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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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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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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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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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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October sunrise..

The Rondout Lighthouse in the glow of the early morning sun.

There is nothing better to clear your mind then to head out in the cloak of darkness and catch the sunrise on the Hudson River. The hard part, of course, is actually getting your butt up and getting out there before the sun comes up and the moon vanishes in the bright sky.

This morning was a perfect October morning, the moon almost full. Sunday was the actual full moon, and it shone brightly on the rippling surface of the river. Going out that early, it is almost certain you will have the river to yourself. Except for all the birds.

Waves on the Hudson River.

As I crossed the Hudson from Rhinecliff, all the seagulls were working their way over to the jetty by the lighthouse. It seemed that there were many more than usual, but I think they were just gathering together to huddle up and keep warm. I worked my way over to the entrance of the Rondout Creek to catch the sun coming up behind the lighthouse pictured above.

After shooting several photographs I worked my way over along the western shore up to Kingston beach before pointing my bow into the sun and heading back across the river.

The current this morning was quite strong, the tide was low and still going out, pulling the kayak down river. I kicked the rudder a bit to correct my direction and worked my way to the shore. I pulled my boat up the ramp and rolled it back to the house. What a wonderful way to start the day.

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Family of eagles..

A pair of bald eagles and a juvenile bird was sighted near Rhinecliff during Monday's sunset tour.

We spend a lot of time on the Hudson River and get a chance to see amazing wildlife out on the water. Throughout the season our guests have gotten to see many eagles during our tours, but during last night’s sunset tour we came across this pair of eagles with two young birds in one of the back bays along the river.

We sat and watched the birds for quite some time. They were curious and allowed us to view them from our kayaks. After sitting a while we paddled off in peace, leaving the birds to there roosting, heading back t0 Rhinecliff in the light of the setting sun. What a beautiful evening.

Join us, we will share the wonders of the Hudson River with you.

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Riding the waves..

Sunday night on the Hudson River, after the wind began to settle for the evening.

Take a good September north wind,  an incoming tide and mix them together and what do you get? Some awesome wave action on the Hudson River. How much fun can you handle?

After making sure you have all your safety equipment. Which includes, but not limited to.. and in no particular order, blidge pump, paddle float, whistle, tow rope and PFD. Grab your favorite boat and paddle and head out with your buddy to ride and surf the waves.

An extra pair of eyes is always important to keep a lookout on boat traffic and barges traveling along in the river. Sunday evening’s wakes and wind got strong enough that a barge decided to wait out the waves along the western shore near Port Ewen.

If the waves to get to be too much, bail and head to the shoreline for calmer waters. Rest and give it a go again. Paddling in the rough water is quite a workout, so watch you don’t get too tired to paddle in after play time is over.

Remember, keep your balance in the boat, and in your head.

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