Now that April Fools Day is passed. its time to plan that cruise on the Hudson and adjacent Erie and Champlain Canals. I've lived in the Hudson Valley for nearly 50 years. Barring overseas assignments and sabbaticals to distant climes like Florida and Maine, I have cruised the waters of the Hudson most of that time. Here is some perspective on the region that is usually left out of the cruising guides. First, the Hudson was the main avenue of commerce in the colonial US for several hundred years. By a quirk of nature, the Hudson River cuts through a gap in the mountain range and enables big ships to go from New York City to Albany. The opening of the original Erie Canal in 1825 provided water passage from Albany through to the Great Lakes and opened the interior of the country to commerce. Many of the cities along the Hudson and Erie Canal were settled to provide venues for shipping services and manufacturing. They are old for US cities, dating from the early 1800s. Despite the natural beauty of the land around it, the Hudson was one of the nation's first ecological horror stories. The river was overfished to provide cheap food for New York City's immigrants. Logging from upstate and manufacturing activities from riverside towns polluted the water. When the railroad came the river front was allowed to deteriorate. Docks and facilities decayed. From a pristine waterway the river turned into an open sewer by the late 1800s and early 1900s.  Fortunately a consortium of the wealthy saved it. Not out of public spirit but to preserve the view from their hillside estates. Upriver forests were purchased and the Adirondack region was turned into a large "forever wild" state park three times the size of Yellowstone. Thanks to the Roosevelts (Theodore), the Rockefellers, the Vanderbilts, etc. the river began its comeback. New state laws curbed pollution of the waterway. Many industries moved to the south or the banks of the Mississippi where environmental degradation was tolerated in the name of progress. Unfortunately as the river began its comeback, the riverside communities suffered economically. Towns like Newburgh, Peekskill, and Poughkeepsie lost their industrial base. Buildings and infrastructure deteriorated. The riverfront is bordered by decaying factories which are slowly being replaced by upscale housing. The industries that remained are those that need water transport. The guidebooks don't tell you but rock crushing, cement making, gypsum processing, atomic energy, railroad yards, and resource recovery (garbage burning) are the major industrial employers in the lower Hudson Valley. The big Haverstraw Marina is adjacent to the U.S. Gypsum plant, the largest maker of wallboard in the country. In unfavorable breezes a cloud of gypsum dust wafts from the plant and gently envelops the marina. It dulls boat windows, but don't worry. The view across the river is of an atomic energy plant and a garbage burning facility. Most of the time it is clear but I want to warn you. Expect a little haze sometimes. So take guides to the Hudson, including mine, with a grain of salt. The river is once again a marvel of beauty. The highlands of the Hudson, where the river cuts through the mountains, are arguably the most attractive cruising grounds in the US. But facilities are old, town docks, with few exceptions, have not been upgraded since excursion riverboat traffic ceased a couple of decades ago. But all is not bleak. A number of marinas have improved their facilities and new ones have been constructed. Riverside towns have come to realize the economic importance of an attractive waterfront. Particularly notable in this regard is Kingston, a very boater friendly community. River fish are now plentiful but only the adventurous eats them with impunity since the river contains the residue of PCBs that the GE plant near Albany released a generation ago. The history and sights are still there and a Hudson cruise is a delightful experience. But the Hudson isn't always a rose garden. My personal guide to the Hudson River is free for the asking, but you have to put up with a few of my opinions. Larry Z

Dear Larry, I downloaded, printed, and read your guide cover to cover a few months ago. Thank you for all of your efforts that went into creating it! I think the guide is great, and we'll use it when on The Loop! Mike "One September" Virginia Beach, VA (Departing to start The Loop May 25) www.oneseptember.net > To: great-loop@lists.trawlering.com > From: lrzeitlin@aol.com > Date: Mon, 2 Apr 2012 19:11:24 -0400 > Subject: GL: What Hudson River Guides don't tell. > > Now that April Fools Day is passed. its time to plan that cruise on the > Hudson and adjacent Erie and Champlain Canals. >

We renew our acquaintance with Larry's guide every time we transit the Hudson. It's an invaluable, up-to-date reference written by someone with a lot of experience on the river, even if it does contain Larry's opinions! :-{) Don't cruise the Hudson River without it. <><><><><><><><><><><><>Mozilla Thunderbird<><><><><><><><><><> Bob McLeran and Judy Young Manatee Cove Marina MV Sanderling Patrick Air Force Base DeFever 41 Trawler Melbourne, Florida Blog: http://mvsanderling.net/Blog Web: http://cruising.mvsanderling.net/ On 4/2/2012 7:11 PM, lrzeitlin@aol.com wrote: > Now that April Fools Day is passed. its time to plan that cruise on the > Hudson and adjacent Erie and Champlain Canals. > > I've lived in the Hudson Valley for nearly 50 years. Barring overseas > assignments and sabbaticals to distant climes like Florida and Maine, I > have cruised the waters of the Hudson most of that time. Here is some > perspective on the region that is usually left out of the cruising guides. >