The Statue of Liberty may be closed but there is still one unique way to visit her
The Statue of Liberty closes to visitors on Saturday and will remain shut for a whole year. But that doesn't mean you have to give up all hope of getting close to the green lady, for the more adventurous traveler theres always a wobbly boat trip...
'Its a kayak, not a canoe,' chides Randall Hendrikson, instructor and founder of the New York Kayak Company, as I make my umpteenth verbal faux pas of the morning while trying to remember the little I know about canoeing, sorry, kayaking, and paddling out into the Hudson River.
This is the Randall's flagship tour from the company's Pier 40 base on Manhattans South Western side out to the Statue of Liberty and back. A three-hour paddle, it is pitched at moderately fit folks with a basic grounding in kayak control.
The latter is especially useful for prospective paddlers on this particular voyage given the sheer volume of traffic you need to navigate crossing the aquatic motorway that is the Hudson River.
The very idea of crossing this stretch of water in something as flimsy as a kayak is bold to say the least. It initially feels as foolhardy as driving a childs go-kart on the M25 in rush hour, which certainly adds to the excitement.
More...
But if you're looking for a more sedate trip, I can safely guarantee that at no point while loafing on the deck of the Staten Island Ferry will your life flash before your eyes as it may do here.
However, Hendrikson is a seasoned man of the water, and under his expert guidance our group safely navigates across to the western side of the Hudson before turning south and heading for that oh-so iconic dame.
Getting to grips: Warren Pole negotiates the busy waterway that is the Hudson River
As the water flows beneath our boats and we rise and fall like corks on the assorted wakes being sent our way from the many vessels plying their trade on this famous waterway, being out here in a kayak starts to feel like the most natural thing on earth.
And as I begin bonding with my boat, Im able to relax my concentration a little and soak up the view. What aview it is. Ahead Liberty looms larger than ever, while to my left the magnificently iconic Manhattan skyline drifts by. Its the classic view of this city, seen in movies, photos and postcards the world over, but unless you get out here on the water youll never actually see it for real in New York.
Anhour and a half after setting off and were bobbing around in front of Lady Liberty herself as the hapless moribund passengers of the ferry gawp on. While they take their identikit snaps amid a sea of tourists doing exactly the same, we sit privileged and alone on the water below with front row seats.
Unusual: For a unique twist on visiting the Statue of Liberty, ditch the ferry and take a kayak
Smug doesnt even come ! close. A lthough we do have to be careful not to drift beyond the buoys marking Libertys exclusion zone trespass here and the river police will be drawing guns first and asking questions later.
Paddling back to Pier 40 with a great sense of achievement, the city beyond awaits and as the sun sets over that grand skyline all I can think about is the well-earned cold beer and New York pizza thats coming up next.
Travel Facts
For more info go to www.nykayak.com. Tours start from $100 for a two-hour trip.
Three nights room only at the four-star New Yorker Hotel is from 645 per person, based on two sharing a standard room. This includes direct return flights from London Heathrow to JFK with Virgin Atlantic, departing on November 8, 2011. Visit www.expedia.co.uk or call 0330 123 1235.
This film was produced by Expedia, as part of the People Shaped Travel series.
Comments