Up the Hudson River, Croton to Waterford, NY

Friday, June 6, 2014
Half Moon Bay Marina at Croton on Hudson to Norrie Point Marina at Staatsburg, NY

 This is the pencil sketch Steve, the dock master at the marina, gave us of Dream Chaser.  Steve is a great guy and willing to do anything that will make your stay more pleasant.  Thanks, Steve!

The waves from tides and strong winds rocked Dream Chaser throughout the night, in spite of the protection of the marina.  Half Moon Bay Marina is such a nice facility and beautiful area, and we are grateful to have had the opportunity to experience it.  We have reconnected with fellow loopers, Jim and Meg Sprow on Sanctuary.  Sanctuary and Dream Chaser were prepped for departure.  Our destination for tonight is Norrie Point Marina (a NY state park) in Staatsburg, NY which will take five hours to motor the 46 miles.
After a quick a lunch of soup and sandwiches, the lines were untied at 1 pm and Dream Chaser was pointed up the Hudson River.  It is a beautiful day with sunshine, blue skies with huge puffy clouds, and temps in the 70’s.  Beautiful forests covered high hills which rise up on both sides of the Hudson.  Roofs of buildings occasionally peaked out from the blanket of green or follow the edge of the river.  Periodically, Dream Chaser shared the river with boats, wave runners, and kite boarders.  We are navigating from the upper helm, and it is quiet except for the hum of the engines and the distant blast of a train signaling its presence.

Just north of our marina at Croton on the Hudson, the river begins to narrow and becomes deeper.  We passed a nuclear power plant on the east side of the river, and this cute little tug came chugging by.  It looked like something out of a storybook!

The tide is on the rise (low tide at 12:41pm), so Dream Chaser should get a boost in her mph going up river.  Normally, we have earlier departures, but we wanted to use the tide to our advantage to save time and diesel fuel.

As we passed by West Point military academy, the campus seemed so much bigger as we viewed it from the river.  Also, we discovered that train tracks run through a tunnel under the campus.

This picture shows the charming village of Cold Spring viewed from the river.  It’s too bad that there is no available dockage for boaters who want to visit.

Just north of Cold Spring, we approached Pollepel Island and the ruins of a Scotsman’s fortress called Bannerman Castle.  This full size castle loomed into the air like a castle in Europe!  The island was purchased by Frank Bannerman, and when the castle was finished in 1917, it was not built as a home, but as an arsenal for the owner’s immense collection of weapons.  There have been few people to visit this fortress because, years ago, the Native Americans and Dutch settlers thought it was haunted, and in later years, it was restricted for safety reasons.  It was purchased by the People of the State of New York 30 years ago, and it is hoped to be opened as a park with access for tours at some point.  The immigration of the Bannerman family from Scotland in 1854 is a fascinating story.

At Poughkeepsie and Hyde Park, majestic homes of the wealthy families from the mid 1800’s and 1900‘s appear on the bluffs overlooking the Hudson. These estates were owned by  Franklin Roosevelt, the Vanderbilts, and other wealthy families.

Up on the east side of the river, we see the Culinary Institute of America’s main campus located in Hyde Park, NY.  Tours are only available during the week, and you need to make reservations weeks in advance to have lunch or dinner at one of the restaurant.

By 6 pm, Dream Chaser and Sanctuary are docked and secured at Norrie Point Marina in Staatsburg just north of Hyde Park.  Looper boats Average Looper and Annabelle arrived just before us.
This is a beautiful area of the Hudson River where thick green forests line the river and an occasional boat passes by.  We are delighted to be experiencing the view on such a gorgeous evening. 
At 8pm as the sun was setting, the bells rang from the massive building across the river at the very top of the high hill.  It was thought to be a monastery which was sold to a secretive private group for a school.  We never found out what it was, but it continued to draw our attention.

It’s 8 pm and time for Rummikub with Jim and Meg! With Bahamian conch shell music playing in the background and a bowl of M & M’s on the table...Let the games begin!

Saturday, June 7, 2014
The sun is bright, the mist is rising off the water, and other than the chirping birds, its quiet at the marina.  With a low last night of 54 degrees, the quilt felt mighty good.  We have a promise for 84 today, so need to pull the shorts and sun dresses back out.

This is our view across the Hudson River.  The large building is that private educational facility that no one knows too much about, but the building is impressive.

