Before we launched, we had the good fortune to meet John Cronin, and he called some of his friends to help us.

They printed out a tide chart for us and showed some boats that they are working on.

The truth is, I didn't know the tide was a factor this far north on the Hudson and we seemed to be fighting the wind most of the day.

We decide to wait for the tide to change on Bannerman's Island.

Bannerman was an eccentric millionaire who built this castle here a hundred years ago to house his armory.

We ate lunch in the ruins.

And waited for the tide to turn down-river.

We set back out again just as the sun was setting.

And we snuck past West Point in the dark.

We pulled up for the night on Con Hook.

It rained most of the night.

McKendree and Mike tried to dry out the sleeping bags while we paddled the next morning.

Breakfast in Peekskill. Moral was very low - but it felt good to eat.

I began to think that at the rate we were going, we might have to abandoned the boat and get on a train.

But the wind changed direction and we improvised a sail from one of the tarps.

We sailed for the next day and a half.

And made it to Manhattan on Friday afternoon.

Just in time for me to put the boat and pictures of the trip up at the Lab.

For a show that McKendree curated there about escape.