NYCkayaker NYC Water Trail

[Lee Reiser/Leona Fontaine]

 Dear Nancy,
  As per our discussion last evening at the DTBH meeting, the NYC Water Trail must include The Bronx. And why not start in NYC's largest park - Pelham Bay Park!
   I have explored this area extensively. Grab a map of Greater NY and follow along.
  There is an adequate launch opposite the huge parking lot for Orchard Beach. After launching into the "Lagoon", participants could paddle north to the Westchester Cty. line, then turn east keeping pictuesque Hog Island on the right. There are many erratics (boulders left by the last glacier) here to observe. Glen Island and David's Island (actually Westchester) would be on the port side as they travelled through the channel. Rounding Cat Briar Is. or keeping same to port through the channel, they could come around the point (called Twin Is.- because it used to be an is.) and pass by the beach which would be to starboard.
  Then they could either pass under the City Is. Bridge keeping City Is. to port, or paddle on the outside of the island. The latter would enable them to stop at the rather small park in City Is. Harbor and/or Belden Point Park at the southern tip. Plenty of places to grab food or water or rest before continuing on a westerly course past Big Tom Is.(don't know why it's named that-it's very small) and another isle called Cuban Edge, and then paddling to the shores of Spencer Estates, Country Club, Eastchester Bay, and Edgewater Park in that order. This route would eliminate a need for a rather long open water crossing.
  The route would then take you predominately east around Locust Point
following alongside the Throgg's Neck Bridge, then around Throgg's Neck Point and Lighthouse, after which would procede due west to Ferry Point Park. Next would be going under the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, then to Clason's Point or stopping at Sound View Park.
  The trip would then head east past Riker's Is. to port and split N.and S. Brother Islands into Hell Gate (presumably at a well planned slack tide). Next stop Hallet's Cove, which is probably already on your itinerary.
  I'll leave the rest to others who probably know the best route from here.
  Yours truly,
   Lee Reiser