Explore the Metropolis with a Paddle
It’s hard to imagine that you can actually canoe or kayak in the waters surrounding NYC isn’t it? Just hang over the railings lining the Hudson or East Rivers and you’ll quickly get the impression that the swiftly moving currents are laced with toxins, sewage effulgence, or are at the very least extremely brackish. What you might not know is this condition is slowly turning around thanks to groups like Going Coastal, Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club as well as New York’s Department of Parks and Recreation. For years, urban paddlers have plied Queens marshlands, the Hudson River’s waterfront all the way from Clinton down to Tribeca, as well as Brooklyn’s on again off again fetid Gowanus Canal all under the radar and sometimes illegally. Starting this spring, water enthusiasts won’t have to be so clandestine now that the New York City Water Trail, 28 newly restored small boat ramps along the shorelines of all five boroughs, will open to the public. Spring is the perfect time to try this out before summer’s humidity sets in. You’ll need to purchase a $15 annual launch permit to use the ramps, which are open from April 1 to Dec. 1, dawn to dusk. If you’re not up for strapping a kayak/canoe on your car and battling NYC traffic looking for these launches, outfitters such as New York Kayak Club and Manhattan Kayak Company offer ready made tours. Just bring yourself and be prepared for some of the best views skyline views imaginable!
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