Canada to Key West Paddle - Day 21

July 22^nd 2016
Peekskill, NY

This morning started off with a call from New 12 Westchester looking to do a story on me. I made arrangements to meet the reported in Cold Spring, NY before I launched. Upon arriving in Cold Spring, I stopped in at Hudson River Expeditions to say hi. Hudson River Expeditions is a local kayak shop that handles tours and rentals of kayaks, paddleboards and canoes and the folks here are really nice. After talking for a bit, they gave me one of their nice long sleeve shirts with SPF 50 for sun protection on my journey.

Because of the construction at the Cold Spring Boat Club, I could not let News 12 down on the docks so we moved my launch to the Kayak Launch a block away and I paddled on over to meet with the reporter. After a brief interview, we said goodbye and off I went, right into a Flood Tide and a Southerly wind.

With the temperatures soaring today, I was enjoying the wind on my nose, even if it did make paddling difficult. If I stopped paddling for a pictures, I’d immediately get pushed back 100’ in under a minute. Some of the gusts would stop me in my tracks as I dug in and paddled harder just to maintain position.

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. Next to it were RV’s and Motor Homes. I’m not quite sure how they all got there as I could not see a road from my vantage point and all I could assume was that they followed the Rail Road tracks out front as there was a sheer rock wall surrounding the encampment.

I paddled on looking for some shelter from the wind so I could take a lunch break and I found one at Coin Hook on the West Bank so I paddled into a small cove and took a break. While the cove provided me shelter from the wind, it did nothing for the wakes from the motorboats and I’d have to keep a close eye on the kayak so I cut my break short and paddled back into the wind. Leaving the little cove, I ran straight into a big gust and I as much as I was paddling, I wasn’t going anywhere. Actually, that isn’t true, I was going somewhere – backward! I leaned forward and paddled harder and soon I was regain forward momentum and once I got the momentum, I was able to push through the gusting wind.

From here I could now see the Bear Mountain Bridge and it brought back memories of her and I out here paddling last year. I recalled how I was a bit intimidated by this section of the river back then and now here I was having paddled almost its entire length as well as all of Lake Champlain and the Canal. I saw so many great places to camp, though I won’t need them until I hit New Jersey and while I don’t mind camping, I am surly not going to pass up a nice bed and hot shower for a campground. There will be plenty of camping that lay ahead of me still.

I fought the wind and the flood tide most of the day and even when the tide changed to an ebb, the wind was still fighting my progress. The storms that were predicted for today had been falling apart before making it to the river, but the wind never died down. I pushed on through passing under the Bear Mountain Bridge and decided to make Peekskill, NY my target for the evening. Croton was just not going to happen with this wind. Boy am I glad I made that call.

I had just begun my approach toward the Peekskill Yacht Club on the East Bank from out in the channel when the wind increased in intensity and with an ebb tide now flowing strong; the waves grew in size dramatically. I was unable to make a direct approach, instead having to plot my course to best handle the waves coming out of the south. I entered the Peekskill Yacht Club from the South only to find I needed to north entrance, but as I was already inside the docks, I went to tie up and find someone to talk to. I had just finished tying up when two men approached me. From the kayak I explained my situation and asked for someplace to secure the kayak. They offered me safe harbor for the night, but I’d have to go back out into the growing surf and paddle to the north entrance.

I found a spot on the dock to tie off and that is when the two men came over. Peter and Tim D. introduced themselves and officially welcomed me to their Yacht Club. They even gave me a club tank top as a welcoming gift. I have to say that the reception I keep getting at these marinas on the Hudson are wonderful. They are as nice as the people on the shores of Lake Champlain and the Lockmasters on the Canal. As before, the folks at the Peekskill Yacht Club made me feel like family.

I also reached another milestone in the expedition. Since I began, I’ve been paddling toward my hometown. Today I officially past it so with each new day on the water, I will be paddling further away from familiarity. That said, I know that the same hospitality that has found me so far will continue to find me as I venture into regions and states unknown.

In just a few more days I will have paddled the entire length of New York and ahead of me will be my biggest reservation about the expedition until I hit Miami. Sandy Hook.

Day 21 Done
Enjoy the pictures and videos from News 12.