New-York-City-Free-Kayaking-Meetup-Group/calendar/13956218/

It turned out that the people kayaking were doing it for the first time so we didn't do a tour or anything. I helped out the leader by keeping people from going out into the river beyond the pier and also giving some basic lessons on how to hold a paddle and how to do a basic stroke. I managed to paddle about 6 mi just chasing people around and taking a short paddle down the river. The wave were 3 - 4 ft and I was alone so I decided to turn back after about a half mile.

We had a pot luck lunch at around 12:30 and we had some really great food that people had made for the lunch. All in all it was a good time.

Here are the pictures:

The 22 Mile Long Run - 08/14/2010

I went on a 22 mile paddle with 5 people from the kayaking-the-liquid-skies-list@meetup.com group.
We left from Cold Spring at about 10:30 and headed towards Annsville in Peekskill.  We paddled against the tide and a fairly strong head wind.  We averaged about 3 mph and stopped at the Bear Mountain bridge for lunch.  We decided that it would be better to head back towards Cold Spring and up to Bannerman's island to get in our 22 miles.  We averaged about 5.5 - 6 mph on the way back since we were going with the tide and wind.  The trip back from Bannerman's was rough with 2 - 3 ft waves and 10 - 20 mph winds.
It was a great trip and we all had a good time.
Here are some pictures from the trip.

Bannerman2 Moonlight Paddle - 07/22/2010

This was the second paddle that we did from Cold Spring to Bannerman's Island in the evening.  This paddle was much easier as the water was fairly calm and paddling was easy.  We left about 6:30 and got to the island at around sunset.  We had a snack and then paddled around the island until dusk.  I didn't get any pictures after dark because it was fairly cloudy most of the way back.  We did get to paddle by moonlight for the last mile or so.

Here are a few pictures from the trip.

Walkill River - New Paltz to Perrine's Bridge - 07/11/10

Skip Doyle led a great leisurely paddle down the Walkill river from New Paltz to Perrine's bridge in Tilson.
Skip had everyone introduce themselves and describe their kayak experience.  Sherry and Marty both had some past leader experience so they also became leaders of the paddle.
We planned to launch at 2:00 after shuttling cars to the take out point at the bridge.  However, some large thunderstorms came up to our south so we decided to wait for a while to see what the storm would do.  We almost canceled but decided to launch and see how things were at the next take out.  At the next take out, about 3/4 mile away things had cleared and we decided to press on.
The river was very calm with a very slow current.  We stopped to regroup several times along the way so that everyone could go at a pace comfortable for them.  We saw many great blue herons and one black capped night heron.
We reached the bridge in about 3 hours with a total distance of about 8.5 miles according to the GPS.  We averaged a little over 3 mph.  The take out was at the bridge so people took their boats out and headed home after a great paddle.
A BIG thanks to Skip for organizing and leading the paddle.

I decided to paddle back up river to get some additional exercise.  It took me 2 hours going back and the GPS said I had covered a total of 17 miles.  I was very glad to see my car when I got back to the launch.


Here is a slide show of some of the great views and people on our paddle.

Kayaking Event at Wappinger Lake - 07/09/10

Russ Faller, of the Mid Hudson Adirondack Mountain Club,  organized this event for the first time at Wappingers lake.  It was fairly well attended given the short notice and not a lot of publicity.

Eastern Mountain Sports was there with several boats for people to try out and Hudson Valley Kayak Tours was there and led a short paddle for beginners across the lake and up the Wappingers creek to Little Falls.
Don Urmston and I tagged along and had a very enjoyable paddle led by Lee and Edie from Hudson Valley Kayak Tours.  Pictures are below.

Evening Lecture - Kayaking: How to get started - Esopus Library 7/07/10

Don Urmston and Andrea gave a talk at the Esopus library.  I went along to help with equipment etc.
The talk was well attended and as usual, Don did a great job.  He hooked me on kayaking last year and I haven't stopped since.  Here are a few pictures of the event.

