Historic Landmark on the Hudson River

Category: Keepers Log

  • Movie cancelled for tonight

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    Due to persistent thunderstorms, the movie night will be cancelled for tonight, Monday, August 11. Let’s hope for better weather next week.

  • Bon voyage

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    Yesterday, I gave a tour of the lighthouse to a group of kids from a summer day-camp. Of course, everyone was eager to climb to top of the tower. I stood at the top while each camper scaled the ladder, one at a time. While keeping an eye out for the safety of the kids,…

  • Yellow bird in the mulberry tree

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    I carried a heavy load on my shoulder up the ramp from the dock when an older gentleman asked me a question: “What’s that yellow bird in the tree around back?” Without seeing the tree, I answered: “Yesterday, I saw a cedar wax-wing in that tree.” “No,” he replied, “It’s something else. Yellow like a…

  • Sailboat captain rescues kayakers in distress

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    This afternoon, I returned home and noticed a couple of kayakers near the lighthouse. They were in and out of their kayaks so often I assumed they were practicing Eskimo rolls and wet exits. Later, a visitor at the lighthouse asked me whether I thought the kayakers needed help or not. We concluded that if…

  • rare wildflower on Lighthouse Trail

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    Virginia, local horticulturalist and author of Village Encounters, emailed the following message: I was delighted to spot a Canada Lily along the trail yesterday. Haven’t seen one in these parts for 20+ years. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=LICAC The Canada Lily is listed by the State of New York as “Exploitably vulnerable.” Species listed as “exploitably vulnerable” are likely…

  • Party barge

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    The workhorse of the lighthouse, the maintenance barge dubbed the Yuck Finn, is normally used for hauling fuel and other supplies to/from the mainland. On the 4th of July, instead of the usual workload, the Yuck Finn buoyed a contingent of Independence Day revelers. At sunset, I motored the barge across the river channel and…

  • River rescue

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    Rainy afternoon. I was making a sandwich when the phone rang. It was Michelle. “Are you doing anything right now?” she asked. “Not really.” “Could you give us a tow?” She explained that she was on the river sailing with Jerome, and he couldn’t get the motor started, and she was going to be late…

  • Question for the keeper: fireflies

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    Why do fireflies flash? At dusk, the trail to the lighthouse turns into a corridor of flashing light as fireflies emerge for their nightly mating ritual. The fireflies are so numerous that they illuminate the footpath on a moonless night. The flashing light is the firefly’s way of attracting a mate. For many species of…

  • Gas-saving tip: commuting by kayak

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    Danielle stopped by the lighthouse this morning on her way across the river in a kayak. Last night, she paddled from Tivoli to Saugerties to see our mutual friend Jill Stevenson perform music at a local establishment. The show ended late, so Danielle stayed over with a friend in Saugerties. On her return trip to…

  • Trail conditions: normal

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    Consult tide table to avoid tidal flooding. Tidal portions of trail may be wet or damp after high tide. Sharp water chestnuts pose a hazard to bare feet.