Chasing Henry Hudson’s Half Moon

Our usual Sunday row was made a bit more interesting by the departure of a replica of Henry Hudson’s ship, the Half Moon. It was scheduled to leave the Piermont pier at 8 A.M., and I figured that we could get into the water at 7:30, and have time to row out and give the Half Moon an escort up to the Tappan Zee Bridge. The boat’s captain was probably using his 17th century watch, because the ship started up the Hudson at 7:20, and by the time we got to mid-river, it was halfway to the bridge.

Now, I don’t want to brag, but a rowing shell has to be faster than the Half Moon, so I can only guess that the captain fired up his definitely non-authentic motor to get the boat upriver. As it was, it reached the bridge before we got close, and we had to turn around. At any rate, it was a beautiful morning on the Hudson, and we got to share it with the kind of boat you just don’t see any more.

My rowing partner Rob Norden (he’s the handsome devil on the left in the photo, and owner of the Old ’76 House restaurant in Tappan) and I are members of the Piermont Rowing Club. That’s one of the great things about living in this part of New York: you live in an area rich in history where wonderful towns and villages are so close to the Hudson River.

Thano Schoppel, Licensed Real Estate Salesperson