The Hudson River

We left Liberty Landing Marina Monday, July 9.  Matthew and Christine used to live on the bluffs by Hoboken:

Grant's Tomb:

The little red lighthouse under the George Washington Bridge.  Hildegarde Swift wrote a picture book about the building of the bridge from the lighthouse's point of view.

It doesn't take long for the scenery to change completely from big city to beautiful countryside:

This makes us feel like we're getting closer to home-a bridge with ice guards:

An abandoned light house by Tappan Zee Bridge

Stony Point Light:

The United States Military Academy at West Point:

Do you think the other side of the roof reads "BEAT NAVY"?

We thought we heard Rip Van Winkle and his cronies playing nine-pins, but it was really artillery simulation:

Bannerman's Castle.  Scotsman Francis Bannerman modeled his home and war relics warehouse (pictured here) after Scottish castles.  He built on this island in 1900 because the city didn't want him storing munitions at his war relics store in Manhattan.  New York state bought the island in 1967 and a fire gutted the castle 2 years later.  A trust was formed in 1993 to try to preserve the buildings, but it looks like a losing battle.

The Vanderbilt Mansion:

Esopus Meadows Light:

Rondout Creek Light:

On our way up Rondout Creek to Kingston, we spotted these 2 tugs.  John thinks they may be Lil Toot and his daddy.

What a terrific surprise.  These fine musicians played for a couple of hours right behind our boat.

Mary Frances' berth in the Kingston Municipal Marina:

We rented a car for a couple of days so we could visit FDR's home and the Vanderbilt mansion, both national historic sites and the American Culinary Institute.  The culinary institute was closed for summer break, but at least we ate at a restaurant in town whose chef and owner is a graduate.

Springwood, FDR's home:

    

Because Springwood was Franklin's mother Sara's home, Eleanor had her own retreat, Val-Kill, on the property:

   

This Vanderbilt mansion isn't as fancy as Biltmore or the Breakers, but there was plenty of money here:

It's prettier from the water side:

This is a New York State Park, a refurbished railroad bridge that is now a pedestrian and bike path:

We've seen a lot of trains, but not from this angle!

We went to the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston.  This is a model of Henry Hudson's ship Half-Moon:

This was the view across the creek.  There was a motor home, a canopy with picnic tables under it, and a nice dock with a SeaRay as big as Mary Frances IV tied to it.  An interesting place for a summer home, but you could move it all in case of flood.  The island in the foreground was a coaling station in the days of the Delaware Hudson Canal.