Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, America’s flagship environmental organization, announces the sloop Clearwater’s spring 2012 sailing schedule, which can be found as an interactive calendar on Clearwater’s website at http://www.clearwater.org/come-sailing/sail-schedule/. Clearwater is currently accepting applications [...]]]> Now Accepting Group Applications for Spring and Summer Sails

Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, America’s flagship environmental organization, announces the sloop Clearwater’s spring 2012 sailing schedule, which can be found as an interactive calendar on Clearwater’s website at http://www.clearwater.org/come-sailing/sail-schedule/. Clearwater is currently accepting applications to sail onboard the sloop during the spring and summer season, with Clearwater’s summer 2012 sail schedule to be posted on February 15.

Offering a variety of sails, including educational group sails, private charters, and public sailing adventures, every Clearwater sail is an ecological adventure and a voyage of discovery on an historic tall ship. Passengers have an opportunity to learn about the Hudson River, participate in the sailing of the ship, and join in maritime sing-a-longs and folk songs about the environment. The sloop returns to the Hudson River this April with her first sail out of Yonkers, NY.

Clearwater’s educational group sails bring history, biology, physics, and environmental science to life for schools, summer camps, and educational groups. Since the launch of Clearwater in 1969, more than half a million people have experienced the Hudson River’s estuary ecosystem first hand aboard the sloop. Clearwater’s pioneering ship-based education programs are suitable for groups from fourth grade through college and include dockside orientation before departure, otter trawl to gather specimens for the fish tank, a call for “all hands to the halyards” to help hoist the sails, a presentation on Clearwater’s history and mission, music by the crew with sing-a-longs, and an opportunity to take the tiller.

Private parties, weddings, team-building sessions, and gatherings onboard Clearwater can be customized to meet each group’s needs, accommodating catered events and hired musicians. Our professional captains and crew have experience facilitating a wide variety of special events and will work to ensure that the details of each sail are arranged to perfection.

Clearwater’s public sail adventures are suitable for all ages, and engage participants with special themes, guest speakers, and musicians.

Clearwater’s sailing season runs from early April through the end of October, casting off from, and returning to numerous sites along the Hudson River from Albany to New York City, New York Harbor and western Long Island Sound. Most sails are three hours long, with 5-hour sails and extended programs also available.  Clearwater members receive a special discount when booking sails.

The schooner Mystic Whaler joins the sloop again this season from April through June, to complement Clearwater’s educational and public sail programs. Both vessels will also offer public sails at Clearwater’s Great Hudson River Revival, taking place on Saturday and Sunday, June 16 and 17 at Croton Point Park, in Westchester County, NY.

The sloop Clearwater is a nationally-recognized symbol of environmental awareness and provides regionally- based high quality experiential education opportunities. Those sailing onboard enjoy the Hudson Valley’s beautiful vistas and historic landmarks from the deck of a majestic 106-foot long replica tall ship, while learning about the Hudson River, its place in American history, and how a grassroots group of volunteers fought to save it.

To book your group sail or for more information,  please contact Catherine Stankowski, Sail Program Manager, at (845) 265-8080 x7107 or SailCoord@Clearwater.org

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has awarded a $400,000 grant to help cover the cost of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater and Hudson River Maritime Museum’s joint project for the Kingston Home Port and Education Center to be [...]]]> Awarded Grant for an Education and Boatbuilding Center at the Hudson River Maritime Museum

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation has awarded a $400,000 grant to help cover the cost of Hudson River Sloop Clearwater and Hudson River Maritime Museum’s joint project for the Kingston Home Port and Education Center to be built on the Rondout Creek. Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the grants in December as part of a new economic development initiative that adds up to $67 million for 61 Mid-Hudson Valley projects.

The grant will be matched with money through a joint fundraising effort of the two organizations, through private donations, and a $125,000 grant secured by state Assemblyman Kevin Cahill, D-Kingston. Architectural services and $200,000 worth of timber are being donated by Allan Shope, Clearwater board president.

The 4,500-square-foot, two story timber frame boatbuilding barn will be constructed on the west end of the Hudson River Maritime Museum property.  The facility will offer environmental education programming, public green infrastructure trainings, community boat building, maritime history lectures, and exhibitions. The new Home Port facility will also play a key role in enhancing the environment, quality of life, and support economic vitality of the Kingston community by creating a draw for Hudson Valley tourism and attracting visitors to the Kingston waterfront.

