41 23.86 N 073 57.06 W
It has been a great day. We met Roger at the Rhinecliff train station around 10:30, and left immediately. Within an hour's steaming southward, we encountered a flotilla of Dutch ships. I have lots of pictures, we'll post them when I get an Internet connection.
The Dutch ships are here for the 400th year celebration of Henry Hudson's voyage up this river. I think that they were shipped over here from Holland for the celebration. You can probably find out about them. Google Dutch Ships Hudson.
Anyhow, the ships were all very beautiful. They had lovely lines. They have mysteriously curved gaffs in their sails, very un-American. They didn't look very seaworthy though.
We continued to pass more and more Dutch ships for 2 hours. Finally, brining up the rear were two American replicas. Last of all was the Half Moon. We took a picture of the Half Moon, coincidently with Reverand Sun Young Moon's residence right behind it. Roger said we should name the scene Half Moon with Full Moon.
Here's another internet assignment. I called the bunch of Dutch Ships a flotilla. Then I thought that I don't really know what the difference is between a flotilla, a fleet, an armada, or a squadron.
Just now we passed Bear Mountain, and West Point. This is the epidemy of the most scenic and historic part of the Hudson Valley. Outstanding.
Tonight, we'll anchor opposite the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant. Perhaps we won't need an anchor light, we can bask in the glow-in-the-dark (just kidding).
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From Wikipedia:
ReplyDeleteFleet - a large formation of warships, the largest in any navy.
Flotilla - a formation of small warships that may be part of a larger fleet. Usually composed of a homogeneous group of the same class of warship, such as destroyers, submarines, etc. Would be commanded by a Rear Admiral, Commodore or Captain depending on the importance of the command.
Squadron - a formation of larger warships. Normally commanded by a Vice Admiral.
Armada - Spanish and Portuguese word for fleet.
It may interest you to know that one of the ships you saw, the Onrust, was built at Mabee Farm here in Schenectady County. It spent a good deal of the summer docked on the Mohawk River in the shadow of Freeman's Bridge.