Wednesday 3 May 110lbs., cigarettes 3, calories 2031 (approximately), alcohol units 3 (after cruise, of course). Food consumed on cruise 1 cup of coffee with 2 ounces of skim milk and 6 packs of sugars 3 cans of Diet Coke 22 ounces of soggy Caesar salad (I like it that way) 4 small slices of grilled chicken 1 dinner roll 5 bites of carrot cake 9:28 a.m. Smelling strongly of Coppertone 30 SPF sunscreen, I arrive at Pier 78, on 38th Street and 12th Avenue in Manhattan, for NY Waterway’s press cruise to the Historic Hudson Valley. The day-long trip, according to the invitation, will offer an overview of the Weehawken-based company’s Hudson Valley Cruises to Kykuit (also known as the Rockefeller estate), Lyndhurst (a Gothic Revival mansion), Sunnyside (the charming riverside home of the author Washington Irving) and Philipsburg Manor (a working 17th Century Dutch-Colonial farm where guides in period costume demonstrate early American life). The cruise is advertised as the perfect afternoon outing for both tourists and area residents. 9:35 a.m. Along with 18 other members of the press, I board NY Waterway’s brand new catamaran, a three-tiered cruise ship that seats 149 passengers and can travel as fast as 27 knots an hour – in layperson’s speak, that’s 30 miles an hour. Like the first day of summer camp, cliques spontaneously form, and I pair off with a perky editorial assistant from Women’s Day and a freelance writer from Time Out New York. We get to know each other over complimentary bagels and beverages provided by NY Waterway. I stick with coffee, holding out for the substantial buffet lunch I read about in the press release. 10:19 a.m. The boat finally sets sail, 19 minutes late – apparently two journalists were stuck in Midtown traffic. We are then welcomed by John, a New York Waterway representative who informs us that the 13-year-old company, famous for its commuter service between Weehawken and Manhattan, is the largest independently-owned ferry organization in the United States and serves over 8 million passengers a year. After a protracted PR routine about the company’s dependable commuter service, picturesque cruises and high standard of excellence, Nadia, our tour manager, using a state-of-the-art microphone head set, provides fun-filled facts about specific sites along the way while I chat with my new friends. After discussing deadlines and word counts, our conversation turns personal. “I went on a blind date last night,” Women’s Day says. “I would never go on a blind date,” Time Out responds. “Neither would I,” I add, surreptitiously struggling to jot down our discussion in my official reporter’s notebook. 10:53 a.m. Along with Women’s Day and Time Out, I take a stroll along the deck. 10:55 a.m. Unfortunately, I abandon the mission because the blustery wind is weaking havoc on my hair and we are not allowed to visit the observation deck above. “You can get blown off and the radar is bad for your health,” explains a crewman. 11:11 a.m. The boat arrives in Tarrytown, N.Y. where a signature red, white and blue NY Waterway bus awaits us. 11: 13 a.m. Burns Patterson, Historic Hudson Valley’s director of public relations and our on-land tour guide, introduces himself. 11:19 a.m. My stomach makes an embarrassingly loud and peculiar sound. Suddenly, I regret passing on the complimentary bagel. 11:32 a.m. The bus arrives at Kykuit, a stone mansion once home to four generations of Rockefellers. The tour begins on the grounds, where I’m shocked to find four cheap plastic lounge chairs amidst impressive sculptures and manicured gardens. We are then led into the house, which is replete with garish tchotchkes and overly ornate furniture. Eerie portraits of dead family members line the pallid walls. I quickly roam through the Rockefellers’ impressive art collection, pausing only at the Picassos. Finally we visit the family’s equally extensive automobile collection, where I labor to look at the groovy cherry red 1973 Lincoln Town Car. Unfortunately, my hunger is all-absorbing and I suddenly realize that I need to visit a restroom. 12:23 p.m. We reboard the bus and head to Lyndhurst. 12:30 p.m. Our bus nearly side swipes a truck as we make our way through the tortuous streets of Sleepy Hollow. 12:35 p.m. We’re stuck in traffic. 12:44 p.m. We arrive at Lyndhurst, the former home of the former mayor of New York, William Paulding. On the lawn, under a tree, the estate manager thanks us for coming. I breeze through the house – cool armchair, gaudy chandelier, spooky portrait, where’s the bathroom? A Lyndhurst representative points me towards the basement. I finally relieve myself and make my way outside, where I impatiently await lunch. 1:16 p.m. I inhale the complimentary cuisine provided by the Lyndhurst estate. (For contents, see above.) 1:53 p.m. Finally satiated, I reboard the bus. 2:02 p.m. We swiftly arrive at Sunnyside – the former home of Washington Irving, the legendary author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow – where I happen upon two tour guides adorned in period costume. Tactfully, I ask them if I can take their picture. After the photo session, I thank them for their amenable attitude. (See cover for photo.) 2: 23 p.m. Moseying through the quaint cottage, I realize that I need to use the restroom again. (For explanation, see Diet Coke intake mentioned above.) Unfortunately, there is no time. Running late, we are briskly shooed back onto the bus. 2:30 p.m. We make our way, once again, through Tarrytown traffic to Philipsburg Manor. Due to the late hour, our guides collectively decide to skip the tour. I’m saddened. I want to see more people in period costume. 2:51 p.m. Feeling slightly cheated, we arrive back at the boat. 2:54 p.m. The ship sets sail back to Manhattan. My newfound friends and I, drained from our active afternoon, decide to go our separate ways. Time Out reads the New Yorker and Women’s Day reads the information packet provided by NY Waterway while I – after a trip to the bathroom – simply enjoy the scenery. Gazing out the window at the Palisade Cliffs, all lofty and regal, I wonder why New Jersey always gets such a bad rap. – JoAnne Steglitz NY Waterway offers a plethora of full-day cruises to the Historic Hudson Valley. Prices range from $38 to $60, which includes boat rides, bus transfers and site admission. For more information call (800) 533-3779 or visit their web site at www.nywaterway.com.
JoAnne Steglitz’s diary; Journalist chronicles day on NY Waterway sightseeing cruise
