As part of the Hudson-Fulton-Champlain Quadricentennial, celebrating 400th anniversary of the exploration and discovery of the Hudson River and Lake Champlain, we were graced yesterday as part of the River Day celebration festivities.Replica ships of the period, including a recreated Half Moon, Henry Hudson's famous sailing ship, docked at the Rondout Waterfront in Kingston. They spent the night there and are open to tours this morning.
Brian and I ventured down to check them out last night - and what a crowd! Fortunately, the worst traffic was during the day - and we went somewhere around 9:30 pm.
The boats were surprisingly small - but I guess in those days, function determined form. And things were pretty basic back in the day.
It was gratifying to see just how many people were interested in seeing these boats - attendance was amazing, according to local folks we talked to.
The flotilla began their journey in New York City and are sailing north to Albany as part of the multi-day event.
We didn't spend much time at the docks - being somewhat driven away by the "authentic folk music" (always a bad idea) being played full blast - but it was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience that puts in perspective the real-side of history.
4 comments:
"Authentic folk music" is not the music of your people!!! No wonder you didn't stick around.
We just had the Juan Sebastian De Elcano visit Pensacola celebrating 450 years as a settlement. It’s reputedly the third tallest of the worlds tall ships. Very thrilling as it came with 200 horny Spaniards.
My 11th. great grandfather, Louis Hebert sailed with Champlain in 1606 and eventually was the first man from France to bring a wife and children to settle in Quebec on a return trip in 1617. Statues, postal stamps, rivers and islands named for him.
I'm a genealogy geek.
As my family tells it, a couple of my German ancestors journeyed over on the bottom of a boat to escape the law.
This has not encouraged me to dig much deeper.
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