“We are grateful to New York State (Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation),” said Jeff Rumpf, Clearwater’s executive director, “We are very excited about the new Home Port in Kingston; not only will it provide a permanent winter home for the sloop, Clearwater, something she has never had in her 40 years on the Hudson, it will also serve as headquarters for Hudson Valley Green Infrastructure, Green Cities, and position our water economy to grow!”

“The structure will be built by local craftsmen using mainly local materials and we are planning a barn-raising event for the fall.  This building really looks toward the future— and it’s designed to withstand the periodic floods that affect the Rondout,” said John C. Weeks, Hudson River Maritime Museum board member and chair for the Barn Building Committee. “Both organizations are grateful to the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and to Assemblyman Cahill for making this wonderful project possible. It will benefit all New Yorkers lucky enough to visit the site, but it will especially benefit the people of the Hudson Valley.”

“The partnership between Clearwater and the Hudson River Maritime Museum is going to make a big difference on the Kingston waterfront,” said Kate Mitchell, Hudson River Maritime Museum’s executive director, “This project gives us the opportunity to better serve the local community. In addition, we’ve got plans to make this a year-round destination, to draw people in for the cultural and heritage experience they can have here summer or winter. This is just the beginning of really good things.”

The Kingston city Planning Board voted unanimously in December for the building proposal. An old fashioned barn-raising involving community members is planned for Fall 2012. To learn more about the Kingston Home Port, visit http://www.clearwater.org/about/kingston-home-port/.

For more information about Clearwater’s OPRHP grant award, please contact Eileen Newman, Grants and Major Gifts Coordinator, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, at Eileen@Clearwater.org, or 845-265-8080, ext.7160.

Please visit Clearwater’s Kingsdotn Home Port web page for more information about Clearwater and the Hudson River Maritime Museum’s joint project.  

You can also visit the Hudson River Maritime Museum’s websit at  www.hrmm.org for more information.

River University, a new program by Beacon Insititue for Rivers and Estuaries, a subsidiary of Clarkson University, will be open to [...]]]> A unique opportunity awaits a select group of undergraduate students this summer – a venture titled “River University” that includes sailing the Hudson River aboard the sloop Clearwater, made famous by folksinger Pete Seeger.

River University, a new program by Beacon Insititue for Rivers and Estuaries, a subsidiary of Clarkson University, will be open to 25 undergraduate students, who will attend classes taught by Clarkson faculty at the Beacon Institute’s facilities on the banks of the Hudson River at historic Denning’s Point in Beacon. They also will have a chance to put into practice what they’ve learned in the classroom in five days aboard the sloop Clearwater as she sails the Hudson River.

River University launches July 8 and runs through August 3. River University is aimed at any undergraduate with an interest in the environment. Successful completion of the River University program will earn the undergraduate nine credits. It is an excellent option for students who would like to either lighten their course load during the academic year, or add nine credits during the summer to avoid a fifth undergraduate year.

Three interdisciplinary courses, each worth three credits and transcripted through Clarkson University, will be offered:

•Applied Environmental Policy: The Clean Water Act, taught by John Cronin, the first Beacon Institute Fellow at Clarkson University and for 17 years, the Hudson Riverkeeper, which earned him Time magazine’s title “Hero for the Planet.” Cronin has been an advocate, lobbyist, legislative and congressional aide, author (with Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.) of The Riverkeepers and filmmaker, whose film, The Last Rivermen was named outstanding documentary of the year by the Motion Picture Academy Foundation. Students in this course will examine the history of American environmental law and the development of contemporary environmental policy, using Hudson River issues to illustrate their practical applications. Students will learn the practical aspects of decision-making and citizen participation through simulation exercises culminating in a mock public hearing on a key environmental issue that examines the role of law, economics, science and technology and advocacy in the execution of policy.

•The Ecology of American Rivers, taught by Tom Langen, Ph.D., associate professor in the departments of biology and psychology at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York. Students will learn how rivers function; become familiar with the organism and natural communities of the Hudson River watershed; and understand how humans impact rivers and how that impact can be managed to minimize the negative consequences on the environment and human health and welfare.

•Green Infrastructure for Non-point Source Pollution Control, taught by Shane Rogers, Ph.D., an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Clarkson University who also serves as a special research environmental engineer at the National Risk Management Laboratory of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Clean Water Act, which observes its 40th anniversary in 2012, has helped control water pollution from “point sources,” such as discharges from sewage treatment plants and industrial sites. Rivers, such as the Hudson, also encounter pollution from “non-point sources” – the pollutants picked up when rain or melting snow carry natural pollutants from the ground to nearby rivers. Students will learn how historical uses of the Hudson have shaped current water quality and ecosystem challenges. They’ll also describe and design engineered landscape modifications and green infrastructure for storm water management that may be used to reduce the problems of non-point source pollution in both urban and agricultural landscapes.

