16 - 19 June 2011 Brielle, NJ to Schodack Creek, NY

16 June 2001  Brielle, NJ to Great Kills Harbor, Staten Island, NY

Nice run up to Great Kills - this is a new stop for us.  The Richmond County Yacht Club offers mooring balls for $35.00/night.  The harbor is very well protected in almost all directions.

Mooring field - Great Kills Harbor

The folks at the Yacht Club were extremely friendly.  We met the current Commodore while we had a drink in the bar.  We linked up with Dick & Elle Lassman who are on City Island on their boat, Summer Wind.  We enjoyed dinner at Fiore di Mare, a very nice Italian restaurant.  On a silly note, the local accent makes me feel like I'm living in The Godfather movie.

17 June 2011  Great Kills Harbor to Croton Point, NY
Took advantage of the current to ride the flood up the Hudson River past West Point Military Academy to Croton Point.  We anchored off Croton Point park - another first.  I'd forgotten how beautiful the scenery is along the Hudson River.  Here are a few photos of the today's trip.

Verrazano Narrows Bridge

Hazy New York City

Statue of Liberty

S/V Eos

USS Intrepid

Grant's Tomb and Manhattanville College

George Washington Bridge - a double decker suspension bridge

Little Red Lighthouse

We  anchored off Croton Point park just before a heavy rainstorm.  After that we watched several replica boats come into the anchorage and moor on a barge on the park wall.

Sloop Clearwater

 The Clearwater used to be owned by Pete Seeger.

Schooner Mystic Whaler

The 2011 Clearwater Festival or Great Hudson River Revival was starting this weekend - a music and environmental festival.  Tickets ran about $60-$80 but I heard they had a 2 day pass for $125! 

Enjoyed a lovely sunset that evening - you could really see the evening fog tucked between the hills.

Hudson River Sunset

18 June 2011  Croton Point to Kingston, NY

We've been getting underway fairly early to take advantage of the flood going up the river.  Festivities were starting to wind up at the park as we were getting underway.

Mystic Whaler and Clearwater

The landscape only gets prettier as you head farther north on the Hudson River and there's a fair amount of activity to watch while we're underway.  Freight trains on the left, commuter trains on the right, barges coming down the river.

Freight trains on the west side

Barge traffic

Bear Mountain Bridge

West Point looms in the distance

West Point in the distance

The marina we stayed in the last time...

Highland Falls marina

There's a freight train tunnel that goes under West Point - you may have to click on the photo to see it better.  It is in the center of the picture.

This Battle Monument overlooks the Hudson River and commemorates the Union officers and soldiers killed in the War of Insurrection (Civil War).

Dave Williams and Steve Speer - this one's for you!

BOARDED!!  An hour or so out of Kingston we were boarded by a combination of the USCG, Customs & Border Patrol and the Columbia County Sheriff.  Here's the happy crew leaving.

Athens Lighthouse along the Hudson

We cruised into Kingston and spotted this replica sailing ship.

There's a maritime museum here that we visited last time.  There are several outdoor displays as well.

19 June 2011 Kingston to Schodack Creek, NY

Departing Kingston this Lighthouse is on the port side as one turns north.

Pretty novel, yes?

This channel was particularly narrow so we gave this guy a lot of room.

Beautiful Hudson River mountains...

The commuter train (one of them) close by the anchorage.  Fortunately the traffic falls off on Sunday evening!