Got the call from Rich, and even though I had my doubts about the venture, I knew it was something that had to be done. I have been wanting to get out on the water in New York Harbor for several years, but wasn't going alone - Rich, thanks for the nudge.
So, what was the plan? Paddle from Red Hook in Brooklyn out and around Liberty Island and back - Sunday September 25, 2011.
It's not far, nothing like S2S, but it presents some similar problems, and a lot more complexity. The first and biggest problem, not unfamiliar to a Fire-Islander, is the tide. Sure, Great South Bay has major tide rip, but it doesn't compare to the dump form the East River, and likely not even the Hudson. Figuring out NYC tides is not-so-simple, and will take some experience on the water, but even absent that experience I knew our timing was going to mean we would be paddling across a full ebb tide. I wasn't sure how it would go, but that's part of the adventure.
So, what do you think it's like taking the subway to a session on a board? NYC surfers have been doing it for years, so it's not a first, but a first for me. It is oddly exciting - a brain teaser - an out-of-the-box experience. Off the A Train in at Jay St., up to the stairs, and here comes an SUV with three boards on the roof in downtown Brooklyn. It's Rich and Alex Paterson , who have both been on boards in the East River and NY Harbor a few times - I'm the neophyte. One stop for coffee at a local shop in Red Hook, and then straight to Ikea, which is a great store, but it was the parking lot we were after - it's on the Erie Basin (look up it's history). In back of Ikea there's a renovated industrial pier that's been made nice for pedestrians, but over the rail it still has a set of concrete stairs down into the water. That's the launch.
Erie Basin, with the yellow pin marking our entry spot
Rich had the perfect board - an 11'4" ACS Bic that you cold drop on the concrete and it would bounce. Once in the water, Alex's Jimmy Lewis 12' (ish, don't know the actual spec) was the king - MUCH more glide that Rich's board, or the one I was on, which was the Saltaire lifeguard 10.5' surfing SUP board, holes-and-all. Yikes, a good board for the surf, but maybe not the one when you REALLY don't want to wind up in the water. Note to self: bring my inflatable into the city from the beach.
Just stepping onto the board in the harbor water was a mind-bender. I've been around the water in the city for all of my life, but I've never been in it, or as close to in it. But then a few strokes, the board glides - the feeling is familiar - and I'm at home, it's ok.., no, it's great. I follow Rich and Alex out of the mouth of the Erie Basin, and it's immediately obvious that Liberty Island won't work - the tide is ripping, and we're still in a relatively sheltered spot. We quickly change our plan - let's go around Governor's Island - but even that seems stretch. We work our way up the Brooklyn waterfront, not too hard, but then we reach the channel between Governor's Island and Brooklyn, and the current is very strong.
Rich and Alex on the Brooklyn waterfront
The next 70 minute are a very hard and continuous battle against the tide, trying to reach the relative shelter of the north end of Governor's. Along the way we pass large container ships loading alongside us, and coast guard cruisers that happily treat us as as if we are normal harbor activity (we each have PFDs). Then it is a few minutes of calm with an incredible view of Manhattan.
Rich and Alex, calm water, awesome view
Jamie and Alex, my board looking like it wants to sink
And then we paddled west into the crazy maelstrom of tide rip dumping from the East and Hudson Rivers. There were actually some standing waves just from the rip - and I almost went in passing through them. It was a very quick trip south down the west shore of Governor's Island, and then a hard turn to the East, across the channel and back into the Erie Basin.
The difficult paddle on the west side of Governor's Island - much rougher than it looks
Th numbers are not impressive. 125 minutes, 4.84 miles. Consider, though, that the miles we paddled though the water were many more. Anyway, great trip, will definitely do Liberty Island one day, but the tide has to be just right to make it work.
Our track
Back in the Ikea parking lot
Also, have to say that in the future I will use a lanyard for my camera. When it has to come out of the pocket, I simply don't take enough photos (and Rich took it out of my hands - so for a change there are lots of pictures of me from this trip - not vanity, just circumstance).
No comments:
Post a Comment