Oh The Beauty

En Route, Hudson River
41 12.77 N 073 56.84 W

Oh how lucky we were to choose to continue last night instead of anchoring at Sandy Hook.

We hit the Verrazano Narrows just before sunset.   Soon thereafter, the sunset was glorious over (inglorious) Newark NJ.   It was a Saturday night and we figured that there would be less ship and ferry traffic than usual.  That was true, but it was also a balmy night in June and party boats loaded with revelers were everywhere.

As if to greet us, just as we approached Governors Island, a big fireworks show started on the Brooklyn shore.   We had a grandstand seat for that.

The night was especially clear, and downtown NY looked wonderful.  That's especially true for the new tall buildings being built at Ground Zero.  I don't know what they're called, but they look nice, and the tall one redefines New York's skyline.

We cruised up the river close to the NY side.   We had thought before that all those cruise ship piers along the west side were abandoned.  Not on a Saturday night they're not.  We saw a half dozen or so night spots and ball rooms all packed with elegantly dressed young people.  Some were leaning on the rails enjoying their view of us as much as we enjoyed our view of them.

The Empire State Building was bathed in a red-white-blue lighting scheme.   It sure looked unique, but we agreed it was ugly.  That grand lady looks much better in traditional light.  By the way, there are numerous new buildings in uptown, and many brilliant and creative uses of light on the NY and NJ sides.

To us however, the classiest view of the whole darn city is that of the Chrysler Building at night.  She is the perfect icon of NYC.  Pray to the stars that light emitting diodes shall never befoul her face.  We could only see her peak. Libby remarked, "She is beautiful all the way down to the ground."  That made me chuckle and think of Victor Borge's jokes about Beethoven and his busts.  He said, "Not Mrs. Beethoven.  She goes all the way down to the ground."


The night was still and stiller still north of the George Washington Bridge.   It was also close to slack tide and the whole river turned into a reflecting pool. We had a wonderful view of the bridge and the bridge's reflection in the water as we passed.  What a wonderful night.

Libby takes the cake though for the best remark.  She turned to me and with great emotion she said simply, "This is home."   How true. No matter what our connections to other places, including Vermont, in our hearts we will always be upstate New Yorkers.  For Libby, the feeling washed over her as we passed under the George Washington Bridge.   For me in past years, it hit about when we pass Athens, NY because there the nature and shapes of Central New York take over.

We continued our leisurely night cruise all the way up to Haverstraw Bay.  The elation of all that beauty banished our fatigue and sleepiness.  We finally dropped anchor at 0300.

All that begs for pictures and videos.  Alas, I'm afraid that we have never been successful at night photography from the deck of a rocking sailboat.   I'll have to leave that to others.  Besides, fiddling with cameras would have detracted from our immersion in all that beauty.

Today's another day, but the beauty is not over.   In the next few hours we'll pass the Hudson Highlands, Storm King Mountain and West Point.  That beauty knocks the socks off of everyone who sees it.