From the GW Bridge, Brio heads north. Our initial plan was to stop in Tarrytown where the formerly-named Tappenzee Bridge (and I-84), cross the Hudson. Now, the former NY Governor, Mario Cuomo, has taken the naming rights. Why? One can only imagine. We'll leave that one, because we had hoped to spend the night in Tarrytown, only to discover that there were no marinas which could accommodate us. Next north was Ossining. We stuck our bow into that tight marina, only to find that no one answered the phone or replied to our VHF hail. Next north was White's Marina for fuel with our new plan to go all the way to Kingston for the night.
Here's the Gov Mario Cuomo Bridge, which is strikingly beautiful coming up from the south with the sun catching the cables.
Looking back to the south, the cables are less dramatic.
As we left the ghost town marina at Ossining, we called White's Marina at the suggestion of the dockmaster in Kingston. White's is 35 miles to the north. They were very welcoming, but said they closed at 4:30. It was a little after 2:30 p.m. This was going to be tight.
Along the way, the Hudson cuts through some dramatic landscapes. Here's a link so you can read more about the geology of the Hudson Valley. It's condensed. Otherwise it would be over a billion years long.
For us, we were leaving the lava flows of the Palisades. Look at the picture above and you can see the sharp drop in slope under the bridge to the right. That cliff is formed by the Palisades.
From the link above,
"According to Rick Allmendinger, a retired geology professor from Cornell, the Hudson Valley is home to some of the most scientifically significant geologic formations in Appalachia and even North America. We may enjoy the beauty of the hike or appreciate the backdrop of a nice farm-to-table meal when we explore our area, but we rarely pause to consider what’s responsible for the stunning views we call home. Learn how the earth’s movement created the peaks, rivers, and valleys we know and love today."
As Brio raced northward, she entered the Hudson Highlands. Notable here is the tortuous path the River takes past West Point, flowing through World's End. This is so called, because you think the boat's path is completely blocked by steep-sided mountains where there's no suggested outlet for the River.
The Bear Mountain Bridge traverses just as rugged a landscape as it crosses the River. The Bridge carries the Appalachian Trail across the River.
About 4 miles north of West Point are the ruins of a replica of a medieval castle build by a munitions dealer. You can see just how rugged the terrain is here.
As Brio continues upstream, she leaves the Highlands behind. Physiographically, the Hudson River Valley opens to a broader shouldered valley. Here, the Beacon-Newburgh Bridge traverses the much wider River. The Bridge is less dramatic and so is the landscape.
White's Marina is about six miles north of this Bridge. We pulled in with about fifteen minutes to spare. Brio had been running hard since 8 am and she was thirsty! She took about 240 gallons of fuel!
As we left White's, we knew it was about another 35 miles north in this great valley to reach Kingston and Roundout Creek. We had a berth waiting at the City Marina. As we opened up the throttle, we set the trim tabs down to bring the nose of the boat down. Suddenly, alarms went off.
It was a little after 5 p.m. We called our best friend when it comes to Brio's well-being, John Poland of Cummins NE in Scarborough, Maine. He immediately helped us analyze the problem, but we couldn't come up with a solution. More on that tomorrow!
So we motored with Brio's bow up at reduced speed for the next 35 miles to Kingston. By 7:00, we came around the corner and approached the Creek. Behind the shore were the majestic Catskill Mountains, telling us that there was yet another physiographic province ahead.
But first, it was time to dock Brio and get something to eat. All of which we did, happily so.
Cheers,
Brio
Comments