KINGSTON, N.Y. – The Hudson River Maritime Museum is pleased to host author and marine archaeologist Joseph W. Zarzynski for “Ghost Fleet Awakened—Lake George’s Sunken Bateaux of 1758” on Wednesday, June 2, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. as part of the Follow the River Lecture Series, sponsored by Rondout Savings Bank.
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This talk, drawn from Zarzynski’s 2019 book Ghost Fleet Awakened—Lake George’s Sunken Bateaux of 1758 will focus on a sunken fleet of historic warships at Lake George, New York that date to the French & Indian War (1755-1763).

In the autumn of 1758, the British deliberately sank 260 bateaux, 25-35 ft. long wooden vessels.  This “wet storage” of their wooden battlecraft protected them from French marauders over the winter of 1758-1759.  Many of these flat-bottomed boats were not recovered by the British in 1759.  Then two-centuries later, in 1960, two scuba divers rediscovered about a dozen submerged bateaux, vessels newspapers dubbed the “ghost fleet.”  The ancient shipwrecks were first studied by the Adirondack Museum in the early 1960s, when three bateaux were raised and conserved.  From 1987-2011, Zarzynski directed a team of volunteer archaeological divers, known as Bateaux Below, that studied many of these rare boats.  The author’s presentation will explore the history of these utilitarian watercraft, their deliberate sinking by the British to protect them, their rediscovery and archaeological study, and educational programs that have informed the public about these colonial-era bateaux.  In 1992, Bateaux Below succeeded in getting seven 1758 sunken bateaux listed on the National Register of Historic Places and in 1993, those shipwrecks became part of an underwater state park for divers called—Lake George’s Submerged Heritage Preserves.  

Joseph W. Zarzynski is a professional maritime archaeologist and an award-winning documentarian. He is the author or co-author of six books--three on shipwreck archaeology, two about underwater mysteries, and one book on documentary filmmaking for archaeologists. A retired educator, he lives in Saratoga County, New York.

Tickets for this virtual lecture, held via Zoom, are $5 for the general public and free for Hudson River Maritime Museum members. Those interested in attending can view upcoming lectures and register at www.hrmm.org/lecture-series. 

KINGSTON, N.Y. – Hudson River Maritime Museum is seeking donations of boats. The museum’s donation program provides an opportunity for boat owners who seek a meaningful future for their vessel. Donations to the museum are hassle-free, tax deductible, and provide new life and purpose for beloved vessels.

Boat donations contribute to HRMM’s programs in a number of ways. In 2017, the museum launched Riverport Sailing and Rowing School with over a dozen donated sailboats and safety boats. The school provides an invaluable service to youth and adults in the Hudson Valley with top-of-the-line sailing and rowing education on the Hudson River. Depending on a vessel's make and condition, it may be used during classes at the museum's wooden boat school to teach youth and adult students traditional woodworking skills. Other boats may be sold--with 100% of proceeds benefiting the museum's educational programs.

People who are interested in donating a boat to the museum can complete a simple electronic form available on the museum’s website at www.hrmm.org/boat-donations and a representative from the museum will be in touch. 

KINGSTON, N.Y. – Hudson River Maritime Museum will offer traditional rowing classes beginning in June. Classes on traditional open boat rowing, different from scull rowing which is also popular on the Hudson River, will help students experience this tradition which has a long history in waterfront communities.  

Sessions are offered throughout the summer and fall and begin with on shore instruction covering the basics of rowing traditional boats. Instructors will cover boat selection, handling, maritime rules, safety, and trip planning. On-the-water practice happens on the Rondout Creek next to the museum and students will be able to test their skills with a row up the creek. Students who have taken the introductory course can sign up for Traditional Rowing 2 which includes more time out on the water and allows participants and instructors to choose from the museum’s fleet of traditional row boats for a trip, conditions permitting, to the nearby Hudson River.

Rowing has been pivotal to all working waterfronts for as long as people have taken to the water. Only in the last century was rowing replaced with motors as the main way to move people and goods around harbors and ports. Rowing classes, along with on-site woodworking and boatbuilding courses, are part of the museum’s mission to preserve maritime history, traditions and craft.  

For details about classes and to register, visit www.hrmm.org/rowing or call 845-338-0071. People who have questions can contact John Phelan, Wooden Boat School Coordinator, at jphelan@hrmm.org or 845-338-0071. 

​KINGSTON, N.Y. – The Sailing School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston is expanding sailing opportunities through a Community Sailing Program that will launch on June 1. This new initiative is modeled after community sailing programs across the U.S. that work to promote, expand, and support public sailing education and experiences.

The new program enables members of the public to purchase a seasonal community sailing membership, giving them access to reserve and sail boats owned by the museum’s Sailing School. Boats that are available include the museum’s keelboats or the catboat Tidbit. Participants are required to have US Sailing Basic Keelboat certification or its equivalent, and sessions must include at least 2 registered participants. Membership in the museum’s Community Sailing Program is $1,200-$1,350 for the four-month season. 

