|
By Nancy Bruning
Sometimes, in summer, nothing beats a visit to the waterfront. Sometimes, looking at it isn’t enough--you actually need to be on the water. You can forget how close you are to the water on this skinny northern tip of Manhattan Island. A trip to the Inwood Canoe Club (ICC), just south of Dyckman Marina along the Hudson River, might be just the reminder you need.
Every Sunday morning from 10 am to 12 noon, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, the ICC membership club throws open its doors to non-members. On a recent sizzling Sunday morning, my friends Tina and Paul and I were among the 30 so who made the required left turn at the chain link fence, walked down the gravel service road for about 200 feet and entered another world.
Welcome to the Inwood Canoe Club!
All you do is sign a waiver, pay $4 that covers insurance for the day, attest to your ability to swim, and you’re in. Next, you get a life vest, zip and buckle yourself up, and stand on the dock watching a live demo of how to paddle, turn, stop, go backwards, and what to do when a power boat makes waves.
You’re assigned to be in a “wave” of 10-15 people who go out onto the river as a group. You clamber, crawl, and sometimes slither into your kayak—the most challenging part of the whole experience. (Other than the club’s one canoe, which is owned by a member, the fleet is all colorful kayaks.) Once everyone has settled in and all assigned vessels are in the water, off you go!
Although I’ve kayaked before—a couple of times on the Hudson--it’s always a thrill. Sensibly, we paddled towards the George Washington Bridge against the strong current on the way out; the wind and current were at our backs on the way in when, theoretically, we were less energetic. Unlike other opportunities to kayak in the Hudson, this facility doesn’t rope you in to a confined area, but the green-capped Canoe Club leaders function as wranglers to make sure you stay safe and close to shore.
Since I hadn’t paddled in two years, it took me a while to get into the rhythm, but once I did, it was tons of fun. Gliding along, pulling with my arms, shoulders, back, and core muscles feeling my whole body reaching and working strong… for a moment, I got an inkling of how the 5 Olympians who trained there between 1936 – 1986 might have felt. Once I learned that the annoying black straps on either side of my legs were supposed go around them, I definitely felt more at one with the boat. And of course, the inevitable salty splash found my face to remind me that down here, the Hudson is actually a tidal estuary where river and sea water combine.
It was awe-inspiring to be out on the water, with a fabulous view of the GW Bridge in one direction and the endless blue sky, green trees, and ribbon of river in the other. But all too soon, it was time to turn around and glide back. Each “wave” enjoys about 20 minutes of actual paddling, and then returns to the dock to allow time for the next wave to have its turn. Space permitting, you can be part of more than one wave.
Founded in 1902, the Inwood Canoe Club is the oldest canoe and kayak club in Manhattan.
On a stretch of shoreline that was once graced by a number of boating clubs, the ICC is the last to survive. During my visit, I spoke with Kevin McKeon, the club secretary. He told me that families with children are welcome, but minors must be in a double boat with a parent. “We usually take about 3-5 new members at the end of a season, if we see that they have volunteered to help maintain the boat house and area surrounding it.”
Happily, the club closed for only one Sunday after the four-alarm fire that ripped through the North River Wastewater Treatment plant in Harlem on July 20th. The fire led to the dumping of raw sewage into the water and an advisory not to go on or in the Hudson River.
McKeon said after the re-opening, “We were wondering what the impact would be on attendance, but last Sunday, 49 people showed up—and it was a mixture of repeaters and new people.” This accident reminds us how fragile and yet how resilient our waterways are—and how precious and interconnected is all of nature.
For more info: 212-463-7740 or http://www.inwoodcanoeclub.com.
Nancy Bruning has a master’s degree in public health, is a certified personal trainer, and is the author or co-author of over 25 books on health and fitness. She also is the Chair of the Friends Committee of the Fort Tryon Part Trust and leads outdoor fitness experiences and weight loss workshops. Visit Nancy’s web site at www.NancyBruning.net, hear her at www.blogtalkradio.com/Nancercize, or email her at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
|
