The Sloop Clearwater's in town

Sloop Clearwater.jpg

The Sloop Clearwater --docked in Rensselaer

By Jim Cronen

Just in time for Earth Day, the Hudson River Sloop Clearwater is docked at Riverfront Park in Rensselaer.

The 106-foot wooden replica of a 19th Century Dutch Sloop travels the Hudson between NYC and Albany to spread the word about fighting pollution and remind people of the beauty of the river.

Every once in a while the sloop drops anchor near Albany and gives Capital Region residents a chance to see what it's all about.

The Clearwater's permanent staff and volunteers put on environmental education programs, perform river-themed music, and give visitors a chance to reflect on the beauty, history and importance of the Hudson River.

Many of the programs are reserved for schools but the Clearwater offers occasional public sails. And if you like what you see, and want to get more involved they're always looking for volunteers. You don't need sailing experience, but you have to be willing to live on the boat in pretty tight quarters. A one-week tour of duty includes running two programs per day and performing regular upkeep on the sloop.

The sloop sets sail tomorrow morning, but you can check it out this afternoon at Riverfront Park in Rensselaer. There are no public sails set for today, but you can ask for a tour -- they're usually happy to show you around and explain more about the sloop and the river.

If you can't make it out today, you can catch the Clearwater in Rensselaer again from June 12 through the 15th.


Comments

I volunteered on this boat last October, and it was an amazing experience! They truly are doing some amazing things for the river, and educating the next generation of environmentalists!

Say Something!

We'd really like you to take part in the conversation here at All Over Albany. But we do have a few rules here. Don't worry, they're easy. The first: be kind. The second: treat everyone else with the same respect you'd like to see in return. Cool? Great, post away. Comments are moderated so it might take a little while for your comment to show up. Thanks for being patient.

What's All Over Albany?

All Over Albany is for interested and interesting people in New York's Capital Region. In other words, it's for you. It's kind of like having a smart, savvy friend who can help you find out what's up. Oh, and our friends call us AOA.

Search

Recently on All Over Albany

Thank you!

When we started AOA a decade ago we had no idea what was going to happen. And it turned out better than we could have... (more)

Let's stay in touch

This all feels like the last day of camp or something. And we're going to miss you all so much. But we'd like to stay... (more)

A few things I think about this place

Working on AOA over the past decade has been a life-changing experience for me and it's shaped the way I think about so many things.... (more)

Albany tightened its rules for shoveling snowy sidewalks last winter -- so how'd that work out?

If winter ever gets its act together and drops more snow on us, there will be sidewalks to shovel. And shortly after that, Albany will... (more)

Tea with Jack McEneny

Last week we were fortunate enough to spend a few minutes with Jack McEneny -- former state Assemblyman, unofficial Albany historian, and genuinely nice guy.... (more)

Recent Comments

My three year old son absolutely loving riding the train around Huck Finn's (Hoffman's) Playland this summer.

Thank you!

...has 27 comments, most recently from Ashley

Let's stay in touch

...has 4 comments, most recently from mg

A look inside 2 Judson Street

...has 3 comments, most recently from Diane (Agans) Boyle

Everything changes: Alicia Lea

...has 2 comments, most recently from Chaz Boyark

A few things I think about this place

...has 13 comments, most recently from Katherine