RIVER DAY

Come celebrate River Day starting June 5th in the New York Harbor and up the Hudson through June 13th!!!



New York’s 400th! Celebration and the Great River Day Flotilla

More than 100 notable Hudson Valley and New York City leaders in the boating and waterfront communities including the major Hudson River organizations have built the concept and set the schedule for the first annual Hudson River Day and for its beginning to come about as a Quadricentennial legacy event for New York’s 400th Anniversary! This will be the premier and linear event in the valley to commemrate 400 years of history of the river, boats, ships, and friends.

The date is set for River Day (a.k.a. Opening Day) to traditionally take place the first week end of June when boat owners typically uncover and spruce up their boats and get on the water. For 2009, June 6th will be the official day although the celebration and events will be spread out over a few days to accommodate the signature event, the “Great River Day Flotilla”.

The flotilla will start the morning of June 6th with the boat and yacht clubs of Manhattan and New York City being the first to send out their memberships around the tip of Manhattan and coming round the statue of liberty led up the river by our New York State heritage flagships. As these memberships are welcomed to celebrations at the next northerly clubs and communities, those clubs will send their members out to continue the relay flotilla tracing Henry Hudson’s path to Albany.

At this time, we have commitments from the flagships; the famous Onrust, Clearwater, and Woody Guthrie, the Mystic Whaler and the Half Moon and the Shearwater.

The events along the river at the boat and yacht clubs, the cultural institutions and museums, and all of the waterfront parks will have appeal and activities for everyone as the summer begins an entire season of celebration of New York’s amazing 400 years of history. We are working to build the land components with parks, the Harbor District in NYC, and countless others. We will have a “launch” celebration in the city the night before the Flotilla as a celebration of New York’s heritage flagships and harbor and river boaters, and then, a welcoming ceremony when the flotilla arrives in Albany/Renssalear.

A meeting with all of the safety and security entities has their full support and interest including a Coast Guard escort of the flotilla as well as the Naval Militia and the United States Power Squadron.

We are currently signing on sponsors for River Day including Circle Line,Water Taxi, Sea Tow, Port of Coeymans Marine Terminal, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and others.

The schedule has been fashioned through two meetings with river boat pilots consulting tide charts, an average speed of 4-5 knots, overnight dock accommodations, and inclusive for the involved communities along the way.


RIVER DAY SCHEDULE

JUNE 5 (Friday)-evening “launch” celebration in NY Harbor with the Blessing of the Fleet, and festivities at Battery Park.

  • 3pm parade around Liberty Island and muster for Photo Op in the Hudson against the Skyline.


  • 5pm Blessing of the Fleet at Battery Park.


  • Anchor or dock for dinner/party at boat/yacht clubs.


  • Overnight for five flagships-1 or 2 at Liberty Landing, 1 or 2 at Liberty State Park, and 1 at North Cove Basin .


JUNE 6 (Saturday)-early morning with 9am pick-up of dignitaries at Manhattan Yacht Club.

  • 9am start of flotilla at Statue of Liberty joined by River Day sponsors; Circle Line, Water Taxi, Scarano Boat Works, SeaTow and Launch Five.




  • Pilot boat arranged to take dignitaries off ships at 79th Street Boat Basin.




  • Arrival in Tarrytown and Nyack area between 3 and 5pm for festivities.


  • Overnight for flagships-Onrust at Nyack Boat Club, all others in vicinity of Tarrytown.


JUNE 7 (Sunday)-departure at 8am.

  • Arrival in Haverstraw by 11am for midday celebration, leaving Haverstraw by 2pm.


  • Arrival and welcome in Beacon/Newburgh around 5pm.




  • Overnight for flagships-Clearwater, Mystic and Woody in Beacon; Half Moon, and Onrust in Newburgh.


JUNE 8 (Monday)-flagships stay in Beacon/Newburgh for educational programs all day.


JUNE 9 (Tuesday)-flagships stay in Beacon/Newburgh for educational programs all day.

  • Depart Beacon/Newburgh at 4-5pm.




  • Arrival and welcome (7pm) in Poughkeepsie area.




  • Overnight for flagships-Poughkeepsie, Marist, and boat clubs.


JUNE 10 (Wednesday)-flagships remain in Poughkeepsie all day for educational activities.

  • Depart Poughkeepsie at 4-5pm.


  • Arrival and cannon welcome (6:30pm) in Kingston for overnight celebreation at Hudson River Maritime Museum


JUNE 11 (Thursday)-remain in Kingston for school groups from 8 to 11am.

  • Arrive and circle Saugerties Light House around noon to 2pm for school groups.




  • Arrival and welcome in Catskill/Hudson/Athens by 6pm.


  • Overnight for flagships-Half Moon in Hudson, Clearwater in Catskill, and Onrust in Athens.


JUNE 12 (Friday)-remain in Catskill/Hudson/Athens area for school groups until noon.

  • Arrival in Castleton at 4pm for final night and fireworks.


  • Overnight for flagships-Clearwater and Onrust at Castleton Boat Club, Half Moon at Brick Yard.


JUNE 13 (Saturday)-depart Castleton at 11am.

  • Arrival at 12:30pm for final welcome and day-long celebrations.




  • Half Moon in Albany




  • Clearwater and Onrust in Rensselaer

 


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