Beautiful autumn paddle..

 

Paddling across Paradox Lake in the Adirondack Mountains.

 

What a difference 150 miles can make. We entered the Adirondack Park and the leaves went from green and brown to vivid red, orange and yellow. As we traveled up the northway towards our destination the sights continued to amaze our eyes.

Once we arrived at Paradox Lake, almost 900 acres, we checked out the water and then began to set up camp.  The weather was stellar, sun, light winds and beautiful crystal clear nights. This allowed us to spot numerous falling stars on Saturday night.

On Sunday we paddled around the lake, stopping on one of the island to heat up some soup and down a sandwich. The water was cool and clear. The mountains rose up toward the sky as we paddled west from out campsite.

We sat around our campfire by night and gazed into the dancing flames and glowing coals, thinking how lucky we are to experience such wonderful days.

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Dragonfly..

A dragonfly hangs onto the rigging of my kayak.

Sorry that it has been a while since the last post. We have been cranking this summer and I have to admit, if it is a choice between blogging or paddling, well you get the idea.

It has been a great summer, perfect weather, warm water and lots of sun.  I for one am not ready to say it is over yet. It is true that the days are indeed getting shorter, but I am holding on like the dragonfly above is holding on to my boat. We are hoping to paddle well into October, so don’t give up yet.

See you on the water!

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Showers please..

The Esopus Meadows lighthouse during a light rain shower on the Hudson River.

Showers in the forecast? No worries, as long as thunderstorms are not predicted.

I have to say, there is no more peaceful paddling on the Hudson River then when it is raining. The gentle burbling of the raindrops hitting the water, cooling you off in the summer heat. It also seems to have a calming effect on the wildlife, which allows you to get a little closer for photographs.

Speaking of photos, the light during a rain gives dramatic effects to photographs. The soft light saturates colors and enhances mood. The shot above of the Esopus Meadows lighthouse is a great example of photography in the rain.

So don’t put off that paddle if there is rain predicted, enjoy it.

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Dog star, Sirius?

It’s summer, some say the dog-days of summer.

We have been keeping a close eye on the weather, and with careful planning, have been getting plenty of time out on the water despite the stormy wet weather. On Wednesday we got out and played in the gentle waves produced by the out-going tide and our more friendly wind from the north.

Just after loading up the boats, around 8pm, a rain storm came through producing a beautiful rainbow off to the southeast.

Dog star, Sirius? It’s the star, brightest in the sky this time of year. It is also where the phrase dog-days of summer comes from. Check it out at EarthSky.

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A great way to cool down..

Piles of driftwood line the eastern shore of the Hudson River.

After a hot day in the office, mowing the lawn, or whatever has you heated up, there is no better way to cool off than taking an evening paddle on the Hudson River. There is cool breeze that comes off the water that is refeshing after the hot humid winds from earlier in the day. You can dip your arms in the water, even take a swim if you like. Mmm, it’s so soothing.

There is always so much to see. Last night just as the sun set below the Catskill Mountains, I was sitting in a small cove when I spied an otter playing in the water. At first I thought it was a large eel, but sure enough the curious animal turned out to be an otter. What a treat.

A couple of things to keep in mind when going out in the evening: Be particularly aware of the motor boat traffic; make sure you bring a white stern light in case you get caught out after dark; stay close to shore where powerboats can’t go after the sun goes down, you’re much safer there. Oh, and always, have fun!

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Hudson River Sunsets..

The sun sets over the Hudson River during our Friday tour.

Ok, we do have the best sunsets here in the Hudson Valley. It’s the combination of the river, the mountains and fresh air all working together to create picturesque scenes for us to soothe our souls.

We’ll maybe I am laying it on a bit thick. You decide. A picture says 1,000 words, right? Well what do you think of the sunsets from the photo above? Pretty lucky, right? We think so. To be able to live in this area and get to experience the beauty of the Hudson River, its magic. Yes, we are very lucky.

It you are looking to get out and have your soul soothed, contact us, we would be happy to get you out there.

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Holy carp on the Hudson…

One of our friends from the Rhinecliff paddles on the Hudson River during sunset.

We love to  go out and paddle the Hudson River at sunset. It is a quiet, soothing time. Recently we were able to take John and Mary from the Rhinecliff Hotel to see first hand what it’s all about.

Not only did we have a wonderful time watching the sunset, but we were treated to seeing large carp rolling, flipping and twisting there way in a feeder stream and the weeds just north from Rhinecliff. Most seemed to be about 2-3 feet long. Very cool.

We can’t promise performing carp, but we always find something along our way. Join us!

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Kissed by a cool breeze..

Two of our guests experience the magic of Tivoli Bays on Sunday.

There is so much beauty to see when you paddle Tivoli Bays, which is made up of two large coves surrounded by wooded bluffs. It is one of our favorite places to introduce people to the water.  From the tidal marsh you get an amazing view of the Catskill Mountains when looking off to the west. Right now all but the highest peaks are covered in spring green.

A turtle rests on a stump in the sun in Tivoli Bays.

As we navigated through the bays we saw narrowleaf cattail (Typha angustifolia), spatterdock (Nuphar advena) and wild rice (Zizania aquatica) interspersed with purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) and common reed (Phragmites australis). We also notice larges patches of yellow iris in bloom.

During the tours we spotted great blue herons, a pair of bald eagles, and a green heron.

It is very important to keep the tides in mind when exploring the bays. There is about a four hour window of time around high tide which allows access to the  many wonderful inlets.

As we wound up the tour we drifted up to the north end where the Stony Creek empties into the bay. As we approached the gurgling fresh water, we were greeted by the cool breath of air spilling over the sun-warmed water of the bay. One can only comprehend this magical kiss from the fresh water by experiencing it.

Join us sometime.

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What would you do?

Clouds reflect off the surface of a lake in Maine

If you had a day off, without any commitments, what would you do? Where would you go?

I have passed along our thoughts, now we want to hear from you.

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Frozen..

Ice crystals on a stream along the trail leading to Indian Head Mountain in the Catskills.

Our world is frozen right now. Frozen solid.

Look around, the creeks are frozen, the Hudson River is full of icebergs. Will it ever thaw out? I guess it is inevitable. Even the ground hog is saying six more weeks of winter…

To make the best of it, we have been getting in some hiking and skiing. It makes the winter go by faster if you are having fun. And meaning that the Hudson Valley dishes the cold weather, we might as well take advantage of it.

So grab your crampons and walk the ice. Soon we will be paddling again.

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