“What better summer classroom for college students than the Hudson River, a birthplace of the modern environmental movement?” said John Cronin. “River University will examine the environmental law, science, and technology that revolutionize the way we understand and protect ecosystems across the nation. Only forty years ago many thought the Hudson was dead. Today, students can learn from it the hands-on skills that made it one of the world’s great environmental success students, and inspired journalist Bill Moyers to call the Hudson ‘America’s First River’.”

“River University is designed to provide students with a first-hand experience of the Hudson through three different lenses – ecology, engineering and policy – and then teach them to apply their knowledge to real-world problems,” said Timothy F. Sugrue, Ph.D., Beacon Institute president and chief executive officer and dean of Clarkson University’s School of Business. “Today’s students have a deep sense of responsibility toward the environment – River University will give them the depth and tools to understand the cause and effect relationship between human action and environmental result. We expect that many who enroll will find the experience to be truly life-changing.”

“Clearwater, America’s Environmental Flagship, is proud to join with Beacon Institute and Clarkson University to present River University,” said Jeff Rumpf, Clearwater’s executive director. “Educational sails onboard Clearwater provide hands-on learning experiences and direct contact with the Hudson River, which are key to engaging students as they study and encounter the estuary, its inhabitants, and witness the ecosystem – and prerequisite to our youth creating a personal connection to the environment and ensuring that the mighty Hudson remains America’s most influential river.”

Visit www.RiverUniversity.com for more information about the curriculum and faculty, tuition costs, housing and commuter options, frequently asked questions and the online application and important deadlines. Enrollment in this one-of-a-kind program limited to 25 participants, so early action is encouraged. The rolling admissions process is occurring now through the application deadline of March 15, 2012.

About Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries:
Beacon Institute for Rivers and Estuaries, a subsidiary of Clarkson University with offices in Beacon and Troy, New York, is a not for-profit environmental research organization engaging scientists, engineers, educators and policy experts in collaborative work focusing on real-time monitoring of river ecosystems. It aims to make the Hudson Valley a global center for scientific and technological innovation that advances research, education and public policy regarding rivers and estuaries. www.bire.org

About Clarkson University:
Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in five alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. Located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam, N.Y., Clarkson is a nationally recognized research university for undergraduates with select graduate programs in signature areas of academic excellence directed toward the world’s pressing issues. Through 50 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, arts, sciences and health sciences, the entire learning-living community spans boundaries across disciplines, nations and cultures to build powers of observation, challenge the status quo, and connect discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise. www.clarkson.edu

The public is invited to join Clearwater, America’s environmental flagship, for Family Open Boat Days on Sunday, January 15, 2:00-6:00 PM; Saturday, February 18, 5:00 – 9:00 PM; and Saturday, March 24, 5:00 – [...]]]> Join the sloop Clearwater in Saugerties for a winter tradition 

The public is invited to join Clearwater, America’s environmental flagship, for Family Open Boat Days on Sunday, January 15, 2:00-6:00 PM; Saturday, February 18, 5:00 – 9:00 PM; and Saturday, March 24, 5:00 – 9:00 PM, at Lynch’s Marina in Saugerties, NY.

As Clearwater enters her winter maintenance season, the community is invited to get involved and enjoy good food, music and company. Friends and families can come tour the sloop Clearwater in her winter port, meet the crew, learn about woodworking projects and repairs to the sloop, and cozy up in the shop for refreshments, stories and live music. Clearwater’s own Power of Song Apprentice group will kick off the festivities on January 15 with music. Attendees are invited to bring an instrument and join the jam session, or a favorite dish to share at the potluck.

Lynch’s Marina is located at 2 Ferry Street, Saugerties, NY, 12477 map

Open Boat Family Days are free and open to the public; a $10 donation is suggested. RSVPs are appreciated, but not necessary. Please contact Linda Richards at Linda@Clearwater.org, or 845-265-8080, ext.7105.

