Life on the Hudson-Albany

Aug 20th: ALBANY

The journey from Waterford took us past Albany, the capital of New York. Beyond the beautifully landscaped waterfront parks, the majestic spires and towers of gothic government buildings are silhouetted against the equally impressive modern structures of this obviously prosperous city. Unlike its counterpart Toronto, the shoreline of Albany is immaculate. Even on its outskirts where the banks of the river are lined with industry, quarries and other commercial concerns, there is a sense of cleanliness and efficiency. We passed several enormous barges being pushed and pulled by tugboats as they slowly plied their way down the river transporting cargo of gravel, cement and oil. This is not a decaying dumping ground, but an area of industrious activity with centres of commerce set attractively into dense forested areas along a clean river.

Our experience on the Hudson belies the belief that industry is incompatible with nature. As we traveled down this river we experienced the sense of being in a remote natural landscape surrounded as we were with mile after mile of dense healthy forests spreading across the hillsides as far as the eye could see. Despite hundreds of years of settlement along this route, present day signs of human habitation were few and far between. From the vantage point of the river it is unbelievable to us that New York City, one of the most densely populated places on earth, could be only one hundred miles away.