Thursday Early Morning Paddle - 07/08/10

Launched at about 6:30 in the lower Wappingers creek.  It was about 75 deg and no wind.  On the way down the creek to the Hudson I past a group of 3 adult deer and 2 very young fauns eating water chestnuts from the creek.
I paddled across the Hudson and up the West shore to the Marlboro yacht club.  On the way up I entered a small creek under the railroad tracks and went about 1/2 mi upstream.  I came very close to a black capped night heron but didn't get my camera out in time for a picture.
I crossed back to the East shore at a diagonal to New Hamburg and back to the launch.
Total distance about 8 miles overall moving average 4.1 mph. No pictures this trip.

Rhinecliff to the Kingston Rondout creek and back - July 05, 2010

The highlight of my trip was this bald eagle.

I launched from the Rhinecliff boat launch just south of the train station at about 7:30 am.  The weather was in the 70's and the river was very calm.  I paddled across the river and reached the lighthouse at about 8:00 am.
The total trip lasted about 3 hours with a moving average of about 4.2 mph including a lot of slow paddling to take pictures and look at the scenery.

I met a guy in a racing scull who told me about the Rondout creek and what to look for.  I had no chance to keep up with him so after we talked for a few minutes he took off up the creek.

I paddled up the right fork of the creek by Dock island past the historic Kingston waterfront and all the boat slips.

Since Dock island is not really an island, but a man made peninsula, I had to head back around the way I came and the headed up the Rondout creek for about 3 miles to the Eddyville dam.  I past many marinas and boats along the way including a very interesting house boat.  

When I got to the dam I anchored my boat at the bottom and climbed to the top of the dam.  With two people it might be possible to lift the boats to the top of the dam and continue up the creek but it's not really possible for one person to do it unless you have a small plastic boat that you could drag up with a rope.

After walking around the dam for a while I got back in and paddled back down stream and took the right fork around the island on the south side of the creek. I stopped at a small beach and had lunch.  While eating I saw a bald eagle land in the tree across the narrow branch of the creek in front of me.  After I finished I got back in the boat and glided across to where I saw the eagle land.  To my surprise, I came up right next to the tree he was sitting in and he posed nicely for me to take some pictures.  I know the eagles are getting more common but I'm still excited every time I see one.  Here are a couple of pictures.

Cold Water Survival

If you know anyone that boats, especially in cold water, make sure they see COLD WATER BOOT CAMP.
I see so many people that go out in kayaks with no pfd and probably don't know how to get back in the boat in the event of a capsize.  If the water is cold you will drown no matter how well you can swim.

ADK Paddle - Norrie Point to Vanderburgh Cove and Back

Dave Webber led the ADK Wednesday evening paddle from Norrie Point on 6/30.
Four of us, Russ Faller, Mike Pettigrew, Marshall Seddon and Jean-Claude (last name ?) joined Dave for this paddle.  We launched about 6:00 PM from the launch next to the conservation center.
Paddling up river was very smooth until we rounded Norrie point where we headed into a 5 - 10 knot head wind and waves that were constant 1 - 3 ft.  We went up river to Vanderburgh Cove about 3 miles away and averaged 3.8 miles per hour.  We entered the cove where the water was very calm and had some drinks and snacks.  Then we headed back out into the river and back to Norrie point.  The wind was at our back but the waves were coming from the starboard side which we rolled over and made paddling interesting.
We arrived back at about 8:00 before dark.
All in all it was a great paddle and a good time was had by all.  The only problem was that Marshall had to figure out how to go slow enough so we could keep up with him :-)

Here are a few pictures.  Nothing came out too well but it gives you a little idea of the paddle.

Lower Wappingers Creek to Bodwin Park and back

Short paddle this morning.  On the water at 6:00 off by 7:45.  6 mi.
Saw the wood duck family, a deer in the water eating weeds and the osprey again.

New Hamburg to Beacon and Back - 6/27/2010

I got on the water about 6:30 am at the boat launch in the lower Wappingers creek.  I paddled through a 2 ft wide patch in the weeds and into the main channel.  The creek was like a sheet of glass and the sun was coming up.  It was a perfect morning for a paddle.  I passed a couple of great blue herons and an osprey along the way. That is the first osprey I have seen.
I paddled under the railroad bridge and into the river heading south.  The river was as smooth as the creek and it was low tide with no wind.  I reached River Park in Beacon in about 1 1/2 hours and about 7 miles.  Rested for a while in my boat by the park and then headed back.
I stopped for a break at about 8 1/2 miles on what I thought was a sand beach.  As I got closer I realized the beach was made of old bricks.  There are thousands of them lining the river in that area.  I rested on the "beach" for a while and then headed back home.  Back in the creek I saw a mother wood duck and about 6 baby ducklings.
I reached the boat launch at about 10:00 am after traveling 14 miles and averaging about 4.4 miles per hour according to my GPS.