WHAT:  The Indian Point nuclear plant in Buchanan, New York, 25 miles north of New York City, is reaching the end of its designed 40-year lifespan.  Since it was built, the plant has aged, become embrittled, [...]]]> Research Reveals Failure to Address the Plant’s Disproportionate Effects on People of Color, People with Low-Incomes, Disabilities and/or Limited Mobility

WHAT:  The Indian Point nuclear plant in Buchanan, New York, 25 miles north of New York City, is reaching the end of its designed 40-year lifespan.  Since it was built, the plant has aged, become embrittled, been subject to many leaks and accidents, passed to private, for-profit ownership, stored more dangerous spent fuel than it was designed to handle, and posed growing health and safety threats to the surrounding population, which has greatly increased.  Nonetheless, plant owner Entergy Corporation has applied to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to renew Indian Point’s license for another 20 years.  The NRC review of the application is underway now.  Clearwater is one of three parties with standing before the NRC’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board (the others are Riverkeeper and New York State) to challenge Indian Point’s relicensing.  Clearwater has gathered evidence it will file with the ASLB on December 22, 2011 as testimony the NRC must consider in the relicensing process.  It shows that the NRC and Entergy failed to address the environmental justice impacts of relicensing, and that Indian Point’s continued operation disproportionately threatens the safety of the very young, the very old, lower-income and minority residents, and people with disabilities and/or limited mobility.

Children in day care, those without cars who rely on public transportation, people living in shelters, seniors in assisted living facilities and nursing homes, patients in hospitals and other institutionalized populations living near Indian Point are virtually ignored by evacuation planning, Clearwater’s research found. Largely lower-income and minority residents, in the event of a serious accident at the plant, they would lack access to transportation, potassium iodide or even adequate provision to shelter in place.   The NRC has failed to recognize the disproportionate impacts a serious accident at Indian Point would have on them, failed to look for ways to reduce these impacts, and failed to assess the plant’s environmental impact statement with respect to them.  This shows a complete disregard for low-income, minority, disabled and institutionalized populations living near the plant, violating principles of environmental justice and procedures under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for identifying and addressing environmental justice concerns.  “These failures mean that the relicensing of Indian Point cannot proceed,” said Richard Webster of Public Justice, a Washington DC-based public interest law firm, who is serving as a consultant to Clearwater.

More current information and resources on Indian Point’s environmental justice impacts, along with other vital safety, health and environmental considerations that the NRC excluded from consideration in the relicensing process, are posted at  http://www.clearwater.org/ea/power-plants-energy/indian-point-campaign/.   As former NRC commissioner Victor Gilinski wrote in The New York Times December 17,

“A severe accident at Indian Point…is a remote but real possibility. We’ve had two severe accidents with large releases of radioactivity in the past…. We now know that radioactive material in the melted fuel can escape to contaminate a very large area for decades or more. It

doesn’t make sense to allow such a threat to persist a half-hour’s drive from our nation’s largest city.”

WHO:  Here are some of the experts and residents who can speak about the environmental justice impacts of Indian Point and some of the particular threats it poses to low-income, minority, institutionalized and transportation-dependent populations living near the plant:

• Manna Jo Greene – Environmental Director, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, who conducted extensive research on the disproportionate negative impacts of Indian Point on environmental justice populations living near the plant.
• Richard Webster –  Attorney with the Environmental Enforcement Project of the DC-based consulting firm Public Justice, who is serving as a consultant to Clearwater.
• Aaron Mair – founder and executive director of Arbor Hill Environmental Justice Corporation, longtime leader in the environmental justice movement and native of Peekskill.   
• Michael Edelstein — Professor of environmental psychology at New Jersey’s Ramapo College.
• Stephen Filler – Attorney and Board member, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater.

WHERE AND WHEN:  Clearwater’s written testimony will be complete and filed with the NRC’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board on December 22, and at that time made available to the media and the public.   The above sources live locally and are available for interviews on request.

To request a copy of the written testimony or interviews with residents and experts about environmental justice impacts of Indian Point, contact Stephen Kent, skent@kentcom.com 914-589-5988.

