Tivoli Bays, in autumn light..

A beautiful sunset paddle in Tivoli Bays.

I will not ruin the mood by saying too much, but what a gift to see such a beautiful sight.

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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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Great tours in Tivoli Bays..

During a recent trip to Tivoli Bays guests navigate past large rocks.

One of our favorite places to take our guests is Tivoli Bays. We get to explore the winding marsh area before traveling under the railroad bridge into the Hudson River. Just before the bridge the bay opens up and gives an amazing view of the Catskill Mountains. It’s quite breathtaking.

Once out into the river we work our way around the two islands, Cruger and Magdalen. Usually we are treated to the sights of Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons and White Egrets.

Some where along the line we find a nice place to beach our kayaks and enjoy lunch. And maybe get a swim in too.

The Catskill Mountains backdrop the bay.

After a healthy lunch we work our way along the islands and the railroad tracks back toward the marsh. Right now the Cardinal flowers are in full vivid bloom.

It you haven’t got out to enjoy the bay yet, contact us. We would be happy to share the beauty with you.

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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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We are having WAY too much fun..

Kayaking the Hudson River near Kingston Point.

Ok, there is no doubt about it. Summer is here, and we are out on the water having fun! We have taken guests out all weekend, from Kingston Point, Rhinecliff and Tivoli Bays, even North Lake, we’re on the water and loving it.

Bald eagles enjoying a meal near the Rondout Creek.

We have seen bald eagles, otters, beaver, and tons of other cool things. Fish jumping, lightning bugs hatching and yes even fireworks.

So what did you do over the holiday weekend? Did you go out? Think about going out? What’s the hold up? Come out with us and enjoy the water.

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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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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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Weekend tours…

We have a tour leaving Tivoli Bays at 2pm on Sunday and have two more spots open. It’s going to be a B-A-U-tiful day!!! Oh, did I mention the wild yellow Iris are in bloom?

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River a little rough?

A quiet stop along the shore of North Lake for lunch.

The wind has been kicking up lately on the Hudson River, making for some exciting paddling, but if your not quite up for that this early in the season, there are some great spots to paddle on local lakes.

Edie and I ventured up to Greene County and did a combination paddle and hike at North – South Lake State Park. The views and water were spectacular. If you looked closely you could even spot a trout swimming along beneath the surface of the water.

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