By Aubrey Gallegos
This week marked the first week of program for Clearwater’s spring season! It rolled in with characteristic Clearwater energy and adventure, and we were certainly not lacking for wind! Meteorologists have their theories about what causes foul weather, but on tall ships we have our own explanations. According to old sailor superstition, it’s bad luck to whistle on a ship, as it calls on unfavorable winds (unless you are the youngest male standing forward of the mainmast, in which case a whistle can call on the perfect breeze). This week left me wondering if an unchecked whistler had gotten lose on Clearwater. The crew received plenty of practice working with unpredictable weather and the bounding energy of our first school groups who enjoyed stations on deck in the sunshine, and songs and games in the cozy main cabin when the weather rolled in. It was a whirlwind!
The week started off on Saturday with a traditional Shad Bake, though no actual shad graced the menu. Off-shore fishing practices have depleted the number to such an extent that shad fishing is now prohibited, but passengers still returned to the boat groaning happily with full stomachs, and we look forward to a time when shad will once again be at the numbers they once were.
On Sunday our first group of volunteers arrived, full of enthusiasm and laughter, and immediately blended right in with the crew. Maija and the crew took them through volunteer training of the season, and by the end of the week they were teaching stations like pros. I can already see how hard it’s going to be to say good-bye to our volunteers every week, a reminder of the bittersweet side of being part of such a dynamic community.
The first week of fishing with our otter trawl during program brought up a plethora of hogchokers. The hogchoker is a common flatfish fish in the Hudson, but one I never tire of seeing. Imagine if you were born with an eye on each side of your head, and as you reached adolescence one of your eyes started moving to join the other on one side of your head. I love seeing kids’ eyes widen and noses wrinkle as they get their first one-on-one encounter with this fish, which has been living in the river unbeknownst to them until this moment. While we have not yet caught an elusive sturgeon (unlike our sister ship, Mystic Whaler, who proudly caught one last week) our deckhand, Chelsea, did catch sight of a sturgeon jumping noisily on our transit from Beacon to Alpine. I have high hopes of seeing more of these legendary fish this season!
One of my highlights of the week, though, was in a quiet moment during one of our transits down the river. I stood at the tiller as we sailed, looking out over the lush green hills and regal Palisades towering over us to the west, all awash in the glow of the setting sun, and couldn’t help but marvel at how strikingly beautiful the landscape is here. As a newcomer to the area, I am continuously in awe of the beauty of the Hudson Valley.
Overall, this last week was an adventurous and high-energy start to the season, and I’m looking forward to many more to come, hopefully with fair winds (mind your whistling!).