Editor’s Note: Through the winter months, Clearwater educators – eager to teach, and learn! -  will post an Educator Blog [...]]]> By Tom O’Dowd, Onboard Education Specialist and “sylvan educator”

Natural History: In about 1866, artist and naturalist (and Poughkeepsie resident) Benson J. Lossing and crew (sometimes just his wife) travelled by horse-drawn carriage and then by foot up the Hudson River and back down again, looking for the heart and soul of the Adirondacks. His descriptions (and woodblock prints) give us a picture of the headwaters of the Hudson River–when the population of New York City was only 300,000! Lossing wrote:

“These mountain and lake districts, which form the wilderness of norther New York, give to the tourist most exquisite sensations, and the physical system appears to take in health at every pore. Invalids go in with hardly strength enough to reach some quiet log-house in a clearing, and come out with strong quick pulse and elastic muscles…No wild country in the world can offer more solid attractions to those who desire to spend a few weeks of leisure away from the haunts of men. Pure air and water, and game in abundance, may there be found, while in all that region not a venomous reptile or poisonous plant may be seen [he apparently missed the timber rattlesnakes around Lake George], and the beasts of prey are too few and shy to cause the least alarm to the most timid. The climate is delightful, and there are fertile valleys among those rugged hills that will yet smile beauty under the cultivator’s hand. It has been called by the uninformed the ‘Siberia of New York;’ it may more properly be called the ‘Switzerland of the United States.’” Benson J. Lossing. The Hudson: From the Wilderness to the Sea. 1866. p.44 (Foreword by Pete Seeger!).

Crotalus horridus (Timber rattlesnake). Photo credit: Wikipedia

Cultural History: The Adirondacks have lots of trees. How humans have used these trees has evolved over time. In Lumberjacks and Rivermen in the Central Adirondacks 1850-1950 Harold K. Hochschild talks about the evolution of the conservation ethic here:

“When white men first entered the American wilderness, Europe, and before it, Asia, they learned from bitter experience the cost to their civilizations of ravaged forests. The Native American pioneer thought of the woods, and of what grew and lived in them, only in terms of his own survival, but their were far-sighted conservationists…”

…such as the Earl of Bellmont, colonial governor of New York from 1698 to 1701, who “tried to limit the cutting of big pines for masts for sailing ships.” (Eastern white pines once reached heights of 200 feet and diameters of 6 feet!). ”In trying to effect a compromise between silviculture and the sawmill, Lord Bellomont was moving, far ahead of his time, toward what is now called selective logging” (p. 7). (Incidentally, this Governor probably played a big role in the story of Captain Kidd –hiring him as a “privateer” until he was deemed a pirate. Then he had him caught and sent to England, where he was hanged! He also doled out first peoples’ lands with abandon. Not a crunchy environmentalist!).

A woody view from Whiteface Mountain. Photo credit: Wikipedia

Alas, any colonial spirit of conservation went out the door with the Revolution for Independence and eventually the Industrial Revolution. Early American loggers left young trees standing because there were so many large (probably old-growth) trees to cut but later experienced sparser forests and greater demand: “The Adirondack forests supplied the demands of New York’s industry during a period of enormous expansion. Between 1840 and 1890 the state’s sawmills consumed the growth of centuries” (Hochchild p. 7).

A plan for conserving Adirondack forests materialized just before they were totally annihilated. What is now Article XIV of the New York State constitution was spurred on by Verplanck Colvin (the surveyor famous for coining the name “Lake Tear of the Clouds”) and states that

The lands of the state, now owned or hereafter acquired, constituting the forest preserve as now fixed by law, shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corporation, public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, removed or destroyed.

“It was conceived in time to save New York’s private timber resources from complete exhaustion by the demands for lumber, wood pulp and – still by far the largest of the uses of timber – firewood” (Hochchild p. 8).

Environmental Issues: The Adirondacks have been the sources of other natural resources besides trees. Iron and garnet mines were very important in this area. In fact, garnet - the material found on most sandpapers and skateboards – was so important in New York state history that it became our state gem. Another state emblem is the Brook Trout, our state fish. Brook Trout were once common throughout the Hudson River watershed, but have experienced severe habitat destruction and competition with non-native species. The forest clear-cutting discussed above hurt the Brown Trout by day-lighting and thus warming their home waters. Dams cut off their migration routes and fild rivers with silt. Raised temperatures, increased siltation, and pollution all reduced dissolved oxygen levels (and trout need a lot of oxygen). Introduction of smallmouth bass, perch, and other trout species cut off their food supply.

Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis): the state fish of New York! Credit: NYSDEC

These days, the DEC is working to restore Adirondacks lakes and streams to their native glory. You can help: never move fish! That would be considered “stocking”, and that’s the DEC’s job! Also, using live baitfish risks populating a waterbody with escaped baitfish. Don’t use live bait! Other things to consider: getting a fishing license helps pay for conservation work, and you might consider checking out conservation groups like Trout Unlimited (although they might not take a strong enough stance on hydrofracking for my tastes…).

