Northeast Wild

  ...a work in progress... please come back... HUDSON RIVER : Sep 16, 2015 - HUDSON RIVER from Champlain Canal Lock 1 (gate open 7am-4:30pm today). On the subject of seals: there has been a seal hanging out above & below Lock 1 for most of the summer - unfortunately I did not see it today. Paddled upstream on E shore, saw gb & green herons & wood ducks in the Deep Kill; osprey - turned around short of Lock 2 & returned on W shore, saw osprey, short stop at Lighthouse Park dock. Light development. 2 hours.  Sep 15, 2015 - HUDSON RIVER from Battery Park boat launch at the S end of First St in Waterford. The curious-looking Lehigh Valley Railroad Barge was still moored here after this past weekend's Tugboat Roundup. The Onrust. Headed upriver to the islands below Champlain Canal Lock 1 staying R & going counter-clockwise to avoid shallows. An osprey hit the water, a deer on one of the smaller islands & a bald eagle high up in a dead tree. Nice sunset color...

  Hiking & Paddling: The 10-Plus Essentials The list of “10 Essentials” has been a fixture in hiking circles for close to a hundred years and its time-tested formula can also be applied to paddling. My own observations in the field and the weekly ranger reports make me believe that many folks do not adhere to these suggestions or are just unaware of them.  I have 50 years of regular experience in outdoor recreation, much of it in the Adirondacks, and in all 4 seasons. I enjoy both hiking and paddling and sometimes combine both activities in the same day. Guided by the list of essentials as seen on the NYSDEC website and keeping in mind that autumn brings us shorter days and lower temperatures, I will discuss each item on this list as it applies to day trips and add some of my thoughts and opinions.   Navigation – Nothing beats the good old map and compass – no batteries needed. The 7.5-minute series of USGS maps have the most detail and are available for the whol...