NYCkayaker Valentino Park access in Brooklyn

[Cliff Landesman]

Today I took my family to Valentino Park in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn. I didn't know about this park before, but it is a great place for Brooklynites to put small boats in the water. As a bonus, one can stop at the enticing Fairway for nourishment, either before or after a trip. The park is small, but lovely. It was opened in 2006 and dedicated to a firefighter (who died in the 1996).

Because I was introducing my young kids to kayaking for the first time, we made small loops in the protected area near the pier. However, it looked like an easy skip across the water to Governor's Island. I look forward to exploring Governor's Island for access points on the Brooklyn side of the island. I can't think of any other island its size in the metropolitan area that is only accessible by boat.

My old Klepper Aerius II has held up well, having endured the shores of Alaska, Maine, the Bahamas, and survived storage in my damp basement. It is now over 20 years old. The only part I really need to replace is the backrest for the rear seat. Even the patches on the hull seem to be holding strong.

Someone at Valentino Park mentioned a company that produces a finely made folding kayak, inspired by Klepper, but at almost half the price. The company, Wayland Folding Kayaks, is located in Poland (www.wayland.net2000.pl). What a smart idea!

By the way, it is nice to see that nyckayaker is as active as ever, almost 15 years after I started the list in 1993. 

--Cliff Landesman