One year later: Looking back on a virtual celebration of the Hudson River and the resilience of the community surrounding it.
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Clearwater, whose crew lived and quarantined on board, set out on a transit from Albany to New York City. Because the Clearwater was not able to bring passengers onboard for a typical sailing season, it was important for us to find ways to continue to be a presence on the Hudson River. On June 22nd, Clearwater departed Albany, NY, embarking south along the Hudson River to New York City in an initiative called Our River Connects Us, an effort to unite and support the communities in the Hudson Valley. The trip was a celebration of the Hudson River and the resilience of the community surrounding it, and used virtual content on social media to instill hope and create a sense of connection in a time of hardship and separation. The fully virtual campaign included interviews from Hudson Valley residents, business owners, activists, and teachers, as well as live streams from each leg of the transit and activities for children to do at home. Scroll down to see some of these videos and explore our YouTube channel for more content from our journey down the river from Albany to New York City.
Voices of the Valley
During this two week voyage we conducted interviews for Voices of the Valley, connecting with river workers, activists, environmentalists, musicians, and Hudson Valley residents, who spoke to their experiences with the River and the surrounding communities. Click on the photos of the individuals below to watch their interviews. For more Voices of the Valley footage, check out our YouTube channel.
Summer Dawn Reyes | In Full Color
Francisco “Frankie” Cabrera | Rocking the Boat
Justice McCray | Beacon4BlackLives
Ciarda Hall | Beacon4BlackLives
Lisa Bloodgood | Newtown Creek Alliance
Rob Buchanan | Billion Oyster Project
Live Sails from the Journey
Watch footage of select legs of the journey to feel like you were onboard for Our River Connects Us!
Leg 1: Leaving Albany
Leg 2: Kingston to Poughkeepsie
Leg 5: A Sunset Sail through the Highlands
Leg 9: Climbing Aloft with Anna and Liam
Leg 10: The Final Day
Crew Logs
Have you ever wondered what it is like to live and work aboard the sloop? Hear from crew members to learn about all of the important jobs that exist in order to have a successful sailing season.
Bosun
Deckhand
Cook
Engineer
Educator Deckhand
Education Coordinator
Music from the Transit
Moment of Silence is a treasured Clearwater tradition that takes place on each and every sail. It is a time where we can all pause and take some time to really take in and appreciate the magnificent Hudson River, being on the sloop, and the beautiful scenery of the valley. We always break Silence with a song.