At 8 am, we left for our morning walk along the river and through the Norrie Point State Park.
After a quick lunch, we jumped in the rental car and headed to the Vanderbilt Estate.

We were wondering why the flags were at half staff, and then remembered that yesterday was the 70th anniversary of D-Day.  One of the New Yorkers ask if we had see the Statue of Liberty showered with flowers in NYC.  We missed that celebration, as we had left days earlier.

The Vanderbilt estate (now only 211 acres), home of Frederick and Louise Vanderbilt, is a stone monument the size of a civic center positioned high on the bluffs overlooking the Hudson River.   Frederick Vanderbilt was the grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt the rail and shipping tycoon.  Frederick invested in railroads, coal, oil, steel, and tobacco to increase his wealth.  It is said that everything the Vanderbilts did, including building this gigantic house between 1896 and 1898, was to buy their way into society because they weren’t old money.  It was the “Gilded Age”. This retreat home was used only for a few weeks in the spring and fall.  They spent summers at Newport or cruising on their yacht, and winter was spent in New York City.  By the late 1880’s, the Vanderbilts were the wealthiest family in America.

Next stop was Franklin D. Roosevelt’s estate, “Springwood”, on the Hudson River in Hyde Park maintained by the National Park Service.  Although FDR had many residences, this was the home where he lived a majority of his life.  Entrance is free with a National Parks Card.  We had a great female tour guide, Europa, who did a fabulous job of explaining the family history, FDR's actions in world affairs, and several insights into FDR and the family. 

We toured the 35 room mansion and heard how
he hid his wheelchair from guests like the
Queen of England.  FDR contracted polio in
1921 at the age of 39 and remained paralyzed
from the waist down until his death in 1945. 
The house has an elevator that FDR would
use to access the upper floors.  FDR hid his
handicap from almost everyone, and only
four pictures exist showing him in his wheelchair. 
He would have himself placed in the location
before guests would arrive or before an event,
so no one would be aware of his handicap and
question his leadership ability. 





We learned the history of the rooms and saw where King George and Winston Churchill stayed during WWII.  FDR was president during D-Day and World War II.  As a result of our visit, we began to grasp the huge impact he and his wife, Eleanor, had on American.  We learned how his great leadership inspired people and how badly we need great and UNSELFISH leaders!

 We toured the grounds and the rose garden
where FDR and Eleanor are buried in simple
marked graves.  We checked out the Presidential
Library, but needed more time to explore, so we
plan to return on Sunday.












Since the Culinary Institute wasn’t an
option for dinner, we chose the Market
Street Restaurant in Rhinebeck, NY. 
This restaurant was recommended
because the chef is from the Culinary
Institute and many of the servers are
connected with the institute.

















 Steve chose risotto with asparagus,
 black truffle, and robliolina cheese. 
 Mary ordered slowly baked salmon,
 snap peas, potato puree, and
 black truffle vinaigrette. 
The presentation of the salmon
was nicer, but they were both Superb!




As soon as we had finished dinner, we joined Meg and Jim at Foster’s Coach House Tavern, just around the corner.  It was the 146th year anniversary of the Belmont Stakes, and we joined the group to watch the race.  Jim and his family owned and raced trotters, so he was VERY interested in the outcome of this race.  California Chrome was the favorite to come in first with more money bet on him than any other horse for the Triple Crown.  We were all gathered at the bar watching all the excitement on the TV.   But, it wasn’t California Chrome’s night and he came in fourth.

It was 8:30 pm, the Bahamian music was playing; it was time for a game of Rummikub with the Sprows!  It was a great time!
Bedtime came about 11 pm with only the distant blast from a train and the gentle rocking of the waves!

Sunday, June 8, 2014

Another gorgeous morning!  The fog was lifting as we looked over the river and towards the beautiful old building high on west side of the river.  Great view!

At 8:15 am, we joined the Sprows and drove to the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck where a Country Living Fair sponsored by Country Living Magazine was being held over the weekend.  The guys dropped the ladies off and drove back to the Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum in Hyde Park. 

