Going With the Flow

The Great Hudson River Paddle

Kayakers exiting Esopus Creek in Saugerties during 2005’s Great Hudson River Paddle.

The setting sun transforms the river vista as rays of pinks and yellow wind through billowing cumulus clouds. Orange streaks brighten the horizon, and all that’s missing is a gilt frame to permanently capture this quintessential Hudson River scene.

Water lapping against the rocks at Norrie Point creates a rhythmic beat, the cadence increasing as barges chug past and cigarette boats chase their wake. At times the water’s lull creates an eerie, quiet void, supplemented only by the buzz of conversation in the background.

Soon, mosquitoes will force people into the sanctuary of their hot, steamy, yet bugless tents. But for a few magical hours, we 30 people will revel in the peace we earned. After a day of kayaking 17 miles, crossing the shipping channel of the Hudson, and swimming in the shadows of the Esopus Lighthouse, our muscles are tired. Upon arriving at Norrie-Mills State Park in Staatsburg, showers do more than clean bodies—they refresh spirits. Our unified contentment comes from a day of successfully pushing physical limits; of the sun baking into our skin despite the SPF 45 sunscreen we all use; of sharing a huge communal feast of lasagna, salad, homemade venison sausage, and apple cobbler.

Folding chairs are brought in and playing cards are shuffled on picnic tables. People who were strangers a few days earlier share intimacies usually reserved for therapists as distant friends catch up on events from the past year. Some poke and prod their kayaks, fold and unfold various maps, and make the small talk that bridges the challenges of group dynamics.

Behind it all, the Hudson River is both the backdrop and the focus.

This is day five of a 10-day kayak trip from Albany to Manhattan, and the people camped out on this patch of green lawn on the edge of the river are slowly falling into routines.

It’s a rhythm and adventure that’s been repeated for the past six summers, as the Great Hudson River Paddle has become a signature summertime event.