Port Washington, NY

Jonny did some grocery shopping with Archie while I had my Spanish lesson on Tuesday, August 8.  We decided to head for a new destination, Port Washington, NY - just a 35 minute cruise across Long Island Sound. We passed by Hart Island, a small island across from City Island. Its history is fascinating. Its first public use was as a training ground for the United States Colored Troops in 1864. It has also been the location of a Union Civil War prison camp, a psychiatric institution a tuberculosis sanatorium, a potters field with mass burials, a homeless shelter, a boys’ reformatory, a jail and a drug rehabilitation center. Who knew! 

We had heard several good things about Port Washington from other boaters and we wanted to check it out since we are not in a rush to get anywhere. We left City Island at 11:20 for the fairly well protected bay by Port Washington.  Huge homes lined the shoreline as we approached the town.

Port Washington is very welcoming to transient boaters by offering free mooring balls for the first night (with an $8 per person round trip charge for using the launch) and only charging $35 on subsequent nights (with free launch service).  We took a mooring among a sea of sail boats.

After eating lunch onboard we took the launch into town to check it out. What a pleasant surprise! This is a very attractive town.  It is really a hamlet within the town of North Hempstead on the north shore of Long Island’s western end.  The population is 16,753 and was settled in 1644 so it has plenty of history. It was an important sand-mining town and according to Wikipedia much of it was used to build New York skyscrapers including the Empire State and Chrysler buildings as well as the New York City Subway.  It’s a very pretty town with lots of appealing shops and restaurants.  We walked along Main Street and up a hill to the center of town with its municipal buildings and a small park.  We were delighted with what we saw and were quickly convinced that we would return here in the future.

We stopped at a hardware store to buy new smoke alarms. They were very dog friendly and spoiled Archie by giving him treats as we arrived and then again when we were on the second floor. Thankfully, he performed admirably! Jonny asked the sales person for advice on where to get the best ice cream. She recommended a place near the docks so off we went for our “cruiser’s delight.”

After our delicious ice cream, we called the launch to go back to Zendo. The launch first had to make a stop at the north town dock which was just across the street from a Stop and Shop, a Target and a Homegoods store - major shopping opportunities! So we got off to pick up a few more groceries including tonic water  (mixers are not sold in NY liquor stores).  This was the biggest Stop and Shop we had ever seen - it was great! We restrained from engaging in other shopping expeditions and called the launch again.  We are now doubly convinced to return to Port Washington.  It is very rare to find a cruising port with as many conveniences as this one while still maintaining its historic charm.  Interestingly, our launch operator grew up in the town next to Jonny’s hometown so they reminisced about their favorite childhood haunts.

Back onboard Zendo we ate leftovers for dinner and had a relaxing evening continuing our viewing “pleasure” with The Wire. Our next stop will be Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn. 

City Island, NY

We left our Nyack anchorage on Sunday, August 6 at 8:05 because we wanted to catch the current on the Harlem River.  Jonny was very excited because he has been wanting to take the Harlem River from the Hudson to the East River for a couple of years now. We had never completed the circumnavigation of Manhattan Island and today due to the timing of the tides was our big opportunity.

It was a beautiful sunny day as we cruised south on the Hudson first going under the Tappan Zee bridge and then passing the beautiful Palisades.

Jonny confirmed by radio the opening of the Spuyten Duyvil Railroad Bridge, the only one out of almost ten that we had to pass under on this leg of our journey.  None of them are as dramatic as the Brooklyn or George Washington Bridges but this route saves us three hours so it’s definitely worth it. 

We followed the Hudson River with the current which had us “speeding” along for awhile at up to 12 knots (our normal cruising speed is 7 knots).  Jonny had timed it perfectly!

Our original plan was to stay at the Harlem Yacht Club on City Island, one of our favorites. However, they never responded to our calls and the weather was predicted to be rainy and windy with the wind coming from the south.  We would be better off staying at the South Middeford Yacht Club on the other side of City Island where we could get a slip and be on the east side of the island which would be more protected from the approaching storm. 

So by 11:45 we had settled into our slip at South Middeford. Some may recall that this was the place where we rode out the hurricane that hit eastern Connecticut and Long Island last year. After taking Archie for a walk and doing homework and other chores, we had leftovers for dinner and a relaxing evening. Later that night we were hit by a pretty big storm with lots of wind and rain. We were a little rolly in our slip but we were safe and snug and glad to not be on an exposed mooring. 

