Day 220 - June 2, 2013: Hudson River north to an anchorage in Haverstraw Bay

Our day started with a short bike ride around Liberty State Park, which is on the point adjacent to our marina. We passed what was once the Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal. This is where immigrants, after completing processing at Ellis Island, would gather and depart for their eventual destinations. At the park are two long, parallel, high steel walls that direct the eye to the spot where the Twin Towers once stood on Manhattan Island. The walls have the names of all the New Jersey victims. The park has several miles of walking and biking trails, all with views of the harbor.

Train station with tracks approaching from behind

Liberty Park walking and biking trails

At noon we departed, taking advantage of the tidal currents to help push us up the Hudson River. The harbor was busy with many pleasure boats mixing in with the ferries and commercial carriers. At one point, a NYC fire boat came out behind us testing their water cannons in full display. We passed under the George Washington Bridge and the north end of Manhattan Island, where the Spuyten Duyvil Creek and Harlem River curve back south on the east side of the island.

NYC Fire boat with water cannon display

Inlet around the northern tip of Manhattan Island

Yonkers, home for many NYC commuters who take the high speed trains that run along this shore, was on our starboard side. On the port side were the Palisade Cliffs, a 20-mile long section of steep high rocky cliffs that tower over the river and are thought to have been carved by the glaciers. And soon on the starboard, we came upon Sing Sing, the famous correctional facility that first opened in 1826. Since then there have been 614 executions (the last being in 1963), and today it houses over 2,000 inmates.

The Palasades

Sing Sing Correctional Facility

Tonight we are tucked in behind a curved spit shaped like a half moon, where we anchored in the wind protection of the high trees. We expect some rain and a chance of thunderstorms.

Anchored behind the half-moon spit