Building Bridges, Building Boats

Summer of 2011

admin — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:46:15 +0000

The ninth season of our Summer River Workshop will begin on June 27th. Get more information and download registration forms on our workshop page.

We will also be offering our River trip during the week of July 5th. Information is on our River Trip page.

American Star Race is December 4th

admin — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:04:45 +0000

The American Star Race is December 4th. This takes place at Pier 84 in New York. We take the train to the subway and walk over. Floating the Apple provides the boats and food. It is a fun event. Anyone who has been in the summer program or on the GHRP is eligible and welcome. All that is required of you is to buy a train ticket and a subway ticket and show up. We leave early and are usually back in Cold Spring around 5. Adults are encouraged to join us for the ride down.

Here is some info about the day from Floating the Apple:

Our race is one day and on Dec 4th Sat. Rain date is Sunday Dec 5th. Either day will be 9 AM to 5 PM. We start off as soon as possible with heats. Three boats raced per heat and the final races based on best times of the three categories of teams. We have Coast Guard approval which has been sent to Coach Kennedy. We start at 9AM and have permission to race until 5PM. There is no fee and breakfast and lunch are served. Your team should arrive at 9am. We permit three teams maximum per group. High School student age crews are invited to race all boys, all girls and mixed ( two boys, two girls and coxswain (boy or girl) teams. You may bring one, two or three crews or may wish to bring one boys’ team and two additional female rowers to make up a second team as a mixed team, for example. Please inquire further if you need more information about teams and let us know into two weeks before the race how many people total will attend so I may order the food needed.

Email David Hardy if you are interested in coming. Feel free to respond with any questions you might have.

Community Rowing, Saturday September 25th

admin — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 02:39:48 +0000

Community rowing for this week (9/25) is already at capacity from people who got on the list early. This will be the last week of community rowing until spring. Wind and weather are getting heavier and we fear leaving the gig anchored longer into the season. We had good participation and a diverse mix of ages. If you didn’t go out this season we invite you to go out in the spring. The program is free and healthful. Check back here on our website next spring.

Thanks all for the season,

David Hardy

Read the log from last week.

Shippy’s Log, September 18th

admin — Fri, 24 Sep 2010 01:44:13 +0000

Tide ebbing and wind apparently light from N. This appeared to be the crew’s last best chance to head south for a change so we struck out past the Cold Spring Dock and the Boat Club and the inlet south of Foundry Dock Park. A bit north of the red buoy we started across the river heading for the West Point rugby field. The familiar black helicopter passed overhead. Shortly thereafter dots under tiny parachutes appeared against the lead grey sky. Football season at West Point. The apparently light north wind revealed itself to be more aggressive than formerly believed. The waves increased in intensity and amplitude resulting in a rock and roll ride to the relative calm of the west side. Fearing the rising wind we turned north staying just off the freight rail before taking a right turn toward the village. After a bracing pull we regained Dockside without incident.

Shippy’s Log, September 11th

admin — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:43:33 +0000

A beautiful day with another completely full boat of rowers and literal hangers on. The tide was mostly slack and in any case was beat by the significant Northwest Wind off the plains of Newburgh. As the fully loaded Bickford struck out into the wind the coxswain was heard to remark on the sound of a helicopter to the South. Shortly after we cleared the shore we could see 6 ( or was it 8? ) pink tracers falling from the sky, below each a tiny swaying dot that revealed itself to be each a miniature parachute of the type used by skydivers. “9/11 at West Point”, a rower observed. The pink clouds dissipated as the parachutes disappeared behind the trees and Bickford plowed past Little Stony Point. The wind was still blowing hard enough upon our return that oar sailing was sufficient to blow us back to town.

Community Rowing, Saturday September 18th

admin — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 13:42:32 +0000

Community rowing will take place as usual this Saturday (9/18) at 9:00 AM, Dockside park. We have a number of rowers already signed up but can squeeze a few more in. Please confirm if you are already signed up. If you wish to join us also let me know.

Have a look at the Community Rowing Log for September 11th.

Shippy’s Log, September 4

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:21:10 +0000

At 8:30 the wind was blowing through the gap between Breakneck and Storm King a solid 10-12 with gusts up to holy cow. By 9:00 it had moderated a hair and our intrepid crew set off from dockside power-rowing into the teeth of it. We had a full boat, 9 souls. The tide had started to ebb but the crew was making good progress against both the current and the wind. With the devil-may-care brio that characterizes community rowing the crew decided to continue to Breakneck Mountain. Meanwhile the current and the wind, to teach humility and because that’s what they do, strengthened in tandem. A couple of hundred yards South of the ridge the community rowing crew, known for their good judgment, decided that an altogether more satisfying row would be facilitated by an immediate 180 degree turn South. This was accomplished along with a rearrangement of the crew members and the boat sped back toward Little Stony Point. Past the point, the coxswain commanded “oars”, and the gig Bickford was oar-sailed to a soft landing Dockside.

Community Rowing, Saturday September 11th

admin — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 05:20:39 +0000

Community rowing will take place as usual this Saturday (9/11) at Dockside park, 9:00 AM. We have a couple of rowers already signed up. Please send an email if you are planning on coming. Read the September 4th community rowing log here.

Shippy’s Log, August 28th

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:19:30 +0000

NE wind 3-6. Low tide, slack.
Shoved off from Dockside and powered straight up to Little Stony Point against the light wind. Abandoned on the beach was a large war canoe capable of transporting 14 paddlers and a steerer. Under the thwarts were large plastic storage containers. There was no one in sight. Speculation was that the paddlers were camped back somewhere in the spooky woods.
Ever hopeful, the Bickford crew raised the sail for the third week in a row. This time the breeze held and the suddenly former rowers enjoyed a sparkling ride back to town.

Several visitors today. First a Mother, daughter and a dog came by to check out community rowing with an eye to participation in the upcoming weeks. Second a BBBB board member and webmistress, two different people, arrived on site as we were finishing up. This was followed by a gentleman weekender who last rowed a boat like ours out of a merchant marine academy in the Bronx in 1944.

Community Rowing, Saturday September 4th

admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 05:19:00 +0000

Community rowing will take place as usual this Saturday (9/4) at 9:00 AM at Dockside Park. Please send an email if you are planning to attend. If Big Earl (the hurricane) requires a change of plans, it will be posted on the website. Meanwhile, you can find excerpts of last week’s community rowing log here.