7. New York - 79th Street Basin

We left Nyack and headed down the Hudson to New York City We could tell that we were getting closer to New York as both sides of the Hudson changed from grand homes in the hills to built up denser areas. We stopped at the 79th street basin on a mooring ball. You can stay there for up to a week at $30:00 per day. This includes a free dinghy dock, free laundry machines to use and security 24 hours/day. There is a great waterfront park that runs right along the Hudson River for miles. When you come out of the 79th street basin, you can see the wide walkway used by runners, walkers, bikers, and even skateboarders. Many just sit on the many benches under the trees and just enjoy the view. It really is wonderful and a different picture we had of New York.

We walked around the first day just looking at the area around us. To our great delight we found out that we were only two blocks from Broadway. We walked along Broadway and everything was just humming with activity. It was quite something to see everyone scurrying about to work and know that we could slowly take in the sights. At Broadway and 76th street was a huge grocery store “Fairways” which really was a series of stores which opened into each other. It looks like a small store just kept buying the store next door and connecting the stores. You go from room to room just like in a house and in each room there are different things - a bakery, a meat market or a cheese area. It is not easy to find your way around and several times we seemed to be going in circles. It was a maze of short aisles going every which way. The produce was dear but top quality. People came from all over New York City for the selection of fresh meats, cheeses, fish, produce and the baked goods were exceptional. And all of you reading this know how I, Olha, love my baked goods.

We took a subway to 42nd Street where all the Broadway shows are as well Times Square. It is really a large square. One of the things that we had wanted to buy in new York was a good SLR digital camera. Years ago Roman had bought his 35mm. Minolta near 42nd St. We walked from store to store comparing prices. Many of the camera shops were boarded up and closed. We met a professional photographer who advised us to go to B&H Camera Store on 35th Street and 7 th Ave. They would have the best selections and prices. We walked all the way there only to find that they were closed for the Jewish holidays and would not open until Sunday. What a disappointment! We spent the rest of the day sightseeing and were exhausted when we got back to the basin.

I have mentioned that one of the best things about boating are the people you meet. At the 79th Street Basin we met Pam and Don from Shadowfax and Joanne and David from Mermaid IIwho we had met off and on all through the canal system. Pam and I have traded books at different places. This is the second trip for both Shadowfax and Mermaid II. Both couples, who are travelling together went south to the Bahamas in 2005 and that is their destination this year as well. We met Joanne and David as we were finishing our laundry on Friday and they showed us a camera they had just bought at a camera superstore called J&R.

On Saturday, we decided to go to the electronics store on Broadway again and to the camera store that Joanne and David had told us about. It was in the oldest part of Manhattan near Park Place. Here the streets are named and not numbered. To get there we again took the subway. The subways are quite an experience in New York. On the same route are trains that stop at every stop and express trains that only stop at certain stops. It is a very efficient system. On the weekends, there are no express trains in the downtown area, at least not when we were there. We used the trains every day we were there. Tickets are $2.00 each or 6 rides for $10.00. You could use them consecutively so it was great for us.

We went to J&R and found they operate several separate stores on an entire block- camera, computer, music, etc. Quite the outfit! Their prices were good and Roman bought a Nikon D40X camera with a 18-200mm lens. I bought the Olympus Waterproof Camera in bright orange so I can see it if I drop it in water. You can take pictures underwater up to 10 metres and rinse it off in water if you drop it in the sand. It sounds like the perfect camera for me!

J&R is very close to St. Paul's Chapel which used to have the twin towers just behind it.
St. Paul’s is the oldest operating chapel in the United States. George Washington was inaugurated here.








Many believe that it is a miracle that St. Paul's was completely untouched on September 11. St. Paul’s was used as a command post during the chaotic days after September 11 and there are photographs of those who died not only in the collapse but also those who tried to rescue others. I read the moving stories, letters and memorabilia with tears in my eyes





We had thought that Ground Zero was all cleaned up but apparently not.
They are just finishing the last of the clean-up. It is all fenced in with tall sheets of plywood but Roman took a picture through a hole in the board and you can see that there is still work to be done.
























This is what the rescuers found close to St.Paul's. It is a cross shaped form the remnants of the steel girders that were part of the twin towers.


















We went to the Memorial built in memory of all those who died. Their names are mounted on plaques all around the memorial and people are still leaving flowers. We said a silent prayer for all those who died.




This is a picture of the 79th Street Basin docks at sunset. Amazingly there were several people living aboard on power boats. I say amazingly because it is soooo expensive to dock $3.00 to $4.00 /ft./day and only a small discount for longer periods of time but if you compare the cost of renting apartments in New York, it sounds cheap.