Moon Light Paddle - Cold Spring to Bannerman's Island - 6/24/2010

The following write up is from Herb Stein.  Herb has done this trip before and knows the names of the bays etc.  We had a good time but it turned out to be a fairly strenuous workout in the wind and waves.  Paddling by the full moon on the way back was great, especially before the wind and waves picked up again.


Here is a short clip of the paddle on the way up.


It was a very interesting and challenging paddle.
According to the Weather Channel the skies would clear (they did) and the
wind abate (it didn't) by 8PM.
We didn't realize how strong the wind & waves were when we left a little
before 7.  But once out on the river the wind was howling and whitecaps
were plentiful.  The bow was underwater after every 2nd or 3rd wave.  We
finally struggled into the lee of Little Stony Point.  Based on my
experience I told Mike there was no point in going further, if we had to
struggle to get where we were it would be impossible to advance into the
wind (from the nw) out in Cornwall Bay.  We waited in the calm lee until
just before sunset when the wind finally did abate and there were no more
whitecaps.
We headed out to Bannerman's in a light chop and a pleasant breeze.  But by
the time we were halfway there the wind had picked up again and soon we
were pitching  thru the swells.  We made it into B's lee shortly after
sunset, had a drink, put out our running lights and headed back out into a
brilliant moonpath.  The first half of the trip was smooth, fast, and fun
but the following wind became a quartering wind and we were soon fighting
the swells to stay on track.  This was at its worst as we rounded Little
Stony Point where large waves were coming from almost every direction
except straight ahead.  But once we were in the lee of the Point the water
was calm again and we proceeded calmly to our take-ot at Cold Spring.
While passing the CS pier, a bystander yelled at us, "Hey, it's only 42
miles to Manhattan!"
"We'll be there by morning." I lied back.
We were on shore by 11:00.

Mid-Hudson ADK Paddle Outings Schedule June 22-July 5

Thurs June 24 Mid-week paddles
We paddle the second and fourth Thursday of each month, weather permitting.  Paddles vary in length, difficulty, and location.  Most are on quieter water; some will be on the Hudson River.  All are generally leisurely -- we stop for looks at birds and waterfalls and for lunch. MEMBERS can be included on a separately maintained email list for these trips, contact leaders, Shari Aber ( 845-255-6005 or shnaber@yahoo.com ) or Russ Faller (845-297-5126 -- before 9:30 PM -- or russoutdoors@yahoo.com) .
 
Sat June 26  Moonlight Paddle                        Easy
Leaders:  Barry & Kathy Skura           No registration required.
Easy evening paddle at Big Pond by the reflected light of the full moon. Short drive from campground to Big Pond for an hour or two paddle.  PFD required.

Wed Jun 30 Norrie Point Evening Paddle B/C
Leader: Dave Webber 845-452-7238 webberd1@yahoo.com
Launch at 6 PM and paddle for 1.5-2 hours, 4-6 miles at an easy pace. PFD Required! The CSKC will join us. Directions: Rt 9 north from Hyde Park, bear left on Old Post Road towards Staatsburg and then immediate left to Mills Norrie State Park. Follow signs to the Marina. We'll launch at the south end of the parking area by the Environmental Center.

Erie Canal Paddle: July 1-5 Level: All.  Average 8-10 miles per day
Leader: Don Urmston: Durmston@hvc.rr.com 845-457-4552 (before 9pm)
Join us for five days of paddling on the Erie Canal between Palmyra and Port Byron.  This trip will feature a relaxed pace and plenty of exploring both on water and on foot in the towns we encounter.  Paddling will average 8-10 miles per day.  We will stay at a local campground with showers and bathrooms. ($ fee for camping).  Pfd (life vest) required.  14 ft. or longer kayak or canoe strongly recommended.  Contact leader for more details and costs.  THIS TRIP IS FULL, CONTACT LEADER FOR WAITING LIST

Sat July 3 Paddle through the Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge
Leader: Shari Aber  845-255-6005  shnaber@yahoo.com
The Wallkill National Wildlife Refuge’s northern boundary lies in Orange County.   We will paddle from the Oil City Boat Launch upstream through diverse habitats in Northern New Jersey.  The place is beautiful and the paddling is easy.  We may have to portage over a beaver dam or two, but in July, the water should be refreshing.    Bring PFDs, water and lunch.  Contact leader for meeting time.

