Sunday, August 30, 2009

Hitchhiking up the Hudson - following Henry's path


400 years ago Henry Hudson, the son of a London Alderman, got financing from the Dutch East India Company. Aboard the Halv Maan he set out in 1609 seeking a passage to the Orient. It was his fourth attempt. Northern routes had failed so he went south: Chesapeake Bay: dead end, Delaware River (once known as the South River) - another cul de sac; the Hudson (North River) showed promise. But it too was a long cul de sac. And a great ride.

Times Reporter Corey Kilgallon started out from Times Square with a kayak and hitched rides all the way to the Troy Locks - where Hudson ran out of water. Here's his VIDEO

1 comment:

bonnie said...

I hate him.

No, not really. Just furiously jealous. I'll be watching the video as soon as I'm home.

Richard had the most wonderful idea for how I could accomplish my pipe dream of paddling the Hudson without having to rent a car & drive myself to Troy one time; he said that in the spring, when sailboats start heading north to Champlain, they can frequently use an extra pair of hands to help out with unstepping & restepping the mast at the bridge. So, I hitch a ride for myself & my kayak at 79th street, I make myself useful for the trip north, and then in Troy they drop me in the river (and if I've been useful enough they throw my kayak & my gear in too) and then all I have to do is get back to NYC!

Unfortunately that would involve taking however many days it would take, and being able to do that with a day's notice if I'm lucky, right in the middle of budget season.

Nice pipe dream, though.