Author: Larry Jensen

I paddled on past West Point, which was impressive from the water, but I was more impressed with the steps that were carved into solid rock. After passing West Point, I came up to an old train station that said Highland Falls on it.

Pulling out from the shore I was again reminded of how rich this area is with free public parks where people can get out and enjoy the water. Why more people are not taking advantage of these places is beyond me. These free parks should be full of people on such a hot summer day and yet, there were 6 people in all there.

Now I have a problem. I’m loosing the ebb tide and slack tide is beginning. This means I’m loosing my free ride and I’m exhausted. I’m also not even close to Bowdoin Park, its at least another mile from me and now the pull out is another couple miles from that.

I felt something come whipping by me and I thought one of the shrouds were falling off the deck and into the water. Then there was the eerie cracking sound that none of us understood until it was too late. This huge mast came out of its attachment point in the sole and she was coming down. Sue was standing right over the mast and began to hold it. Her reaction was instinctual and motherly. She had to save it. Mine was less motherly and I was shouting for her to get out of the way as this monster mast was slowly coming down and tearing a hole in the dog house (roof) of the boat as it did.

Life on the water is hot. Hot. HOT. Did I mention it’s been HOT? I am very concerned about Sun Stroke. There is no relief from the sun these past few days and there is little breeze so the air gets stagnant and hard to breath. Every time I tried to convince myself to jump in the water, I’d pass another dead fish. Catfish I think. Seriously, I stopped counting around 60 today and I’m just one little boat in a large river. That is way too many dead fish. Not sure if it’s the heat killing them or something worse, but I can’t bring myself to jump in there like I did in Lake Champlain. Sadly, that is how this will be until I hit the Keys.

Leaving the Capital area I entered the Industrial Area. I began to get worried. There was no place for me to get out of the water. Lined by concrete and steel walls on one side and oil storage facilities on the other, I wondered how long it would be before I found a safe place to pull out if that storm hit. I’m not concerned with rain, but rather lightening. My Lightening Detector was silent so I was happy.

As the Barge was approaching me from the front, they were approaching me now from the back though they pulled to Starboard. Just as the barge got to us, I heard a large BANG. I stopped paddling, which meant the wind was now blowing me backwards and as soon as the barge was past us, I saw their boat immobilized.

I got into the water only to discover I was not alone here. A River Otter was swimming in circles around me. He’d swim by in an arc just out from me and then go under the water as he swam right by me and then repeat the act. I hadn’t brought my camera with me so I finished washing up and walked back to get it. Upon returning again, I realized that he was living right on the shore I was entering. No wonder he was swimming circles around me. This time though, he stayed further away from me.