The Country Living Fair was a fantastic ladies get away for shopping, free seminars,  demonstrations, and a Country Living house tour.  We were told that next issue of the magazine will be featuring the house from the tour. With over 250 antique dealers and vendors, it was almost overwhelming.  There are three fairs in the country sponsored by Country Living and this is the largest.  Ladies, if you have the opportunity, you definitely should go (with a girlfriend).  We breezed through all the booths and antique displays, and then we attended a “Cooking with Local Ingredients” seminar followed by soup and salad samples.  The fair was three days of great shopping, food, and a house tour.  Even though we had only three hours, we rose to the challenge!
“Sister’s on the Fly” is a group of ladies that travel the country in customized vintage (made for one) RV trailers to promote sisterhood through adventure.  There were several trailers parked inside the entrance to the fair.  What fun it was to peek inside these trailers and hear about some of the ladies' adventures!  Occasionally, their misters can join them on their adventures, but mostly it is just the ladies!

 The campers were vintage inside and out and so cute!
Above,  is just one of several vintage campers that were on display from the "Sister's on the Fly" group at the Country Living Fair.  The man was watching the camper until the owner return from her errand.
There were only a handful of men at this event.

Meanwhile the guys were at...
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Library was the first presidential library built in the US.  Complete in 1940, FDR, our 32nd president, planned and directed the building on 16 acres of land donated by the President and his mother.  This well planned facility houses vast quantities of historical papers, books, and memorabilia accumulated during his lifetime of public service.  Half the museum is Items from the life of FDR and a wing devoted to Eleanor.  The other half is focused on the political history with displays on the New Deal, WWII, FDR’s fireside chats, campaign materials, etc. After a recent major renovation, the museum is up to date and includes 12,000 square feet of artifacts and media.  This library is where FDR gave his fireside chats for 16 years.  The movies and displays not only explained but illustrate at gut level the horrors of the Great Depression.  Steve said that it was easy to see why FDR was so popular in his day.  Steve was interested in seeing the letters between, Stalin, Churchill, and Roosevelt regarding the German and Japanese threats.
The information on Eleanor was also interesting.  Eleanor lost both her mother and father by age 10 and was sent to London for school.  The headmaster of that school had a tremendous impact on Eleanor. Teddy Roosevelt was Eleanor’s uncle and “gave her away” at her wedding to FDR.  FDR and Eleanor were fifth cousins once removed. FDR’s mother, Sara Ann Delano, was extremely possessive and was a frequent house guest at Springwood (unfortunately for Eleanor). Sara owned the estate until her death in 1941.  FDR had affairs with more than one woman during their marriage which Eleanor became aware of in 1918.  After FDR reignited the affair with Lucy Mercer in 1941, Eleanor established a separate house an their relationship became more of a political partnership. 



It was a quick lunch at Cinnamon and
contemporary Indian food was on the
menu.  We enjoyed great chicken curry
while we viewed the exhibit,
Essential Moments, a collection
of farm animals and scenes from the area.
The exhibit was on temporary loan from
a local photographer, B Docktor.
Great shots!  This is just one.










By 2 pm, we were back on Dream Chaser, had left Norrie Point Marina behind, and were headed up the Hudson River.  Dream Chaser shared the river with speed boats, sailboats, pontoon boats, kayaks, wave runners, and one freighter; it was a busy Sunday!

 Another cute lighthouse!

The Hudson River Valley is an absolutely beautiful area and the views around us are picture perfect!

Just before we passed under the Rip Van Winkle Bridge and Hwy 23, the Olana Villa peaked out above the trees high above the Hudson River.  The  Olana State Historical Site near Catskill, NY was the home of Frederick Church, a landscape artist, who designed the Moorish-style villa, working farm, and parkland which was completed in 1872.  The stone, brick, and polychrome-stenciled villa is eclectic and a mixture of themes gained from his world travels (like a Persian themed castle). The 250 acre Olana has panoramic views towards Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, the Hudson River, and the Catskill Mountains.  Church’s paintings romanticized the Hudson River Valley and brought it to national attention.

This is an apartment style day marker
on the river
Every habitable inch is taken.

Another quaint lighthouse along the way.

For many miles, beautiful HUGE homes with perfect lawns look down from their heights to the Hudson River below.

At 6 pm, Steve pulled Dream Chaser over towards a dock along the Hudson River in Athens, NY and yelled to a man in his yard, asking if he rented space for dockage. The going rate at a marina is $80 a night or more!  Our new friend, Ed Brady, rented his dock at Athens to us for $25.

 Dream Chaser was docked where the orange ball fenders are tied.  Perfect spot!

