News & Events No Matter How Wide the River, Take Your Kayak

One gorgeous Saturday last month, I kayaked across the Hudson River's wide Newburgh Bay, as a volunteer escorting 200 swimmers taking part in a fund raiser for the River Pool at Beacon. (The brainchild of folksinger and environmental icon Pete Seeger, the pool encircles a shallow portion of the Hudson along the city's shoreline, allowing people to take a refreshing dip without worrying about dangerous currents.) As the swimmers exerted themselves to complete the mile-long crossing, I soaked up the breathtaking scenery of the Hudson Highlands, which have been dubbed "America's Rhine."

The most exciting way to experience the Hudson or any body of water is to get out on them. The "greenest" and healthiest way of doing this is in a kayak. Statistics bear out that I'm not alone in believing this. Over the last 15 years, the number of U.S. kayakers has swelled from 400,000 to well over two million. Like me, no doubt they're enchanted by how different the world looks from the middle of a river or lake, not to mention the access kayaks provide to secluded spots -- such as wetlands and islands -- impossible for landlubbers to reach. The feeling of escape and discovery when exploring unspoiled places like these is almost palpable.