Release Date 4/18/2009

It was the first warm day kayaking for the year, and the first day I paddled without a dry suit all winter.

We went from Pier 96 on the Hudson down to Valentino Pier in Red Hook. We picked-up some lunch in Fairway and lounged around the beach then headed home. We made a pit-stop at the new Pier 26 site where they will hopefully be building a boathouse in a year or so.

This ship the Mystic Whaler might be the same one that my grandfather did a trip on when I was a young boy. I need to ask my Mom about it. I forgot my watershoes, so I had to wear my old drysuit shoes which I found at the boathouse.

Release Date 3/14/2009

Released this message near Hell Gate during a kayak trip around Manhattan.

Left Pier 66 @ 10:15. High Water at the Battery was 11:30. We had current against us in the Hudson, but then with us the whole rest of the way after a 1 hour lunch break on Randall's Island.

Spring is in the air, but it was still pretty cold. I was really happy to finally have a new Dry Suit. After almost 10 years Kokatat replaced it like they had for everyone else I know. I upgraded to the expedition model, but was really bummed that they no longer custom make them in any color. I really wanted a cool black one.

I haven't been paddling much, and I was pretty tired by the end of the trip.

Truth: It is fun to have new stuff

Release Date 2/7/2009

It was finally a nice day, light wind air temp in the high 40s!!!

I went out from Pier 96 down to Swinburne Island. Left Manhattan around 10:30, had lunch on South Beach around 13:00, and started back at 15:30, arriving at Pier 96 just as it was getting dark at 17:50.

We saw a commercial boat trawling for some kind of fish in the anchorage off of Brooklyn. I paddled over and waved to the guy, but couldn't get close enough to talk to him since he was swirling around with his nets in tow, and I didn't want to get in his way.

There was a strong ebb, and the wind was from the South on the way down. The wind totally died by 13:00 when we stopped for lunch. Outside of the Verazano the water was glassy smooth, I have never seen it like that down there. If it wasn't so cold it would have been a good day for water skiing.

There were a lot of seals on Swinburne Island both in the water, and a few stayed up on the rocks basking in the sun. Some of them were very curious, and got pretty close to the boat, but none of them climbed aboard like last year.

Truth: The beach is great!

Release Date 12/20/2008

It was a bitterly cold day. Air temperature in the 20's, and a 15knot wind from the North.


We paddled from Pier 96 down to Morris Canal for lunch. It was pretty because it had snowed the night before, but so cold that we didn't play around on the dock doing seal launches like I did the last time I was out in the snow. I also didn't want to tear my boat up.


We left Pier 96 at 10:15, and had a very fast trip down the river with the wind, and a strong tide, probably helped by the snowmelt up the river.


We totally explored Morris Canal, I had never been all the way up to the very end where we couldn't paddle any further. I found some cool lobster floats and a PFD for the Boathouse.

I had trouble keeping my hands warm. I was wearing gloves and poggies, and the gloves got wet. The gloves also made it hard to get a good grip on the paddle.

We left the restaurant, and started heading back about 14:00. We crossed the river, and had a long slow slog back up the river into the wind. We didn't get back to Pier 96 until 17:00, and were pretty tired. Our boats, and equipment were covered in ice by the water that splashed on them.

Truth: If it gets cold enough salt-water freezes.

Release Date 11/22/2008

I released the message in Jamaica Bay while kayaking.

It was a bitterly cold day, below freezing with 25kt wind. Originally we were going to paddle from Plumb Beach to a party for the new Gateway Bike and Boathouse East of the Riis Beach in Rockaway, but we modified the plans due to the high winds.

We first went to the new Boathouse site on Rockaway, but we couldn't agree to launch there, so we launched in a more protected area under the Marine Park Bridge.

It was really unpleasant to paddle with gloves and poggies, but it was so cold that I had to, and even then my hands got cold.

We paddled along the Floyd Bennett Field for an hour or so, then turned around as we got cold and drove to the party.

It is great to see that a new Boathouse is starting-up for the Rockaways, and it was fun to meet them, as well as some old friends:

Truth:
Sometimes you have to change your plans.

Release Date 11/9/2008

Message released in the Hudson River off of Hoboken. I was testing my kayak after patching a LOT of holes in it. The repairs were fairly successful, (it still seems to leak almost everywhere, but it is a lot better)


There was a big Navy ship at the cruise ship terminal, so I had to cross to Jersey and then paddled South against an fairly strong current. I found some cool stuff: 1) A life jacket for the DTBH.

(What's up with name of a ship of "stag hound", Is it owned by bimbos???) 2) A 5 gal industrial gas tank, partially full of gas that I "donated" to Stevens Institute. 3) Some nice lobster floats for my collection. It got dark in Jersey City, and I had a quick trip back. Truth: It gets dark fast in the winter.

release Date 11/2/2008

I released this message on the Hudson River near the marina in Alpine NJ. We had paddled up there to check out the leaves and enjoy a really nice November day. It was warm high 50's low 60's and I was only a little hot in trilaminate wetsuit.

We had a good ride up on the current and a slowly building current for the return trip. I left Pier 96 at 11:00, and we arrived in Alpine around 13:45, and left around 14:45, returned to pier 96 around 17:00.

I then towed a double that was left at Pier 96 during the Mayor's cup back to Pier 66, and finally returned our "Pirates of the Hudson" kayak from Halloween to Pier 40, and paddled back against the current in the dark.

Truth: You can get away with a lot when you dress-up like a pirate.