The next day was Monday and we were looking forward to a visit from Jonny’s cousin Steven and his wife Ann who live in Stratford, CT. A few days ago we had talked with them about going into either Manhattan or the Bronx for the day but rain was predicted so we changed the plan. Instead, they drove in to City Island. They had never been here before and we knew they would enjoy its funky ambiance. They arrived by 1:00 in the afternoon. We chatted for awhile and walked down the main drag to have lunch at Artie’s Steak and Seafood Restaurant.  It turned out to be an all afternoon affair.  We had a delicious lunch with all things seafood - lobster rolls, soft shell crabs, clams casino. The only slight disappointment was the somewhat tough grilled octopus.  But the laughs and the company certainly made up for it.

Afterward we walked some more through this tiny island enclave and returned to Zendo where we received an enthusiastic greeting from Archie. He always loves company! We chatted some more and enjoyed hearing about all their travels and stories until it was time for them to drive home. Fortunately they only had a sixty minute drive.

We definitely didn’t need dinner so we settled in once again after a very fun day. We took Archie for a walk to a nearby park where he got to run with some other dogs and practice his retrieval skills! Tomorrow we plan a short cruise across Long Island Sound to a new stop for us - Port Washington, NY.

Nyack, NY (return trip)

We left Kingston early on Saturday, August 5 so we could ride the current to Nyack. It was a beautiful sunny day and not too hot. The Hudson River landscape continues to provide a beautiful setting for our journey.

Lighthouses and majestic West Point add to the scenic vistas.

And all along the river we are reminded of our proximity to New York City by the trains that run up and down the coastline.

Archie, as always, is there for a quick, and sometimes extended, cuddle!

We arrived at our anchorage next to the mooring field in Nyack by 2:10.  We are in sight of the Tappan Zee bridge with its unique design.

Jonny had a tough day because his blood pressure kept dropping and he had to stop and rest several times which is not like him. He’s been struggling with fluctuating blood pressure which had been OK for quite a while but is giving him problems again. Another thing to have checked out.

After arriving at our anchorage we took it easy and read and relaxed until 5.  It was not until then that we fed Archie and took him in the dinghy onto shore. We tied up next to a big waterfront park which we walked all around.

This time we didn’t walk all the way into town and instead returned to Zendo.  

We had leftovers for dinner and watched The Italian Job as the sunset and illuminated bridge provided quite a backdrop for our evening.  We will be heading to New York City the next day and will stay for a couple of days at City Island. 

Kingston, NY

On the morning of Thursday, August 3 we took our time and went for one last walk in Catskill before heading out at noon. We stopped for a pump-out at Hop-O-Nose’s fuel dock and made our way out of Catskill Creek on a grey, overcast day. It was quite windy as we entered the Hudson and fortunately as we turned south it was mostly at our back. We passed the Kingston Lighthouse on our way out.

We cruised almost four hours to Kingston where we turned into Rondout Creek and made our way to the Kingston Maritime Museum which had just a few slips for rent. Fortunately they had one for us so we tied up just across from their boat-building operation.

The cost of dockage included entrance to the museum so that afternoon we visited what turned out to be an interesting set of exhibits about maritime life on this part of the Hudson. 

We decided to stay two nights as we are enjoying a slower pace of cruising. We hadn’t been in Kingston for a few years so we wanted to have a chance to  once again explore this interesting and historic town.

The next morning the three of us, Archie included, decided to venture out. First, we walked through the lower part of Kingston, the area that built up along the waterfront.  It’s an attractive area with several restaurants and interesting shops and lots of historic architecture.

Then we walked two and a half miles uphill to the oldest part of town which is called the Stockade.  This area is especially historic as it was built in1658 as a defense against the friction that was occurring between the Dutch settlers and the Native Americans. There are an amazing number of original stone houses and buildings in this part of town as well as many trendy shops and restaurants. 

In 1777, Kingston was designated as the first capital of the state of New York so there are even more historic buildings from that era. 

The town has its funky, hipster parts, as well.

As we walked back down the hill to the lower part of town, I decided to try and find a salon so I could get my hair cut. Archie and I are both in need of haircuts. I know we can get him into PetSmart near Delaware City but my finding a good salon is usually more challenging. Since we had this afternoon and the next day as a possibility I decided to try my luck.  Google helped me find  a salon that was well reviewed and I called and left a message at one that was just a couple of blocks from our boat. As we got closer I decided to stop in since I hadn’t heard back from them. Unfortunately, the owner was  booked all day but she referred me to another salon right around the corner where she gets her hair done. Fortunately, when I stopped by there, they were able to take me right away. What a lucky break! And I was not only very happy with my haircut but the stylist gave me the best head massage I ever had while she washed my hair! 

