Fifteen gigs departed Pier 40 at about 6:15 on July 28. We rounded the Battery together, strung out a bit heading up the East River, and then regrouped at Halletts Cove in order to cross Hell Gate in a tight bunch. By 9 or so we were at the 96th street launch. With only two ladders to get people out and back in, a bottleneck developed and our crew popped over to Mill Rock Island for a brief visit. Then it was up the Harlem--flat and stifling hot till we rounded the top of the island and found a little shade under the cliffs there. At two, after lunch at the Columbia boathouse, we shoved off for the Hudson and were met by the usual afternoon sea breeze--a steady southerly that kicked up a good chop and made for a longish return. The first boats were back a little after five.
fisa round manhattan
don’s speech
suresh’s inspirational t-shirt
clementime strokes us around the battery
heading up the east river
good light at brooklyn bridge
the fleet passes by
under the manhattan: always choppy
pulling for corlears hook
under the williamsburg
at the back of the pack
this boat was pretty fast (but not as fast as us)
passing hunter’s point
sculling conditions at the UN
roosevelt island: starting up the east channel
planing speed
big red
crossing hell gate
detour to mill rock island
view back to 96th street
four-fifths of a fast crew (alberto missing)
departing mill rock island
kayak guy
the pileup at 96th street
heading up the harlem
upper harlem river: the first shade in miles
view of spuyten duyvil
waiting for the cliff-divers
crossing into the hudson
not everyone makes it around
when you get soft this is where they send you
