Today’s commissioning ceremony marked the start of the 125th season of Horseshoe Harbor Yacht Club (or, in our book, the shmanciest kayak storage around).
HHYC commissioning – Broadband
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Organized in 1888, HHYC is one of the oldest (and most laid-back) yacht clubs in the U.S. You can see historical pics of the club here, courtesy of the Larchmont Historical Society, and some of the very latest, below.
We skipped the champagne (well, for the most part, ahem) and celebrated by jumping into our yachts and paddling across the Sound to Execution Rocks lighthouse.
Some say it’s haunted. Ooohh! Maybe that’s why the wind swung around from the SSE and blew us back in record time… Video here is en route only—we were too busy surfing whitecaps on the return (both hands required).
Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.
—Doug Larson
April 13. No sunny skies, no cherry blossoms, water still in the low 40s and us still in drysuits. Compared to this time last year, signs of spring are subtle. We can see them—we just have to look a little harder. Here’s a photo diary of our City Island “circumnav” and brunch (at Sugar & Spice, of course), with Rick, Andrew, Jean and Alex.
This week’s travel theme is about the power of pallid. These photos are from a magical summer afternoon in June 2012, paddling near Edisto Island, South Carolina (aka, Heaven).
We launched from Cherry Point Landing (Wadmalaw) and headed for Deveaux Bird Sanctuary,
an “Important Bird Area” at the mouth of the North Edisto River.
Just us, the dolphins, seabirds, and Lord Willin.
Our plans changed due to weather and wind. We decided to visit serene, uninhabited (by people) Botany Bay, a 4687-acre wildlife preserve located on Edisto Island. It’s managed by the Department of Natural Resources as part of the agency’s Wildlife Management Area Program.
Another marvel—the tracks of a sea turtle, heading back to the ocean.
On Saturday we joined kayaking pals for an early morning out ‘n back to Milton Harbor and got some astonishing news from our friend who works for the state of New York.
He told us he can’t read our blog (at the office, anyway) because New York state considers 2geeks@3knots to be…obscene.
No joke. He types in the URL and up comes this big wall or something, sirens go off, ah-OOO-gah! Lights flash,ACCESS DENIED/INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT.
Now, what could possibly be triggering this censor?
Our best guess: knots. Or perhaps, all this talk of paddling? Tie-downs? Spray skirts?? Jean got to laughing so hard, she nearly dropped her paddle (kayak paddle!) which, in a steady 15-kt headwind and chop, you really don’t want to be doing.
We couldn’t decide what was funnier: the actual blocking of 2G3K or the realization that somewhere there’s a special task force of New York state employees whose sole, taxpayer-financed job is to sit and ponder every human urge, preference, and kink, and every possible euphemism for all-of-the-above, then compile a list of words and phrases that, when typed into a URL, will deny access by other New York state employees.
It’s mindboggling. But if you think about it, you can misconstrue just about anything.
Jean’s flashing back to her days as a baby copywriter at a big NY ad agency, in the creative mosh pit of junior writers and art directors known as the “fish tank” or “the dorm”—one large, sort-of office with ten desks and zero air. Dipping into the file-cabinet bar, we’d amuse ourselves with some procrastination-worthy challenge or other. Like, which totally legit movie titles could also work as titles for, ahem, a very different kind of movie?
“Big!” someone shouts. Obvious. Laughs anyway.
“Marathon Man!” Giggles.
“Five Easy Pieces!”
“A Night to Remember!” We’re just getting started.
“The African Queen!” Guffaws.
“Hannah and Her Sisters!”Eeeeeww.
“Mommy Dearest!” EEEEEWWW. “Dr. Strangelove!”
“The Third Man!”
“Grease!!”
“Bound For Glory!!!”
We are convulsed. We’ve topped each other until we can’t top anymore. Back to churning out endless American Express small-space ads. Then, a small voice from the corner—prim, demure, bookish Martha from Westport. Without looking up, she murmurs, “Two Mules For Sister Sarah.”
But we digress. The point is, 2G3K is a family blog. And to think that our home state disagrees…well, it kind of hurts our feelings. The most eye-popping thing you’ll find around here is this—the trailer for #5 in the incredible video series, This Is The Sea, by Justine Curgenven.