Early morning paddle on the Hudson

I launched at 6:00 am on the lower Wappingers creek and paddled up the Hudson until my GPS said 5 mi.  It was a beautiful morning and the river was like a mirror.  The fish were jumping all over and there were no boats except for 3 large barges that went by.

I paddled back but had to wait for a tug that was moving a barge around in front of Trap Rock.  I didn't want to get in his way!  I made it back at about 8:30 and was back home by 8:50 in time for work.  Great way to start the day.   10 mi, 2 hrs 35 min.

Kayak Skills Session - ADK Members at Plum Point

Don Urmston and his wife taught a kayak skills session at Plum Point on Saturday June 19. There were about 15 people there with varying degrees of skill and experience from beginners with rental boats to experienced long time paddlers.

We started on the beach with the basics of kayaking equipment and safety and then worked our way up to basic strokes and then how to enter the boat without capsizing. 

The river was a little rough with a fairly strong breeze so we headed south to avoid the worst of the wind.  We practiced basic strokes and then worked on turning. 

After lunch we went out to practice low bracing in very shallow water so you could reach the bottom with you paddle or hand if you started to go over.  Next we worked on both assisted and self rescue methods.  We used a 2 boat assisted recovery for both a planned demonstration and an actual rescue when someone capsized.  We also demonstrated the "Cowboy" and "Paddle Float" self rescue methods.

Don used Lou to demonstrate what is was like to paddle boats full of water when they had 2 bulkheads, 1 bulkhead, 1 bulkhead with a floatation bag, and no bulkheads.  This was very entertaining.

The class finished at 2:00 with everyone wiser and tireder.

Thanks Don and Andrea for a GREAT day.

The Bear Mountain Challenge

This is a tune up race for larger races such as The Mayor's Cup race around Manhattan.

Paddlefest 2010

The 2010 Paddle Fest was held at Plum point on the Hudson River in New Windsor, NY  on June 13, 2010 from 9:00 am - 4:00 pm.
It was organized by the Mid-Hudson Adirondack Mountain club.  I don't know how many people attended but the parking lot was full.

The river connection along with EMS were both there with many different types of kayaks.  EMS had a huge rental fleet that was busy all day.  Marshall Seddon from The River Connection taught two classes on proper stroke techniques and the proper way to turn a kayak.  Turning requires more than just paddling.  It also requires  leaning the boat into its secondary stability point.  Going beyond this point results in suddenly being upside down and wet.  Yours truly managed to accomplish this and extended the scope of the class to the proper way to do an assisted rescue.

Tivoli - Hudson - Esopus Paddle

This write up is from Jeff Kaplan - paddle leader (with a couple of minor edits)

Out of 11 sign-ups 3 of us braved the weather and had a grand time

It was rainy but not a bad morning. This was a comfortable trip of just over 6 miles in total: from Tivoli, across to the Esopus Lighthouse, bed and breakfast where we said hello to the Malden Yatch Club kayakers. We then went up to the falls on the Esopus (low volume for this time of the year). The tide was too high to beach the boats at the lighthouse (our original plan), so we went down river with the waning tide, and nary a motor boat to contend with. We lunched at Magdalen island and the adjacent near shore shallow, but first we spent a good 10 minutes at court of a full-sized Bald Eagle, about 40 ft. away! We returned to Tivoli with the wind at our backs--All in all, a fantastic trip.

Denning's Point Paddle

06/10/2010 - Paddled from public ramp at Beacon train station to Denning's point and back.

The wind was fairly strong with 1' - 2' waves pushing me from behind. My GPS says I reached 7 mph going around the point.

After round the point the wind stopped and Fishkill creek was like glass. I explored the creek up to the falls and then headed back into the wind and waves. My boat goes very well into the waves and I made good time getting back. Overall average was about 3.5 mph for 5.5 miles.

This is a nice easy paddle to do after work but be aware of the wind and weather conditions. The river can get rough there.