On up the Hudson River

Since we had enough of New York the day before, we were more than ready to make our way up the Hudson. We had heard tell of the strong currents in the Hudson River and were told that there was really no point in heading up river until the current was with you. This was fine with us, especially since Henry had another rough night and we were quite happy to wait until after our morning nap to head out.

We left the mooring field around 11:00am. The tide was coming in and we were making 8-8.5 knots!! The rest of the morning was spent watching the city thin out and disappear behind us.

I had no notion of what to expect from the Hudson River. Andy was expecting more of what we'd seen in the ICW, houses and docks lining a thin, uninspired waterway. We were surprised and delighted to find some of the most awe inspiring scenery we've seen since we began this journey! The Hudson River is gorgeous!! Once you get about 10 miles north of New York City you are surrounded by glorious rock and tree lined mountains. The river becomes serene and flat and the scenery is just breath taking. We enjoyed it immensely. A much needed calming after the hustle and bustle of the big city. This is what we came to see!

We were also surprised by the Hudson River's depth! It is deeper here than anywhere we've been in 2000 miles of travel, including being miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and the North Atlantic! The Hudson has depths of up to 180 ft!!

We had a wonderful day. The weather was hot, but blue skies and a nice breeze combined with the lovely view had us flying high. We travelled 55 miles and ended our day at the Torches Restaurant. They have a dock that is free with dinner, and you can stay overnight if they aren't too busy.

The restaurant was one of the nicest we've seen...ever. It was elegant, had a lovely view, and a surprisingly reasonably priced menu. Henry enjoyed the huge salt water aquarium and his encounter with an adorable nine month old girl seated next to it.

The portions were huge, and after the complimentary bread and our calamari starter we were too full for the main course. Henry was pretty much ready for bed anyway, so we got our meals to go and headed back to the boat.

What a great day. This was the kind of day that you always remember. This is why we're out here.