Jonny and Archie returned to Zendo ahead of me after stopping for bread at a local bakery. When I returned to Zendo our plan to do a number of chores was interrupted by a couple we had met on their boat at Chipman’s Point. Scott and Betsy who have a very nice Nordic Tug were staying at the marina next to us and saw Zendo as they were walking over to have a drink at a nearby restaurant called Ole Savannah. They stopped to chat and invited us to join them. That sounded like more fun than chores so off we went. We had a good time getting to know them over drinks and appetizers. They are from New City, NY and quite familiar with the area we are in now.

That evening we had leftovers for dinner and went to bed a little earlier because we planned to leave early the next day for a long day of cruising.

Catskill, NY

It’s August 1 and how time flies when you’re having a good time. And we are certainly enjoying our cruise this year. On this Tuesday morning I prepared for my Spanish lesson while Jonny walked Archie one last time in Coxsackie. We left for our next destination by 11 a.m. bound for Catskill, N.Y. with a stop in Athens on the way.  It was a beautiful day to be on the water.

We hadn’t been to either of these towns and they were described as being charming so of course we needed to visit them!  When we arrived in Athens at noon we were the only boat to tie up at the free town dock that was next to a very pretty park. We had lunch on board and before long another boat tied up behind us.

After lunch we walked into Athens to check it out.  It is smaller than Hudson, across the river, and not as updated. The New York Times had described it as one of the up and coming towns on the Hudson River as people from the city are coming up and buying properties and moving in. There were certainly signs of that but there were still a number of houses that were in need of repair. The center of town had good bones and was definitely in the process of  being fixed up.  Because it was a Tuesday, many of the shops and restaurants were closed.  It seems that in this part of the world businesses that cater to tourists are open only from Thursday to Sunday since people come up from the city on the weekends. 

We returned to Zendo and after a quick rest, proceeded on to Catskill, another short but beautiful cruise.  We passed Olana, the hilltop home of Francis Church (that we had toured on the way north) and the iconic Esophus lighthouse.  The beautiful Catskill mountains are on the west bank of the river.  When we visited Olana on the cruise up, we looked out at the beautiful vista that incorporated the town of Catskill and the nearby mountains.

When we arrived in Catskill we turned up the narrow and wooded Catskill Creek and decided to stay at one of the little marinas there rather than find an anchorage. Our friends, Ken and Fred, had stayed at Hop-a-Nose Marina so we called the marina and they told us to come on in. We nestled into one of their two cozy transient slips and tied up. What a charming little place in the bend of the creek! We knew right away that this was the kind of small town marina that we like best. One of the friendly live-a boards helped us to tie up. The marina includes slips on both sides of the creek but we were on the preferred side because it was just a very short walk into town.

However, we hung out on board for awhile and Jonny made a delicious one pot dinner of cod, eggplant and potatoes. By the time we finished eating it was starting to get dark but we walked into town anyway.  We were very favorably impressed with Catskill’s charm and we decided to stay an extra night so we could explore (and also because Jonny needed a place with good internet connectivity the next night since he was hosting a Zoom webinar for MTOA). That night we had an inredible full moon. 

On Wednesday after Archie’s obligatory walk and our lunch onboard we took a long walk through town and up a fairly steep hill to visit the Thomas Cole homestead.  Thomas Cole was the founder of the Hudson Valley landscape art movement and he was a mentor to several others who followed that art form including Francis Church, whose home and grounds at Olana we visited on the way up.  Cole’s home was not nearly as grand as Church’s and one could actually imagine living there.  The setting was magnificent and it was this setting and others like it that he painted. His home was filled with his art as well as an exhibit of art by many women artists, many of whom had not been adequately recognized until recently. 

The town of Catskill (home of Rip Van Winkle) is very charming with lots of interesting shops and restaurants and many homes under renovation. It was smaller than Hudson, and definitely bigger than Athens. We would probably rate Hudson, Catskill and Athens in that order.  Housing prices in all these towns have skyrocketed since Covid but there are still probably some deals to be had in Athens and Catskill for someone willing to invest in some significant updating. 

The town was hosting a Cat’s Meow Auction where participating artists painted cats in very creative ways to raise money for the community. There were more than 65 whimsically painted cats lining the streets. It was fun walking through town and discovering all of the creative cats of Catskill! 

Later that afternoon we had a light dinner at a restaurant called New York that specialized in Polish food including pierogies, which we ordered along with a kale and Brussels sprouts Caesar salad.  Jonny ran his webinar that evening which went very well.  Afterwards we planned for the next couple of days and had an early night in our sweet little marina.