By Vladimir Brezina

The calendar says that winter hasn’t started yet.
But what does the calendar know? Paddling-wise, it’s already deep winter here in the US Northeast. The days are short, and once the sun sets, the temperature plummets dramatically. It’s not the season for loitering on the water after dark, and even more so, for landing after dark, unavoidable as that often is. Putting away the boats in the dark, with wet fingers frozen by the cold wind, can be a distinctly unpleasant experience.
So, it’s the season for shorter trips suited to the shorter days—such as the old standby, the Manhattan circumnavigation.
Here are some photos from Saturday’s circumnavigation (click on any photo to start slideshow).
We leave the Pier 40 embayment
… and paddle south down the Hudson
Wind against current waves
… fun!
We turn the corner of the Battery into the East River
The heliport is busy today
Helicopters take off over our heads
We are in full winter gear
Past the South Street Seaport
… toward the East River bridges
This section of the East River is placid compared to the Hudson
Under the Brooklyn Bridge
… and the Manhattan Bridge
Looking back at Downtown Manhattan
… and across the river
Under the Williamsburg Bridge
We continue up the East River
Midtown Manhattan is in sight
East River traffic
One of the classic views
Looking back into the sun
We pass Midtown
A Long Island City icon
“Halie & Matthew” from Eastport, Maine
Under the Queensboro Bridge
We paddle up the Queens-side channel past Roosevelt Island, close to shore, because the current has already turned against us
We skirt the barges that are always docked at the power plant
Industrial scene
A couple more barges…
… and the Roosevelt Island Bridge
Socrates Sculpture Park
After crossing Hell Gate, we approach the Wards Island Bridge
We arrive at our favorite barge
… our shelter from the wind…
… where we raft up for some tea
Afterward, we paddle on… under the Triborough (RFK) Bridge
Under the Third Avenue Bridge
Looking back at the Third Avenue Bridge
The Park Avenue Bridge
More of the Harlem River bridges come into view
Toward the Madison Avenue Bridge
The Padded Wagon
Under the Madison Avenue Bridge
The Macombs Dam Bridge
High Bridge and tower
Alexander Hamilton Bridge and Washington Bridge
Looking back at the trio of mid-Harlem bridges silhouetted against the declining sun
The University Heights Bridge
… still lit by the sun
Almost at the top of the Harlem River
… and almost sunset
Looking back at the University Heights Bridge
The Broadway Bridge
The Henry Hudson Bridge
And finally the Spuyten Duyvil Bridge
… just in time for the last of the sun
We pass under the bridge out into the Hudson
The view north
But we paddle south
… toward the George Washington Bridge
Sunset colors across the river
Under the George Washington Bridge, the Manhattan skyline comes once more into view
The George Washington Bridge and the Little Red Lighthouse
Above the bridge, a crescent quarter moon
It’s getting dark
Last sunset color
A look back
… and forward toward home
The individual photos are here.