After my visit to Dia (see earlier posts this month) I had to wait for a while for my train back to arrive. So I decided to take a few pictures along the waterfront. Above: The sloop ‘Woody Guthry’ at anchor with the Beacon-Newburgh Bridge in the background.
The Beacon Sloop Club’s pride & joy is the “WOODY GUTHRIE” …a wooden replica of a Hudson River Ferry Sloop. These boats, styled after Dutch designs, plied the Hudson throughout the 18th & 19th centuries.
Launched in 1978, her purpose is to provide free sails to the public & introduce them to the wonders on the river. It is hoped that a new appreciation of the Hudson will be fostered & that the public will then join in the club’s role as a protector of this national treasure
In 1969 the newly built sloop ‘Clearwater’ first visited Beacon. A small band of local youngsters and oldsters organized a welcoming festival to support the valiant crew of the sloop and to help spread Clearwater’s environmental message. Thus began the Beacon Sloop Club.
Our first meetings were held in a Main Street storefront until the City granted us the use of the old Ferry Diner at the riverfront. Over the years, volunteers have enlarged and improved the building. The spruce tree that once stood outside the diner now grows through the roof. Docks, launch ramps and a mooring tender have all been installed by volunteers. Our sailing programs have taught hundreds the art of sailing. Thousands of guests on our free sails have learned a new appreciation of the glorious Hudson River.
Our first big victory came after years of petitions and festivals. Riverfront Park was created from a former garbage dump and a raw sewage leak nearby was located and stopped. The river is now safe for swimming thanks not only to Clearwater, but to dozens of other organizations all over the country that have pressured Washington for funding of sewage treatment plants. For less than 5 cents per day from every man, woman and child in the USA we have taken giant steps toward cleaner water. There’s still a big job ahead. Toxic waste in our waterways threatens our health and safety, causing cancer, birth defects, and other undesirable conditions. This little club will be part of the campaign. We welcome folks both young and old to join us. It’s been quite a ride since 1969 and the best is yet to come!
(Pete Seeger and Others, BSC 1996)
The Woody Guthrie is a 47′ gaff sloop which supports the mission of the larger Sloop Clearwater educating people about the Hudson River and its environment. The vessel was ordered by Pete Seeger in 1978 for the Beacon Sloop Club, which has supplied volunteers to maintain and operate it ever since.
The boat is named after the prominent progressive folk singer Woody Guthrie, a friend of Seeger’s and author of the famed tune, “This Land is Your Land”.
Since the Guthrie was built, volunteers have given sailing experience to thousands of members and guests of the Beacon Sloop club for free. Guests are educated by the volunteers about the history of the river and the boat and asked to help the mission of the boat in any way they can.
In August 2017, the Woody was relaunched after 6 years of fundraising, 2 years of work, $400k spent, and 5,000 volunteer hours. She was restored at the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, New York.
(Wikipedia)
Newburgh to Beacon Ferry slip.
The Newburgh–Beacon Ferry is a ferry service crossing the Hudson River that connects Newburgh with Beacon, New York.
It carries passengers between the two cities during rush hour, primarily transporting commuters from the west side of the river at Newburgh to the commuter train station on the east side at Beacon where they can catch Metro North Hudson Line service to Grand Central Terminal and other points in New York City.
NY Waterway operates the ferry under contract from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, along with the Haverstraw–Ossining Ferry downstream. Service began in 2005 after the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge had, 42 years earlier, rendered over two centuries of ferry service obsolete.
The Beacon terminal is at a dock immediately adjacent to the station; the Newburgh terminal is at the south end of Front Street. The fare is $1.75 per person; the trip across the river takes approximately 10 minutes.
Lafayette’s tour. The sign says it all.
View across the Hudson towards Newburgh from near the Metro North Station in Beacon.
Taken with a Sony A7IV, Samyang 45mm f1.8 and Sony FE 28-75 f3.5-5.6 OSS