Community sailing programs enable people to enjoy recreational sailing without having to own a boat. Ownership of a 25-foot keelboat can cost an average of $3,000 per year and expenses include routine maintenance as well as winter storage, summer dock rental, insurance. The program will give more people the opportunity to take a boat out on the water. 

Members who will be Skippers (captains) are required to pass an on-water sailing test examining their ability to safely sail on all points of sail in a variety of conditions, be able to leave and approach the dock safely, work with crew, and other elements of sailing. People who are interested in learning more about the museum’s Community Sailing Program can visit www.hrmm.org/adult-sailing. 

In addition to the community sailing program, the Sailing School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum offers a variety of sailing classes for youth and adults, as well as special events for sailors of all levels. A summary and calendar of classes can be found on the museum website. Adult classes can be found at  www.hrmm.org/adult-sailing. Youth classes can be found at www.hrmm.org/youth-sailing-program. For more information, people can contact Jody Sterling, Sailing Program Manager, at jsterling@hrmm.org or 845-338-0071.

KINGSTON, N.Y. – The Hudson River Maritime Museum is pleased to host historian and author Dr. John Harris for “New York and the Illegal Slave Trade During the Civil War” on Wednesday, May 19, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. as part of the Follow the River Lecture Series, sponsored by Rondout Savings Bank.

New York was the last slaving port in the Americas. Slavery had been illegal in New York for decades, and the slave trade was illegal throughout the country. But that didn’t stop New York City from serving as the central port for the illegal slave trade in the Northeast during the American Civil War. Long after Congress banned the trade, hundreds of ships were leaving the wharfs of Manhattan bound for the African coast. 

This talk, drawn from the Harris’ new book, The Last Slave Ships: New York and the End of the Middle Passage (Yale University Press), describes who ran the trade and how, why law enforcement was complicit, and the reasons why Abraham Lincoln’s Republic Party squashed the trade during the Civil War.

Born and raised in Northern Ireland, John Harris immigrated to the United States, completed a PhD in American History, and is currently Boswell-McDonald Chair of History at Erskine College. His new book, The Last Slave Ships, was published by Yale University Press, and has received critical praise in The Nation and The New Republic. Harris has written for the Washington Post, History.com, and The Smithsonian Magazine.
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Tickets for this virtual lecture, held via Zoom, are $5 for the general public and free for Hudson River Maritime Museum members. Those interested in attending can view upcoming lectures and register at www.hrmm.org/lecture-series. 

KINGSTON, N.Y. – Hudson River Maritime Museum is offering themed boat tours of the Hudson River and Rondout Creek beginning Memorial Day weekend. The public is invited for popular cruises to the Rondout Lighthouse as well as trips focusing on topics such as the Hudson River region’s industrial waterfront, bird watching, and local shipwreck sites. Most programming is educational and leisure cruises are available as well. Tours take place on board Solaris, a 100% solar powered tour boat built at the museum’s Wooden Boat School, which offers a unique and peaceful way to experience the Hudson River and Rondout Creek. Solaris is also available for private charter and all proceeds from tours and charters benefit the museum. 

Returning in 2021 are popular trips enabling people to see local lighthouses, learn industrial waterfront history, see the sunset out on the Hudson River, and also experience lantern cruises later in the fall. New for this season is a shipwrecks tour, live music experiences, twilight trips, and a Happy Hour cruise. Special guest appearances will expand the museum’s tour topics this season to include indigenous and Native heritage, birdwatching, local ecology and climate change, as well as the opportunity to dive deeper into subjects such as shipwrecks and the D&H Canal.

Tours depart from the docks at the museum and typically run for one to two hours. The museum continues to take precautions to ensure the safety of visitors, staff, and volunteers by monitoring and implementing CDC recommendations throughout the season. Visit www.hrmm.org to learn about measures in place to ensure safety during programming and throughout campus.   

A calendar of themes and dates for the museum’s boat tours can be found online at www.hrmm.org/all-boat-tours. People who have questions are encouraged to call the museum at 845-338-0071. 

About Solaris
Solaris is the Hudson River Maritime Museum’s 100% solar powered tour boat and floating classroom. Build on site at the museum’s Wooden Boat School, Solaris is a 44’ wooden launch that can accommodate up to 24 people (though capacity restrictions are in place during COVID). The boat is powered entirely through the sun via her onboard solar panels, and no shore power connection or generator is needed. Solar energy is stored in batteries and then powers an electric motor—so Solaris requires no engine oil, coolant or fuel and emits zero exhaust or odors. The museum offers a variety of seasonal tours on board Solaris, including lighthouse trips and themed tours covering shipwreck sites, bird watching, local indigenous heritage, and more. Learn more about Solaris at www.hrmm.org/meet-solaris.