Surf Paddling Around Manhattan for Autism Awareness

From outdoor clothing company Patagonia's blog the cleanestline, here is an account of the Surfers' Environmental Paddle NYC White Water event held last August. The purpose of the Paddle was to raise funds and awareness of autism. The participants paddled around the entire island of Manhattan. Pretty cool.
It is written by Patagonia ambassador Gerry Lopez.

Our somewhat motley gang of surfers attempting the first ever surf paddle circumnavigation of Manhattan were happy and energetic as we passed beneath the famed Brooklyn Bridge. Not far beyond, the Manhattan Bridge, backed up with early morning commuters, was our next landmark. Going around a slight left hand bend, the beautiful Williamsburg Bridge loomed ahead. The Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building were visible through the maze of high rises. The going got smoother as the river widened and our group began to string out as the stronger paddlers surged ahead. FDR Drive was to our left and occasional drivers honked as they passed by. The borough of Queens was to our right and the Queensboro Bridge crossing Franklin D. Roosevelt Island downstream. The current was in our favor, the river banks sliding by at a rapid pace creating a very gay mood with our paddling group.

Somewhere not far ahead near the confluence of the Harlem and East Rivers was the infamous Hell Gate. Our guides had warned of this notorious obstacle which at the wrong moment of the tidal push would be all but impassable on our surf craft. At its worse, Hell Gate had floundered or capsized a multitude of ships over the years. Our hope was to cross this strait at the extreme slack tide where the currents would be at their lowest ebb. The Triborough Bridge and the Hell Gate Bridge connect Manhattan to Queens and the Bronx and pass over Ward’s Island and Randall Island. We were told to keep to the extreme left as the two rivers split so to enter the Harlem branch. I was more than a little worried about the Hell Gate after all the stories. But the bridges we passed under were many, the names a blur … the Willis Avenue Bridge, the Third Avenue Bridge, the Park Avenue Bridge … all connecting Manhattan with the Bronx. Finally I asked another paddler when we would be passing the Hell Gate and he answered that we had gone through it 30 minutes ago. I thought back and could remember only flat water. Our timing must have been impeccable for this is what the plan had been … when the ideal tide situation was researched to select the best and most favorable moment to negotiate the worrisome obstacle.

Image is from the cleanestline and photo is by John Decker.