Final thoughts: What’s fascinating is how dependent fish are on trees. I just “attended” a fantastic Hudson River Foundation webinar called “Are Hudson River Fish Made of Trees?” (find the PowerPoint presentation here). The answer is “yes!” Trees become part of the Hudson River food chain as they lose leaves, drop branches, or die, because bacteria break these plant parts into tasty morsels for fish or their prey. Dead plants flowing in from the Hudson River watershed actually provide more carbon for the system than green plants in the river itself! Protect the watershed = protect the river! This is why some of Clearwater’s green infrastructure

Incidentally, logging has returned to the Adirondacks – not for purely economic purposes, but rather as a conservation method!  Read this nytimes article for more info!

Every year hundreds of students sail aboard Clearwater and the Mystic Whaler. Many of them share their thoughts, poems, drawings and new found knowledge with us afterwards. We LOVE receiving notes from students about their experiences and wanted to [...]]]>

Every year hundreds of students sail aboard Clearwater and the Mystic Whaler. Many of them share their thoughts, poems, drawings and new found knowledge with us afterwards. We LOVE receiving notes from students about their experiences and wanted to share some of the best of 2011 with everyone.

Tug Of War

Mrs. Wallace’s and Mrs.Slafani’s class were at Yonkers Pier. We were supposed to sail the Clearwater, but we couldn’t because the wind was striking as fast as lightning.

“Switch!” yelled Jocelyn.  My group, King of the Seas, was at the geology station. It was just about time to switch stations. Our next station was Tug of War, and our leader at the station was Chelsea. The station was based on pulleys. “Alright everybody, who is feeling strong today?” she asked. Max and I raised our hands. “You two get on this side of the rope. Now you four get on the other side of the rope,” said Chelsea. “Four verses two, they are surely to win,” I thought. “When I count to three and say pull, you tug on the rope. Ready 1……2…….3……….pull!!” We pulled as hard as our hands can pull. The rope was scratching against my hands, but I kept on pulling. We were pulling really hard. And…………….WE WON!!! 

 I was surprised to know that we won. “Guys good job!” yelled our leader. So you want to know why this team beat the other team?” asked Chelsea.  “YES!” we all screamed loudly. “So does anybody know why they won?” We all began to the think at once. Then I got it. “I think we won because we had a help of a simple machine, the pulley,and they didn’t.” She said, “Yes you are right since there are five ropes coming out, you two had the strength of ten people because 2.5=10.” “Ooo…” we all cooed. 

“Alright everybody time to switch,” said Jocelyn. “Just in time to finish,” said Chelsea.

From the Clearwater Sloop field trip, I learned:

• They scrub the decks with salt water
• Just because the water looks dirty doesn’t mean it is dirty
• Pulling the line to raise the sails is not easy
• Pulleys are a great help to raise the sails
• One small creature called the zebra mussels can ruin the whole river.

     I would really like if we would be able to go back on the Clearwater         because we could catch fish, steer the sloop, haul up the sails, and MOSTLY………..sail the Clearwater!

Clearwater Reflection

It was an ordinary morning in Main Street School.  We had math, reading, writing, and social studies. But the afternoon wasn’t ordinary at all; we were going to the Clearwater sloop. Once we got there it was very windy, which I thought meant that we would sail very fast. But the wind was so fast we couldn’t sail. We still had a great time aboard the Clearwater, even on the dock. When we got to the dock we chose our group name and found out our group leader. My group’s name was the “Blue Crabs”, and our leaders name was Irene.

The first time I saw the Clearwater I was amazed, it was enormous. It seemed even longer than 106 feet. It also seemed even taller than 108 feet. On the Clearwater we visited many great stations or areas. One of our first stations was going below deck and seeing the boson’s cabin and the engine room.  Did you know that the Clearwater still has its original engine? I sure didn’t. Soon after that station we got to man the tiller. It probably weighed 1,000 pounds!  After that, we heard how the Palisades were made and that under our feet was lava. Then, we tried to raise the 3,000-pound sail. Nobody could do it by themselves but together our group could raise the sail. After that we played tug-of-war. Which we later found out it was completely rigged! Then we sang a few songs and had a moment of silence.

After all of that we got see the living area for the crew. I was truly amazed that so many people could sleep in one small room. Then we saw a fish called a Hogchoker. It felt like jello on one side, and it was very scaly on the other side. It even had two eyes on one side! It also had a crazy camouflage.  When Irene tried to flip it over, it flipped over the tray. We were all laughing and screaming until it was put back onto the tray.  Then we went to paint pumpkins. After that we went to measure the dissolved oxygen level in the Hudson. It was 11 parts per million.