We’ve already ordered ours. You can, too, at paddling.net. Unless you happen to work for the state of New York.
An exclamation of surprise broke from the lips of Deerslayer …when on reaching the lake, he beheld the view that unexpectedly met his gaze. On a level with the point lay a broad sheet of water, so placid and limpid that it resembled a bed of the pure mountain atmosphere, compressed into a setting of hills and woods.
– From “The Deerslayer” by James Fenimore Cooper
Forward, stroke. We’re counting the days till our return to Glimmerglass—the lake AND the summer opera festival—in Cooperstown, NY. Called “Glimmerglass” in James Fenimore Cooper’s Leatherstocking Tales, pristine Otsego Lake is the source for the Susqhehanna River and one of the finest deep-water fisheries (and kayakeries!) in Central New York. It also provides a magical setting for The Glimmerglass Festival, “a major destination for opera lovers from around the world” and certain opera-and-paddling fanatics from Westchester. Tickets are on sale now. Go get some.
Nine-mile-long Otsego Lake is bounded by The Glimmerglass Festival campus and Glimmerglass State Park on the northern end and the village of Cooperstown (over yonder, behind Alex) on the southern end
Interior of Glimmerglass Festival’s Alice Busch Opera Theater. Photo: Peyton Lea. Photo at left: Claire McAdams.
This summer, we’re especially looking forward toWagner’s fourth opera, The Flying Dutchman, the story of a ghostly vessel doomed to traverse the seas for eternity.(Wait, where’s the “doom” part…?) Story aside, for us it’s all “about” tenor Jay Hunter Morris, a true hero of the Metropolitan Opera in more ways than one, who’ll sing the role of Erik.
OK, this post is supposed to be all about looking forward, but if you watch the Jay Hunter Morris link above, you may experience some déjà vu. Specifically, a “Jim Nabors talking vs. Jim Nabors singing” thing.
Ah, incongruity. Love that. Perhaps that’s why we like Cooperstown so much: It’s a place of such wonderful contrasts.
Ready to do a little trip planning?Consider the wonderfully disparate options:
You could stay at the grande dame of historic lakeside hotels, the 1909 Otesaga Resort Hotel.
Or, you could stay here:
The perfectly lovely Glimmerglass State Park also overlooks the lake. All campsites have a picnic table, grill, and fire ring (how Wagnerian!) Warm showers are available and appreciated.
You could dine at excellent area restaurants, including one of the top 10 restaurants in NY State, Alex and Ika.
Or… just plain Alex.
Tonight’s special: quinoa over bunsen burner. THIS summer, we plan to make an ACTUAL CAMPFIRE. Ooooo!
…or, you can paddle a 550-lb. one! (Check out the launch at 4:00 in… hilarious!)
You could go to the National Baseball Hall of Fame. But everybody does that. This summer, we’re adding these to our must-see list:
The Cooperstown Beverage TrailHow’d we miss this one?! Once the hops-growing capital of North America, Cooperstown now boasts two breweries, a farm winery and an historic cider mill, each making world-class beverages. These establishmentscomprise New York State’s very first official cuisine trail: Fly Creek Cider Mill, Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown Brewing Company, Bear Pond Winery, Butternuts Beer & Ale, and Rustic Ridge Winery.
The Fenimore Art MuseumHouses some of the nation’s finest examples of American landscape, history and genre paintings, American folk art, photography and American Indian art.
The Farmers’ Museum Experience 19th-century rural and village life firsthand through demonstrations and interpretive exhibits at one of the oldest rural life museums in the country.
Some outtakes from our visit last summer. Full-screen slideshow begins by clicking.
Kayak transportation vehicle with toys
We can always find our car in a parking lot
Launch right from your campsite
Creek launch opens onto the lake
The lake is pristine
Cutest lake house ever
Alex has found a friend
Swimming area at Glimmerglass State Park
Day at the beach?
Whoa! What happened to the glimmerglass??
Hyde Hall Mansion tour perfect for windy days
America’s oldest existing covered bridge sits quietly on Hyde Hall estate
Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush.
Our plans changed due to weather and wind. We decided to visit serene, uninhabited (by people) 
