Going Long and Hard.

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Saturday Boatventure.

Got a late morning start because we had to pick up my wife's car, then drove over to Seawaren to put in. My goal was to do 20 miles and visit the Tugboat Graveyard. Explore the Artur Kill around the tankers, pretty much it.

The Graveyard was only about 1/2 hour away from my launch site. Explored around there for quite a while. It's pretty cool. No one was around so I tied up to one of the boats and explored.

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Had snacks on a little patch of beach under the Goethels Bridge.

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Water was super calm going through the cranes and tankers and whatever else all this stuff is heading to the Bayonne Bridge.

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A storm rolled through so I hid under the bridge for a bit waiting for it to pass. Water was pretty choppy after that, especially when I got out near the Hudson where the really big boats are.

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Aimed at the Skyline and Lady Liberty and paddled hard for a while. Water was sketchy AF through here, but there's nowhere to hide or rest.

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Made it to the Statue, floated around for a bit, then got out at the boat ramp in the park.

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Ended up only taking 6 hours - 20 miles all in, including lunch and stopping. Next week might try to go around Staten Island and see what that's like. Unless for some strange reason I feel like riding my bike, which I don't.
 

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Boatventure.

Putting the pieces together for a possible overnighter, maybe straight-through paddle around Staten Island. I "might" start/finish at Johnson Park in my Hood. Not sure. Need to finish a couple gear acquisitions first so...Onto this one.

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Raritan River from Johnson Park. Went out with the tide correctly, for once.

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Screwed around around at some burned down pier before the Parkway Bridge to take pictures of Osprey. Osprey are pretty cool.

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Seagulls are less cool, but this picture is cool. Seagulls.

Went straight across the channel to the Lighthouse this time. Need to spend more time around boats in open water. I almost feel OK out there. Basically the same as riding a Road bike around BMWs.

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This time I tied to the Lighthouse and climbed to the top. Super cool and a little creepy in there.

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Was worth it because from the top I could see a school of Rays that had the entire base surrounded. Way cool, and something I can't see from the boat at all.

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Dodged a big boy boat heading under the OuterBridge.

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Finally stopped and had some snacks just across the river from my exit.

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21 Miles, 6 hours. Seems to be what I'm averaging around here in this boat. At that pace, a Staten Island trip would take 12 hours? IDK. I'm probably not ready for that but whatever. Shark Bait, Hoo Ha Ha.
 
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