After it is all said and done, even though we didn’t get to sail on the Clearwater, and never even left the dock, it was still a great field trip. We got to see all of the parts of the boat raise the sail, learn about the Hudson and Pete Seeger and even see a fish flip like crazy. So in other words, I would do it again in a heartbeat. I’d have to say that my favorite part of the trip was seeing the fish do all those crazy flips. I mean when do you get to see a fish do so many flips when it is out of the water, and stay on a boat that you learned about in school. Not very often.

Clearwater Reflection

Wow! What a day, I said to Annalise who was sitting next to me on the bus.

I got up out of bed at 7:00am, and that’s early for me but it was worth it we were going on the fames boat that started envermentle laws…..THE CLEARWATER! I got to school in 4 lairs of       clothes and was sweating, but I wasn’t alone. My whole class was just as prepared as me! It started out as a normal day in class tough we had math, snack, reading, writing and then lunch in the class room so not absolutely normal. “The bus is here” We all lined up and while I was still hesitating to bring my book are not, I ended up not. I sat next to, Arielle, and Annalise, on the bus.

Were here! I was so excited, Mrs. Sclafani class got out of the bus first while Mrs. Wallace went to tell the crew we were here. We had to sit on the concrete wall and wait for a minute for Mrs. Wallace {it was really windy]. When Mrs. Wallace came back she said that we were not going to sail because it was too windy. That really made me upset, than a lady came out from the docks, her name was Joslyn. She said that we were going to have a lot of fun today even tough will not be sailing. We were paired up with groups after Joslyn’s speech. My group leader was named, Kasey. There were five people in my group including me. We had to come up with group names, and it all came down to the purple umbrellas!!! I didn’t approve of it but it was ok.

We got on the ship one at a time and I was last to get on. The first thing we did was roam around the ship for a little while, and then we started to gather around and sing” What do you do with a drunken sailor?” After that we started stations, the first station the purple umbrellas were at was “Life”. What we did there was look at fish they caught from the seining net. If we had sailed we would look at fish we caught. The fish they caught were a Hogchoker, silver side and a tiny crab.  At first we didn’t know what type of fish the silver side was so we had to look at a book to identify fish and yes it was a silver side! At the time we were done identifying the silver side it was time to switch stations. After that we went to the station were you color a small pumpkin that was very fun I made a face on my pumpkin and gave it teeth! The next station we went to was “chemistry”. We did a chlorophyll test and a salinity test. The water was mostly brackish. The next station we went to was called “Rocks”. That is where we mostly learned about how the Palisade Mountains were formed. But my group had to stop because we were talking too much and being silly {I don’t think Dylan and I were doing anything}. And last but not lest was “tug a war”.  The team on the right side always won! Then she finally told us why…… It was a pulley! A pulleys job is to raise the sail so it only pulls one way! Now it was time to leave the famous Clear Water the ship that stated enviermental laws but it was time. I had a lot of fun. I said good bye to my group leader Kasey as bus came. Mrs. Wallace did a head count then we went on the bus. I sat down next to Arielle and Annalise on the bus.

Clearwater

The Clearwater trip was so much fun. I was sad when we had to go home. All the stations were fun and cool to learn about at the same time. We got to do chemistry tests and we even learned how the Palisades cliffs were formed. It was definitely the best field trip ever. I wish we did it every year.

I can’t wait, I thought in my mind, as we got to meet the first mate. The first mate was talking about how the Palisades were made. He handed all of the people in my group a rock. Then he said that there are three different types of rocks. The first mate told us that there was a huge ocean, miles and miles deep of magma. Then he picked two people in our group to be magma. He said the people that were magma were supposed to be very hot and go through all of the other rocks which were the rest of the group and me. Then he explained that the magma went into the other rocks and then all of the rocks were very small. Over the years the water from the Hudson River washed all of the other rocks away to make what we now call the Palisades.

“Ok,” said Chelsea, our next station director, “we are going to play tug of war,” sounds really fun I thought. The first round we played two people verse four people. We played and played but it seemed that only one of the sides was always winning. About five rounds had passed and all of us were getting very tired.  One minute after, I thought I was about to die from exhaustion. Chelsea said that the rope was impossible to pull on one side and only one of the sides could win anyway.

