Moving on up the Hudson

We left Half Moon Bay this morning at 8 and the current was in our favor.  We arrived at Mariners on the Hudson around noon under cloudy conditions, but had pleasant and smooth water.  Tonight we are tied to a floating dock at Mariner's Restaurant on the Hudson.  Dock is free if we eat dinner at the restaurant. The brochure did not mention the train track that is right next to the restaurant.  Very Loud!

Docked at Mariner's on the Hudson, King securing the boat.

Blue Moon from the restaurant.

Dinner on the Hudson, what a wonderful location.

Tappan Zee Bridge, beautiful at night.
The Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe called "Tappan" and zee being the Dutch word for sea.

We passed by West Point, a very impressive site.  I read a little history of The Point.  General George Washington considered the site to be the most important strategic location in the country. Continental soldiers built forts, batteries and redoubts and strung a 150 foot very large chain across the Hudson. If the English tried to sail down the Hudson, the chain would wrap around the keel and sink their boat. Several soldiers and legislators, including Washington, Knox, Hamilton and John Adams, desiring to eliminate America's wartime reliance on foreign engineers and artillerists, urged the creation of an institution devoted to the arts and sciences of warfare.

About 90 miles north of New York City is Bannerman's Castle.  Francis Bannerman came to the U.S. as a child, purchased this island in 1900 and built a castle that was like those in his homeland of Scotland.  The island stored munitions for the Revolutionary military. Most of the building was devoted to the stores of army surplus but Bannerman built the castle as a giant advertisement for his business.  On the side of the castle facing the western bank, see the sign that says Bannerman's Island Arsenal.

We saw a pretty turquoise tug,

beautiful and big homes,

industry,

and a sloop. 

We later found out that this sloop was owned by the late folk singer, Pete Seeger.  Seeger and several friends had a vision to build a replica of the sloops that sailed the Hudson in the 18th and 19th centuries.  Today the sloop is used to raise environmental awareness and provide education about the area.