Schooner Apollonia and the 100% solar-powered tour boat Solaris pass by the Rondout Lighthouse as they return to the Hudson River Maritime Museum on June 25. (Jody Sterling | courtesy Hudson River Maritime Museum)
After a successful “RiverWise: North River Voyage” completed in June, 2020, the Hudson River Maritime Museum, in partnership with the schooner Apollonia, has announced the continuation of its educational initiative to bring the Hudson River to the general public through virtual programs. “RiverWise: South Hudson Voyage,” brings carbon-neutral vessels Solaris and Apollonia together for a fleet sail from Kingston to New York City in mid-August, 2020. The vessels leave the museum docks on Thursday, August 13 and will be gone for approximately 12 days.
The South Hudson Voyage is part of a broader effort the museum calls “RiverWise.” During the voyage museum staff and crew will collect film footage, conduct interviews and produce short films, photos and social media content to teach the general public about the Hudson River and allow them to experience it in real-time, as the crew does, from the comfort of their own homes.
After the voyage, museum staff will process the hundreds of hours of film footage collected on both voyages and begin to create short documentary films about the Hudson River and its history, with emphasis on the four themes highlighted this year — lighthouses, shipbuilding, towing and sail freight.
Members of the public can follow along via www.hudsonriverwise.org – tracking the boats themselves, reading the daily captains’ log and learning more about the history and maritime heritage of the Hudson River through interactive maps, educational videos, documentary films and more. Livestreamed footage from each boat will also be available on the museum’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/hudsonrivermaritimemuseum.
All public programs will be done virtually. If you would like to support the South Hudson Voyage and the museum’s documentary films, visit www.hudsonriverwise.org/support for more information on sponsorship and donation opportunities.