If we thought 9 ½ people in the Hamptons was a boatload, we were now up to a planning number of 12! Egad. Mary, my sister-in-law, could not be cajoled into joining us because of a traumatic ride on our sailboat about 30 years ago. When Jaclyn’s boyfriend, Danny could not get out of work, we launched with a manageable (?) 11 of us aboard. Three generations! My brother, John, Kathleen, my niece had her three along and niece Christine with her three.
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John and Jaclyn
(Click on any picture to enlarge) |
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| James and Jillian |
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| Jillian, Lauren, Brenna, and James |
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| Kathleen, Christine, and Brenna |
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| Jillian and Owen |
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| Brenna, Owen and Jillian |
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| Lauren and James |
It was simply a gorgeous day on the river. The kids sprawled out up on the bow and ran along the decking. I found my head swiveling to make sure they made it safely from bow to stern. We cruised past the Indian Point nuclear plant and the infamous Sing Sing Prison to pass under the Bear Mountain Bridge. Farther up, we slowed up to see the impressive grounds of West Point. Having traveled the Hudson by boat on four or five trips, I find this area the most beautiful part. Once we got to Bannerman’s Island, it was time for a swim. James, now 15, opted not to go in, his mother speculating that he did not want to get his gorgeous head of meticulously styled hair wet. But there was no stopping Owen and Jillian. Owen, the youngest of the group is fearless. He reported to us that the water was “thin” and didn’t taste good. We forgot to tell Owen not to drink the water. Anyway, obviously, this is a kid used to the buoyancy of the ocean’s salt water. Once again, I worried that the strong current would sweep the kids away. Out came the boat lines and boat cushion to keep them from being carried downstream.
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| West Point |
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| Bannerman Island Arsenal |
All the kids are cute and it was really nice to see how all these cousins get along so well. It was really a treat to spend time with them. Once everyone unloaded, we headed back to Johnny and Mary’s for burgers. My niece, Marybeth, stopped by from work, so we at least got a chance to see her for a short while.
Headed South under the Bear Mountain Bridge
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| Blue Belle Farewell |
Before heading off, Johnny took us up to the cemetery where Bert’s uncle, Robert is buried. I’m not sure how Johnny ever found it as the field is marked only by flat markers and the grass is high enough that only a few are visible. No other visitors there except for a family of deer.
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CLICK HERE for all the photos from the trip. Warning: There are almost 300 pictures on the photo site. Click on any picture to enlarge, and look for the slideshow option for best viewing.
