July 19th, 201
Kingston, NY
Sittin’ on the dock of the Bay…OK, it’s not a Bay and I’m not sitting, I’m camping – on the dock – on Roudout Creek. Just how did I get here you ask?
It was a beautiful night last night camping at the Riverview Marina for my second night there. The owner, Mike put me under the large overhang as we were supposed to get some bad rain, but it turned out to be just a drizzle and only briefly. Still, the overhang kept the dampness off the tent so packing up in the AM was quick as I didn’t have to dry or wait for anything to dry.
I chatted with Stephane again. He’s the owner of that 1975 C&C Custom 45’ that I fell in love with the night before. Still out of my price range, but a boy can dream, can’t he? After breakfast, I said Goodbye to my new friends Mike, Sue and Todd. I fell bad leaving them after yesterday accident, but I told them I am awaiting seeing pictures of Moonbeam under full sail. Heck, I would even come up to Rochester to see her launch under sail. The entire situation reminds me of when Sandy the Bus got into the accident. All I wanted was to get her whole again. Well, we said goodbye and they motored out of the Catskill Creek behind me turning North while I turned south. That’s how life on the water works. You make friends quick and they leave your life as fast as they entered, but you know that you’ll see them again somewhere, at some port in the world.
Entering the Hudson, I thought to myself, this is a beautiful day. No humidity, a nice steady Westerly breeze was keeping me cool, but not ten minutes later, that breeze turned into a blow and switched to a Southerly. With the wind now on my back pushing me and riding the low tide that was just beginning, I was flying, but that also meant I had to be on my game. I tracked across the river to the Eastern shore as I tried to navigate a straight line through this winding river. I spotted some emergency vehicles on shore and got a bit closer to find out what was happening. Just as I got there, I saw there was a diver below and another about to enter. Some Sheriffs stood on the docks and I thought to myself, this isn’t good. One of the officers began chatting with me and I asked him what happened. That is when he told me this was only training and I breathed a sigh of relief. The moment served as a reminder to be prepared and as the wind kept building and that waves increasing, I paused for a moment and threw on the life jacket. The Northerly wind and chop was also forcing these large vessels to throw off some giant wakes as they pushed head on into it. It wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle, but I had to stay focused, as boats like to get squiggly when riding a wave in the same direction they are traveling. One wrong move and these waves could roll me. I tried to shoot some video, but was only able to when it wasn’t blowing as bad.
Around noon I hit the Saugerties Lighthouse and took the opportunity to jump into some protected water and take a break. I got out of the kayak and started to explore the grounds when I ran into the Lesterlin family. They are from Sweden, France, Holland and Norway. . We chatted for a bit as they were very curious about the expedition and the kayak. I was happy to share. While I was chatting with them, a group of kayakers came out of the creek and began to approach the open water I just took shelter from. The group’s leader asked me how bad it was and I said, rough. I told her that I did not think it was a good idea to bring those open cockpit recreational kayaks out into that water today. Soon after that, I heard her say to the group: “Follow Me”
I began explaining to the folks I was chatting with why they should not go out. Showed them my gear compared to what they had on and then I heard more shouting. Sure enough, one of the groups’ kayaks began experiencing weather helm and was getting sucked out of the protected bay into big water. With that open cockpit, one wave, of which I’d have a dozen a minute would swamp that kayak and put the kayaker in the water.
The groups leader was shouting at him to paddle harder and trying to demonstrate the proper stroke, but the kayaker was in shallow water which mean it was also meant it was much rougher and he could not get the paddle down deep enough to get a good bite on the water. While I don’t consider myself an expert, I have studied everything I could about kayaking over these last few years and did a lot of research about kayaking the bodies of water I am on. I’ll be the first to admit that I have been in over my head, but my equipment is there to protect me when my skill runs out. These kayakers didn’t have the right equipment or skill. I was relieved when the guy, who was in a panic, managed to get out of the wind just enough to get the kayak turned around and then he was able to paddle back to protected water. I got back to talking with my new friends knowing I didn’t have to make a rescue.
I left the Saugerties Lighthouse and ventured back into the wind and waves. Within minutes they were all far behind me as I began riding the surf again. By this time I could clearly see the Kingston Rhinecliff Bridge (RT 199) ahead of me, though it would be hours before I actually reach it. The weather continued like this all day and I began thinking I could push well past the Rondout Creek where I was going to begin looking for a spot to camp, but as I reached the bridge, I was exhausted. Not so much physically, but mentally. Having to remain on high alert a the waves came up from behind me, watching out for the other boats in the channel and staying away from shallow areas all while getting pushed by a freight train of wind.
I reached out to Arlene who only lives about an hour from here and she was available to meet up and deliver me some supplies I had ordered so I told her to meet me at the City Dock on the Rondout. While I had looked at the City Dock for camping, I was told it would not be allowed, but it would be a good meeting point.
I checked out a couple of local parks I passed along the way, but none allowed camping and I was planning on a dinner out tonight so I needed someplace secure to leave the kayak and gear. With that, what I thought was a lighthouse was getting closer faster than I was moving. My lighthouse was a Freighter coming right at me. I wasn’t in any danger, but I thought it was funny that my target was a ship. I pulled out of the channel and gave him a wide berth.
This particular freighter stood out unlike the others I’ve passed. It had the Rescue capsule ready to launch, just like the one in the movie Captain Philips (who, by the way, is from Vermont) Shortly after passing it, I entered the Rondout Creek. My brother use to keep a sailboat here and I’ve sailed out of here a few times. It was a different feeling arriving here on kayak. There were a lot of new buildings or rather renovated buildings.
One building stood out to me. It looked like it was being built while some guy was working on an old wooden boat under an overhang. I decided to dock and go ask him if I could camp there. He wasn’t able to give me a yes or no answer, but he made a phone call and then told me to go into the building next door and speak to the people in the office.
I waked upstairs expecting that the people up there were expecting me, they weren’t. I explained my situation and what I was doing. That is when the folks at the Hudson River Maritime Museum opened their arms and facility to me and I do mean open. They gave me a tour of the grounds. Showed me where the Clearwater Sloop was restored, offered to let me camp inside the barn where the Clearwater team slept or anywhere on the grounds that I wanted to. Walking out onto the dock to show one of the guys my kayak, I mentioned that I could camp right there. It was behind a fence and next to the kayak. He said I was more than welcomed to. I told the gentlemen that I would love to come back and give a short lecture on my trip and the Hudson River. We said goodbye and then I saw Arlene had arrived and was looking for me at the City Docks. I was right next-door.
Arlene and I walked up the street and enjoyed a wonderful meal at the Italian Restaurant here before returning to the dock to pitch my tent. And that my friends, is how I came to find myself camping on a dock on the river.
A lot of people ask how much planning I do for this trip. As you can see, I don’t. For me, planning takes the joy out of the exploration; I don’t want an itinerary, I want an adventure. Adventures cannot be mapped out and planned. I know which direction I am headed in and that is all. I never know where I am going to sleep or how far I will go. That is part of the fun. If I had planned out today, I would have never found my new friends here at the Hudson River Maritime Museum.
Day 18 Done
Enjoy the pictures and video