These two guys, the Blues Brothers, are outside on a second floor deck overlooking the river at a private marina-which was right next door to where we docked for the night. 
Steve loves the Blues Brothers and first he
noticed them, and then he saw the open dock next door at Ed Brady's.
It never hurts to ask!

With Dream Chaser secured, we were off on our walk which took us into the town of Athens.
Athens is a small struggling river town with old buildings many of which are empty, but  about four blocks away, we found the Crossroads Restaurant and thoroughly enjoyed our dinner.

While at Crossroads Restaurant, this
little sweetie stole our hearts.  She was
having dinner with mom and dad and
was so precious.
Little ones seem to grab our attention
lately.  Perhaps, it is because our
grandson is predicted to arrive this week! 

On our way back to the boat, we joined families in the park by the river, relaxed on a park bench, and enjoyed the flowers & the warm evening.  Rain is expected tomorrow.
 
Monday, June 9, 2014
Athens to Waterford, NY

We followed the river up to Albany, then to Troy, and on to Waterford. 







We woke to cloud cover and drizzle with temps in the low 60’s.  The captain deemed it time for boat maintenance (every 200 hrs):  change the oil in the engines, new fluid in the transmission, and new fuel filters.  This is quite a process which our captain does himself:  half the floor boards in the salon are removed, the kitchen floor is pulled up, and furniture is piled everywhere in order to access the engines.  After about 2 hours, projects were completed and Dream Chaser was motoring up the Hudson, again.

 New York has a number of little lighthouses along the way.  This one is very near Athens, NY.

About 11 am as we neared Albany, NY,  we shared the river channel with a large freighter, the Afrodite.  And I mean shared...as the river channel narrows!

At the Port of Albany, the river was lined with docks, barges, tugs, boats, and warehouses.  Albany is the capital of NY and a thriving port city which looks a bit like NYC with all the goings on.  There is still a tidal effect, here.  The Hudson River is becoming narrower, and we need to stay in the middle of the channel.
A loud knock on the floor of the upper helm is the signal from the Captain that he needs the admiral’s attention.  Dream Chaser was nearing a bridge and the clearance was questionable.  Mary’s most dreaded job is standing at the back of the upper helm and trying to judge if the mast will clear or not.  By the time its obvious, the boat would be making contact with the bottom of the bridge. Yikes! 
Dream Chaser clears, and all is well.  Due to another low clearance bridge up ahead, Steve decided to fold down the mast on the upper helm.
Around the next bend is Troy, NY and the first lock in the New York Canal System.

At 12:20 pm, Dream Chaser entered the Federal Lock.  This is the easiest of the three types of locks that we will experience. This lock has a pipe running up and down on the wall (not a bollard), and after the fenders are placed along side the boat, a amidships line is placed around the pipe and it slides up and down.  We were in and out in 20 minutes.

We may have imagined it, but we think Dream Chaser let out a sigh of relief;  we are now OUT of salt water and have entered the Erie Canal, part of the New York Canal System.  When the Erie was completed in 1825, it opened up the western US and the Great Lakes to shipment from the East Coast and Europe.  Originally the canals were only 4 ft. deep and 40 ft wide, but now average 12 ft. deep and over 150 ft. wide.

We are at the point where we must decide whether to take the Lake Champlain Route via the Champlain Canal or take the Erie Canal and proceed on the Great Loop.  This year, we will be taking the Erie Canal and next Spring (since we are storing Dream Chaser in the area) we will be taking the Lake Champlain Route. 

By 1 pm, we are at our dockage (right behind the excursion boat) for the night along the 1,000 ft. of floating dock in the city of Waterford, NY.  Captain Steve slid Dream Chaser easily into place, and Mary tied the lines securing her.  It all seems so easy after 10 months of hands-on practice!  So glad it went smoothly, because today we had an audience.  Dockage is free with a $10 fee for electricity.  This is a beautiful area and with rain predicted later this afternoon, we are off to explore the city. 

Waterford is the oldest (1794) continuously incorporated village in the US, and named after a fording place in the river.  The area grew quickly due to the presence of water power and ease of transportation with the river and canals.

We met Carmen along the way.  She
needed the walk as badly as we did! 













Tomorrow, we leave Waterford heading west towards Scotia which should be a short trip.  The posting on this blog with our trip through the Erie Canal will resume in about 2 weeks.