NYCkayaker Perseids Pleases Paddlers

[CleanerHudson at aol.com]

Saturday night, August 12, 14 paddlers enjoyed a late night explosion of  
wonderful events. Paddlers came from as far away as Mahwah, NJ and Nyack to  
experience paddling under a full moon (well, it was 85% full that night...but  who 
keeps track of these things....)
 
We left Foundry Dock Park in Cold Spring about 9:30 PM and headed north. A  
few trains on both sides of the river, a couple barges way off to the west and  
one or two pleasure boats also in the shipping channel were all we saw.  
Sunset had happened an hour or so before so all was dark. The stern lights  on our 
kayaks moved like wandering birthday candles on a large liquid black  cake. 
The Big Dipper hung almost directly over the river.
 
Baying at the sky began in earnest...we think one was mechanically  induced 
(at least it sounded that way). Great to hear creativity at work!
 
During last month's full moon paddle we had been surprised by the  fireworks 
we saw as we paddled back to Cold Spring. Last Saturday the  fireworks show 
over Peekskill wowed paddlers some more. What would happen on  this outing?
 
As we paddled leisurely towards Breakneck Mountain we got part of our  
answer. A couple of shooting stars! It seems we had stumbled into the annual  
Perseid meteor shower! Just spits of light going so fast...
 
Then (as if that was not enough) fireworks began lighting the sky over  
Newburgh! Great bursts of color brought out more than one whoop of joy from the  
paddlers. The sounds of the exploding fireworks followed several seconds later.  
Great show...loved the finale!
 
Pausing just south of Breakneck Mountain, three paddlers continued on to do  
a circumnavigation of Bannerman's Island while the rest of us turned back  
towards Cold Spring.
 
The moon slowly appeared from behind the hills of the Hudson Highlands  State 
Park. It appeared as slowly as we paddled. Some of  us paddled  backwards 
just to see it rise again! Trees at the top of the hill moved across  the face of 
the moon. Spectacular!
 
Then the event of the night happened. A bright white flash of a  
burning/melting/disintegrating meteor slashed to our south. The glow from the  moon 
illuminated the tail of the meteor like a jet's contrail. What a sight! 
 
>From then on it was just another paddle under a star filled sky with  new and 
old friends and a gentle breeze at our backs with warm water underneath.  Oh 
no! It wasn't just another paddle....just about as much fun as we could ever  
expect...and not wanting the evening to end. About 11:30 we paddled  ashore. 
Smiling with great memories of an evening filled with spectacular  delights!
 
Thanks to Jill, who brought some cheese, crackers and beverages.  
To all who came Saturday night: Together we indeed made it an evening of  
wonderful delights! 
 
Be a lunartic next month! 
 
The Harvest Moon paddle. September 9...Leaving Cold Spring at 7:30  
PM...Moonrise at 8:14 PM. If you get there late, just paddle north and look for  the 
glowing stern lights. We go slowly. As always, this is not an organized  event. 
You are responsible for yourself. Experienced adult paddlers only.
 
Data follows:
 
Saturday         9 September  2006      Eastern Daylight  Time           

SUN
Begin civil  twilight       6:02  a.m.                  
Sunrise                     6:30  a.m.                  
Sun  transit                12:53  p.m.                  
Sunset                      7:15  p.m.                  
End civil  twilight         7:43  p.m.                  

MOON
Moonrise                    7:49 p.m. on preceding day
Moon  transit                2:09  a.m.                  
Moonset                     8:42  a.m.                  
Moonrise                    8:14  p.m.                  
Moonset                    10:01 a.m. on following day

Phase of the Moon on 9 September:   waning gibbous with 95% of the  Moon's 
visible disk illuminated.  
Full Moon on 7 September 2006 at 2:41 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.  
Looking forward to seeing you there!  
Walt Thompson 
_CleanerHudson at aol.com_ (mailto:CleanerHudson at aol.com)   







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