Dear Clearwater Community,

We wanted to personally share what happened aboard Clearwater during the Sail4th 250 Parade of Sail on Saturday, July 4, and to thank you for the incredible support you’ve shown us over the past several days.

Clearwater was invited to participate in Sail4th 250, joining the Class B Tall Ships Parade on July 3 and returning on July 4 as the designated escort vessel for the Portuguese tall ship NRP Sagres during the Parade of Sail.

For more than 55 years, Clearwater has used its sails to carry messages of environmental stewardship, peace, and hope. The sloop participated in Operation Sail 1976 during the nation’s Bicentennial celebration and returned for Operation Sail 1986 during the rededication of the Statue of Liberty. During the 1986 parade, Clearwater displayed banners reading “Peace on Earth, And Sea, and Sky” and another expressing solidarity with the Rainbow Warrior after it was bombed and sunk in Auckland Harbor. Raising awareness has been as much a part of Clearwater’s history as raising the sails. This year, during the July 4th Parade of Sail, Clearwater displayed banners reading, “Save the Clean Water Act” and “Indigenous Rights, Racial Justice, Climate Solutions.”

Over an hour into the parade, two U.S. Coast Guard vessels came alongside and instructed us to leave the parade route and exit the security zone. At first, we believed there had been a misunderstanding. Captain Rory Kane spoke directly with Coast Guard personnel from vessel to vessel to ask the reason for our removal. He was informed Clearwater was being removed because of our banners.

We were never offered the opportunity to remove the banners and continue participating in the parade. Instead, we were escorted south of the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.

While we strongly disagreed with the decision, our responsibility was clear. The safety of the 29 passengers, 19 crew members and volunteers came first, as always. We complied with the Coast Guard’s directions, and then we did what Clearwater has always done. We sang. We talked about the Hudson River. We hauled our seine net and taught about the fish of New York Harbor. Even from Gravesend Bay, the day remained true to our mission and values.

We have not received an explanation directly from event organizers. Neither the participation agreement nor the Captain’s Handbook prohibited these banners, and we were never given the option to remove them and continue participating.

Since 1969, we have raised our sails in support of clean water, environmental stewardship, and a more just world. We do not see those values as political; we see them as fundamental.

The events of this past week only reinforced why our work matters. Extreme heat placed tremendous strain on the electrical grid and wastewater infrastructure, causing a major sewage release into the Hudson River. Clean water protections are not abstract policy debates; they affect the health of our rivers, our communities, and future generations.

Since Saturday, we have heard from longtime members, first-time supporters, fellow mariners, environmental organizations, musicians, elected officials, and those who learned of Clearwater through this news. Your messages of encouragement, your generosity, and your belief in our mission are deeply appreciated.

Our efforts are rooted in education about the Hudson River and the realities of a changing climate. Rising temperatures, aging water infrastructure, and more frequent extreme weather are all putting increasing pressure on water quality and coastal ecosystems. Clearwater helps people see these changes directly through hands-on education on the river, sailing programs, and public engagement.

Clearwater’s work is only possible with the continued support of the community. We invite you to become a member, make a gift, volunteer, or join us for a sail, concert, or program. Your support ensures that Clearwater can continue educating, inspiring, and advocating for years to come.

Thank you for standing with us, for believing in this mission, and for helping keep Clearwater sailing.

With gratitude,

David Toman
Executive Director

Rory Kane
Captain, Clearwater

About Hudson River Sloop Clearwater:
In 1966, folk singer Pete Seeger and a group of activists decided to “build a boat to save the river,” envisioning that a sloop would bring people to the shoreline and inspire a movement to protect the Hudson River. Three years later, Clearwater set sail with a mission to save the Hudson through education, advocacy, and sailing. Today, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater remains resolute in this mission, and to date, more than half a million people have had the life-changing experience of sailing aboard the Clearwater. Learn more: https://www.clearwater.org/