It’s been four years since Jim Dette organized a group of fearless residents, forming the Weehawken chapter of Floating the Apple, the group that perilously takes to rowing across the Hudson River weekly in a man-made boat.
The group is still going strong, with its journeys still invigorating.
“It’s still as exciting as the first time we went out,” said Dette, whose group gets together on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings for their regular sail across the Hudson. “I always sweat out whether we will have enough people to row, but once we get out there, it’s been really nice.”
Dette and a few original members, like former Planning Board Chairman Mark Gould and local graphic artist Lia DeStefano, have kept the group together after hearing about the New York-based Floating the Apple organization and its guru Mark Davis about six years ago.
After showing their interest in the FTA cause, Davis allowed the Weehawken group permission to use one of the boats constructed by FTA people and to house the craft on this side of the Hudson.
For the first couple of years, the group went out from its spot near Arthur’s Landing Restaurant in the Port Imperial Harbor without a hitch.
However, with the construction of the Roseland Properties’ Port Imperial South brownstone housing development underway, getting access to the temporary boathouse to make the regular rows has been somewhat of a hassle.
“We’ve been blocked in by construction materials a couple of times,” Dette said. “They have been very cooperative in letting us keep the container down there, but sometimes we have to remind them not to block us in. If things get in the way and materials are dumped there in front of the container, we can’t get at the boat.”
Dette said that there are about 10 to 12 regulars who take the time to head out to the waters of the Hudson and travel to either Pier 84 at 44th Street in Manhattan or Pier 63 at 23rd Street, the north Chelsea Pier, take a break in Manhattan, then head back home.
“Not everyone can make it every time,” Dette said. “We have to have at least five rowers before we can head out, so that sometimes becomes a problem. But we’ve been doing pretty well in getting new people, so that is always a help.”
One of the newcomers is West New York native Jackie DeNieff. She had heard about FTA from New York, but wanted to find a New Jersey-based group. Someone told her about the Weehawken group and she quickly joined, bringing along two friends.
“It’s unbelievable,” DeNieff said. “I love the water so much, so when I heard about it, it was something I had to do. But being out there is even better than you could imagine. Everyone should try it. I knew I’d love it right away. The first time I went out, I called my friend on my cell phone and said, ‘I’m on the Hudson River in a row boat.’ When you tell people what you’re doing, they can’t believe it. They say, ‘You’re in the Hudson River in a row boat, with the ferries going back and forth?’ ”
The NY Waterway ferry traffic, which has quadrupled since FTA Weehawken began four years ago, also causes some concern.
“Handling the waves can be a little bit of a challenge,” Dette said. “When we go out, the ferries are all around you one minute, then there’s none. It’s hard to figure out. But the boat is very seaworthy and handles it well.”
“People think that the boat is going to tip over,” DeNieff said. “But there’s no way it will. And the ferries see us in the water and give us the right of way. Even if I tipped over, I wouldn’t worry. I’d be more afraid of what’s in the water than the water itself.”
Dette said the FTA Weehawken craft is holding up well after four years.
“Maybe it’s in a need of a paint job,” Dette said. “But it’s not in need of serious maintenance.”
Dette said that perhaps the group will get new oars from the Kearny High School crew team, which donated the first set of oars four years ago.
Permanent boathouse
Perhaps the best news Dette received recently is that Mayor Richard Turner and the Township Council will consider a permanent boathouse as part of the new recreational park along the Hudson River waterfront. The design of the park is currently under discussion by the Planning Board, as well as a special committee formed to deal with the nearly 16 acres of land adjacent to the Port Imperial South development.
“We’re very receptive to the idea to help not only Floating the Apple, but kayaks and canoes that want access to the river,” Turner said. “We just have to find the best location for it.”
“The mayor has been quite supportive,” Dette said. “We need a bulkhead built and a permanent facility to store the boat. I think it would definitely help the turnout, if we had a place to meet. People would come just for the camaraderie.”
The organization keeps going, despite the obstacles and the choppy seas. Weather permitting, they planned to be a part of the Weehawken Day Festival on Saturday afternoon.
“It’s still an exciting event,” said Dette, who is a published author and also an active member of the Weehawken Environmental Committee. “I love it.”
“It’s so great,” DeNieff said. “I wish could go out more, because it’s something that everyone should try.”
Anyone interested in joining the Weehawken chapter of Floating the Apple can contact Jim Dette via e-mail at FTAWeehawken@aol.com.