Paddling in Constitution Marsh

Last weekend I had to head up to Albany to help my mother-in-law move. Luckily, though, she didn't need too much help, leaving me with a bit of time and some beautiful weather to do some paddling. Where to go? I decided to head to Cold Spring and the Constitution Marsh.

Since paddling here about a year ago, I have considered this marsh and portion of the Hudson to be one of the most beautiful stretches of water I have ever been on. Indeed, whenever anyone asks me what my favorite place in my book is, I tell them about this spot. So, it was with lofty expectations that I returned to the put-in at the Cold Spring Train Station. And, after only a few paddle strokes on the Hudson, all of these expectations were realized. This really is an amazing spot to paddle.

From the train station, the entrance to Constitution Marsh is only a short paddle to the southeast. Once in the marsh, it is easily possible to spend an entire day exploring the dozens of channels and passageways that wind throughout. Anyone looking for a more direct route can simply follow the white buoys marking the "Trail".

I had spent a lot of time in the marsh last time I was here, so I followed the buoys to the train trestle at the marsh's southern end to gain access to the Hudson. Unfortunately, the tide was still quite high, leaving little room underneath the bridge for a boat to pass. With just a short portage over the tracks, however, I was back on the Hudson. This picture shows the view looking south down the Hudson. Look closely and you can see the Bear Mountain Bridge. The scene is absolutely beautiful!


Unfortunately, I did not have enough time to head further south. So, I turned north to paddle around Constitution Island. This is where something happened to me that has never happened before... I was shot at! Well, OK, I am exaggerating a bit. You see, there was a Revolutionary War re-enactment happening on the island involving some small sailing ships and a cannon on shore. I wisely paddled wide around the sailboats and their musket fire. But, this left me dangerously close to the cannon on shore. Even though I knew it was only a re-enactment, a part of my brain screamed warnings whenever the cannon boomed. Top that with the cries of one soldier telling his fellow soldiers to aim, "at the kayaker!" and my irrational fears grew. Needless to say I dug deep and paddled around the island as quickly as I could.


Skirting around Constitution Island brought me past West Point, heading north on the Hudson. The view in this direction is just as stunning as the one to the south. By this time, though, I was running really short on time so had to head straight back to the put-in on the right river bank.

I wish I had more time to spend paddling here. It really is an amazing place to check out. Hudson Valley Outfitters runs boat rentals here if you want to experience it for yourself. Trust me... you won't be disappointed.

Check out Canoeing and Kayaking New York for more information on paddling here, including directions, maps, GPS coordinates, etc.

Two New Laws for Paddlers

In case you haven't heard, New York State has just passed two new laws that paddlers should be aware of.

Here's the first:

Beginning November 1, 2009, Section 40, Subdivision 1 of the Navigation Law shall be amended by adding new paragraph (e), which reads as follows:

No owner or operator of a pleasure vessel less than twenty-one feet, including rowboats, canoes, and kayaks shall permit its operation, between November first and May first, unless each person on board such vessel is wearing a securely fastened United States Coast Guard approved wearable personal flotation device of an appropriate size when such vessel is underway.

And the second:

Beginning October 1, 2009, persons 16 years of age and older need to acquire a recreational marine fishing license if they are:

• fishing in the Marine and Coastal District or
• fishing any water (such as the Hudson River, Delaware River, or Mohawk River and their tributaries) where the angler is fishing for "migratory fish from the sea" (such as striped bass, American shad, hickory shad, blueback herring, alewife).

The Marine and Coastal District includes all the waters of the Atlantic Ocean within three nautical miles from the coast ands all other tidal waters within the state, including the Hudson River up to the Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge.

These licenses can be purchased from the DEC's website starting Oct. 1st.