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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Good friends..

Sunrise in the bayou, Louisianna. (photo by Matt Nussbaum)

I love it when a friend sends me a photo. I do have to admit, I miss the days of getting a print in the mail. You know, something to hang on the refridgerator. I still keep boxes of old prints and have a great time exploring them on a rainy afternoon.

The photo above was taken by my friend Matt. We actually met on a photo shoot. For some reason, we hit it off immediately. I think it was because we are just generally nice guys.

Matt used to live in the area, I know he misses the water up here, we talk about it when we catch up on the phone. These days he is exploring the waters near New Orleans. We visit each other from time to time. It’s great to get together and do some kayaking.

We have been talking a little about taking a trip, doing a little exploring. Costa Rica is on our list.

If you have a photo you would like to share and is water related, pass it along and maybe we can get it up on the blog. Or better yet, maybe it will find its way to the fridge.

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Enjoying a spring evening..

Edie paddles north on the Hudson River.

Rattle, rattle, crack, it’s open. “Smile.    Smile and it will keep you young”

Fortune cookies are one of my favorite parts of eating Chinese food. Not only do you have a great dessert, but you get to find out the real meaning of life, glimpse into the future and learn a new language. Do you believe them? Do you save them? Well, I have to admit, I save the really good ones. Some of them really hit home.

I feel so fortunate to live in Rhinecliff. We have the China Rose and The Rhinecliff Hotel sitting right there on the Hudson River. If you are not out on the river catching the sunset while paddling, I think they offer “almost” the same amazing views to watch the sun slowly set over the Catskill Mountains.

We have the luxury of rolling our kayaks down to the river, and tonight, just in time to catch the fading light over the mountains. We paddled for a bit. Talked about how the ice changed the coastline of the river. Looked around for our feathered friends in the sky, the Bald Eagles and made our way north. Up to a quiet cove to relax a bit. Then we headed back to the Rhinecliff Waterfrond Park. What a great way to spend the evening.

Oh, and we smiled.  A lot!

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Are you ready..

The leaves are turning green and the water is warming up.

The weather has taken that turn, you know, when there are more sunny days than gray rainy ones. It is once again time to get back out on the water. We are gearing up for another wonderful season with our friends who share our love for the water. We also look forward to introducing the water-soothing experience with many new people in the upcoming season. If you are looking for a fun, safe experience, drop us a line. We can get you there.

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Back in the water…

It's spring and we are back out on the Hudson River.

It is SPRING!

We have had a great winter, but now it is time to clean up the boats and get back out on the water. I pulled one of the boats down and opened the hatch, a couple of left over objects from last season. A few really cool rocks, a Nalgene bottle I thought I lost, still filled with water, and a trusty stern light.

After sorting thought all the right safety gear, getting on the appropriate clothes, Edie, Sam and I headed out to paddle. Wow, does it feel good to be back on the water.

We had so much fun on Thursday that we ventured back out on Saturday. Guess what we saw? Our first heron of the season up in Tivoli Bay.

Stop back soon, we will be updating the blog regularly again.

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Thinking about warmer water…

A turtle pops his head up from the water.

This is a tough time of the year for us watersport folks.

Unless we pack up all our gear and truck down to warmer parts of the country, we are not getting any paddling done. And that is hard. Don’t get me wrong, I love the winter.. skiing, hiking and climbing, but I do miss the water.

I feel fortunate to have paddled at the end of December with Edie down in Georgia. We had a wonderful time! But it reminded me just how much I miss being out on the water.

I for one will keep poking my head out and checking on the water, maybe I will have to look south again.

Enjoy the winter, one way or another!

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November paddle..

Paddling in the Hudson River on a mild November morning.

It has been just over a week since my dad passed away.

This morning was the first time I have gotten out on the Hudson River since the funeral on Monday. My mind has been sorting through so many emotions.  I would like to say the river spoke to me. I certainly was listening. But in the end, I was out there alone finding strength on my own. Sometimes floating in the current, other times paddling as hard as I could.

Being outside has always grounded me. Today was no exception, the fresh air, the water. My dad introduced me to the wilderness. Maybe that’s why I feel at home out there, and now.. why I feel the closest to him in the outdoors.

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Sunday paddle..

Who would have thought we would get a 65-degree day on November 8? I didn’t. But Edie and I did take advantage of the fantastic weather and got out on the Hudson River. The warm afternoon gave way to an early sunrise which was spectacular. We paddle north from Rhinecliff up past the bays, which were choked by water chestnuts over the summer and are now cleared, and followed the coastline.

It was a great way to wind up the weekend.  Here’s to unexpected good weather…. cheers.

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