Woodmere Marsh, Long Island, NY &

The Hudson River, Annsville Creek to Cold Spring

On a lovely weekend in May, Bruce and I headed to the home of our friends Jim Kowalski and Debra Scalza on Long Island.  Our plan was to join them, Greg Dunning, visiting from New Zealand and Bob Campbell for two days of paddling in the area.  Jim and Debra were gracious enough to offer Bruce, Greg and I room and board for Friday and Saturday night.  Bob lived in the area and would join us each morning. 

Jim had planned a paddle in Woodmere Marsh, not far from his home.  Saturday was a beautiful sunny day when we arrived at our launch site.  The put-in was easy.  It was good to get back on the water after a long winter.  But as we left the launch point and headed out into the marsh, we felt the wind rising. 

The marsh is flat and most of the old growth of grasses and other plants were gone, having been knocked down by winter storms.  This left the area

Where are we?

wide open to the full sweep of the wind.  As a result, the paddling got harder and harder, even without the impact of waves.  After slogging around in the wind and getting lost a few times in a maze of channels

in the marsh, we cut our paddle short and headed back to our launch point just before noon.  We were all disappointed at this outcome but soothed ourselves with a great lunch at Jim’s place and a nice walk through the neighborhood. 

Next morning after a hearty breakfast of bacon and pancakes we headed in convoy up river to the kayak center on Annsville Creek. The put-in at Annsville Creek is designed especially for paddlers, with a floating slotted ramp to dry-launch from. Today we would paddle upstream on an incoming tide giving us a slight advantage over the river’s current.  Annsville Creek is below West Point, so we would have the pleasure of paddling through this beautiful and historic area once again.

After an easy launch, we passed under the railroad bridge at the entrance to the creek and out onto the Hudson.  The sky was mostly clear with big puffy white clouds and the sun making diamonds on the water.  However, as luck would have it there was a twelve-knot wind blowing from the northwest that more than cancelled out any advantage

Annsville Creek To Cold Spring Video Diary

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offered by the tide.  The paddle north to Cold Spring was

exhilarating.  We stopped for lunch at about the halfway point, and then continued on to Cold Spring past the imposing and beautiful West Point.  After many

goodbyes at our takeout point, I stayed with the boats while Bruce was transported back to Annsville Creek to pick up his car.  All-in-all, a great two days of paddling with great friends. Thanks Jim and Debra for your planning and hospitality.

 

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