Constitution Marsh is a pristine, protected Audubon Preserve just off of the Hudson River in Cold Spring, New York. We’ll take a kayak trip through this calm-water marsh, and you’ll see lots of waterfowl (along with other varmints) as we wend our way through the marsh. We’ll stop at a little-known waterfall-fed swimmin’ hole if the weather’s hot enough and have a swim and lunch. Then, on our way out of the marsh, we’ll stop at the "drive-up" (kayak-up) nature center to see an aerial view of the marsh and its (crazy) history as a one-time rice farm.

There is a limit of 8 people (two co-leaders, me and Danny Yoffee, plus 8 others), so it’s first-come, first-served. Please note that reservations are required.

This is open to all kayaking levels, even those who’ve never done it and want to try it out (I’ve had first-timers before—yep, one of ‘em took a dunk, but he righted himself and had a great day)—the outfitters are great at helping you get settled in, and the calm marsh is a perfect place to hone your skills.

The kayaks are $60 for the day, and everything will be provided—kayak, paddle, life vest, and put-in services. We spend about 2 minutes on the Hudson, then go under a train bridge and into the marsh. We’ll be done kayaking about 4-4:30.

Bring sunblock, water, lunch, a swimsuit (most people wear their swimsuits in the boat), boat shoes or sneakers you don’t mind getting wet, and a hat. This is a kayak trip; you’ll be about six inches off the water, so you’re going to get wet—at least a little. If you bring your wallet, camera, phone, or toaster, a waterproof bag is strongly recommended.

When you reply, please give me your name, weight, and height so that the outfitter can set up the boats (they’re different lengths) and life vests (different sizes). When we meet, we’ll head to the outfitter’s so you can take care of your kayak rental, then we’ll head down to the Hudson, where the outfitter staff will meet us.

Rain cancels. If in doubt, you can call me at a number I'll proivide in confirmation emails (apparently phone #s can be scraped from these announcements). Post-trip, there’s a great little summertime-only outdoor bar in a former railroad station that serves cold beers, steamers, and other summer food. This part is optional. Likewise, if you arrive in Cold Spring early, there’s a great little café at the end of Main St.—the Foundry Café (named after the nearby 1860 foundry that made cannon shot for the Civil War). It’s at 55 Main St.

To get there by train, meet me at the clock in Grand Central Terminal at 8:35 a.m, R/T ticket to Cold Spring NY in hand (I’ll be in a beige hat and shorts). We’ll take the 8:47 to Cold Spring (it arrives at 10). Trains return to the city every hour.

If you’re driving, the best place to park is in the train station parking lot (you can also meet the rest of the group there). To get there, use Google Maps and "Cold Spring NY Train Station" as the destination (it recognizes that address). Here're the basics, though. It takes an hour and 10 minutes by train from NYC, and Google Maps says it takes 1:24 by car::