Next we went to the fish station. We looked at all different types of fish but our director only took out one of the fish. It was called a hogchoker. It was flat and really well camouflaged with the sand. Everyone got to touch the hogchoker, which was very slimy, we tried to flip it over so we could see what its stomach looked like. Its stomach looked like white leopard skin, we put it back in the tank where it slowly fell to the sandy bottom and we could barely see it.

At the science testing station, we tested the dissolved oxygen which was ten grams per million. We also did a salinity and turbidity test; these tests were the best station of all. Everyone got to participate in the great and fun experience. The science station was our last station after all of the stations we waved goodbye and left with great memories.

Editor’s Note: Through the winter months, Clearwater educators – eager to teach, and learn! -  will post an Educator Blog covering the Hudson River from Lake Tear of the Clouds to the NYC Battery. Dividing the river into 15 to 20-mile-long stretches, we will cover the entire river by the time we’re sailing again in April. Our [...]]]> By Maija Niemisto

Editor’s Note: Through the winter months, Clearwater educators – eager to teach, and learn! -  will post an Educator Blog covering the Hudson River from Lake Tear of the Clouds to the NYC Battery. Dividing the river into 15 to 20-mile-long stretches, we will cover the entire river by the time we’re sailing again in April. Our tri-fold focus will cover Cultural History, Natural History, and Environmental Issues, and will include factoids and ponderables to stimulate the minds of even the most seasoned river lovers!

Natural History: This stretch of the Hudson from river mile 285 to 300 is a breathtakingly beautiful length of river that cuts past the abandoned Tahawus Iron Mine and then flows south through Sanford Lake, Harris Lake, and Rich Lake before meeting the Indian River and cutting to the east to form the Hudson Gorge and boarder between Essex and Hamilton Counties. The lakes provide moments of calm for the river surrounding the town of Newcomb. As the Hudson passes this mountain village, it becomes a winding white rush of cold water attractive to rafters and hikers as a spot to begin excursions down toward the Hudson Gorge, featuring a stunning rock face cliff of over 1,800 feet above the water.

Topographical Map Of Hudson River Gorge

In 1879 , Canadian artist, Homer Ransford Watson was inspired by the Hudson River School Painters and traveled to the Adirondack peaks to paint. This is the dramatic, if slightly exagerated, Hudson River Gorge.

Homer Ransford Watson's "A Coming Storm in the Adirondacks"

Cultural History:  Taking their name from the European mispronunciation of an Algonquin word for Mount Marcy, The Tahawus Iron and Steel Company began mining on this narrow bend of the Hudson River in 1826. Tahawus is translated as “cloud-splitter” or “sky piercer”, which hints at the majesty of mountain peaks surrounding the mine site. Operations ceased in 1857 due to titanium impurities in the iron ore that could not be removed with onsite technology.

Tahawus Iron Company Blast Mine. Photo by Margaret Bourke-White

The blast furnaces, forges, stamp mills, gist mills, machine shops and powder houses lay dormant until WWII when titanium became a desired commodity. The Open Space Institute began a conservation project on the abandoned mine site, dubbed the Tahawus Tract, and by 2006 had demolished and cleaned all but one remaining structure. The only existing building now is the cottage where Theodore Roosevelt stayed on his voyage to assume his presidency after the assassination of William McKinley in 1901.

Environmental Issues: There are many environmental challenges to the delicate high peaks region through which the Hudson flows on the beginning of its journey to the Atlanitc Ocean. Perhaps the most difficult to protect against are the affects of global climate change. When teaching about climate change onboard Clearwater, we often use the North Pole as an example of where warming temperatures and ice melting is having negative affects on the local and global ecosystem, but even between River Miles 285 to 300 on the Hudson, rising temperatures are changing the climatic variations.

Historically, fall comes earlier and spring comes later to the Adirondacks than anywhere else in New York. The deep freezes that lay the Hudson under feet of ice and snow are essential to the northern wildlife species that live there. Already populations of spruce grouse are declining and pests such as mountain pine beetle and black-legged tick are on the rise due to warmer winters. A recent publication by Jerry Jenkins, “Climate Change in the Adirondacks” provides communities with a path towards sustainability. Jenkins predicts that even with a decrease of our individual and societal use of fossil fuels, the future snow cover in the high peaks region will decline dramatically.

It’s up to each of us to protect the Hudson River from her headwaters to the Atlantic Ocean. We must reduce our carbon emissions to preserve the delicate–and beautiful–high peaks region!