Hurricane Irene has slowed us down, but we are safe in a motel in Newburgh. Fifty miles to our southeast, Old Rosie is riding out the storm at a dock in the Tarrytown Marina. New York City is another twenty-six miles further down.
The last couple of days were busy with preparations to secure Old Rosie ...
A few years ago our Wiarton friends, Dave and Al, gave us some heavy spring lines that they no longer needed and felt we might use some day... well, we used every one and tied to all the docks and the pilings in numerous directions... Old Rosie looked like she was caught in a spider web.
So... while we wait out the storm, I might as well take you back ten days to our first days on the Hudson.
Castleton-on-Hudson is a yacht club where you can pay to use their electric hoist to lift the masts.
It's always good to have a little help from our friends on Dilly Dally and Thomas Leigh.
Ben, Marcel and Dale are a hard-working team...no funny business here!
Finally Jane got to control the remote...
After all that hard work, we motored across to anchor on the other side of the river. It was fun to get together for a singsong on Old Rosie. After a floating party, you have to row home!
The Hudson River has some interesting lighthouses,
and bridges,
The Hudson River is all about transportation... boats in all shapes and sizes...
The Clearwater is a 106' sloop which serves thousands of students a year as a venue for science-based environmental education. Pete Seeger (of Peter, Paul and Mary) became involved and co-founded the environmental organization Hudson River Sloop Clearwater in 1966. The organization has worked since then to highlight and clean up pollution in the Hudson River.
freighters...
PT boats,
...and even a motorized dock.
My favourite section of the river is the Hudson Highlands where amazing buildings are tucked up along the bluffs.
including West Point,
bluffs and mountains...
We loved the castle on Pollepel Island. According to Wikipedia:
"Bannerman's Castle is an abandoned military surplus warehouse.[2] It was built in the style of a castle by gilded age businessman Francis Bannerman VI (1851–1918).[3] Pollepel Island is sometimes referred to as Bannerman's Island.[5] One side of the castle carries the words "Bannerman's Island Arsenal".[2][3] The island has an interesting history, being strategically important during the American War of Independence and purchased by Francis Bannerman VI. However, after his death in 1918, the island experienced a series of disasters. Lightning was known to strike the flagpoles. Then, two hundred pounds of powder and shells exploded, destroying half the building. Later, a massive storm on the Hudson caused a freighter and passenger barge, the Pollepel, to explode and crash into the island (hence the name Pollepel Island). The name is from the Dutch word pollepel, meaning "ladle". According to Native American lore the island was inhabited by unfriendly spirits."
Here are some pictures of the castle:
At the anchorages on the Hudson, you can see that the train tracks are never far away. One conductor took great pleasure in blowing the horn for a loooooong time before, during and after he passed us.
When we were kayaking I found this water chestnut floating near the shore...they are also known as dinghy poppers!
Sunday afternoon update-
The rain and wind have subsided here in Newburgh. We've been able to go out to eat and even did some shopping at Walmart! But there has been some flooding and road closures, so we're keeping our fingers crossed that tomorrow we will be able to head back to Tarrytown Marina.
Old Rosie, hang in there for one more night!
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