September 20, 2012
Last summer, we had driven to New York to see some of Wil’s family. Therefore, this year our main sightseeing goals were our trip down the East River, as well as a visit to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. In addition, we would also get to visit with Wil’s cousin and her family.
Being anchored at Liberty State Park was extremely convenient for everything we wanted to do. It was about a 2-mile walk from the boat ramp, through Liberty State Park, and along the Hudson River Walk, to the historical Central Railroad of New Jersey (CRRNJ) Terminal. While the train portion of the terminal is only a museum now, the Statue Cruises ferries carry passengers between Liberty State Park, Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and downtown Manhattan. On September 11, 2001, the terminal parking lot was utilized for mobilzation of emergency crews after the trade center attacks. Today, a sentimental memorial directs your view to where the World Trade Towers once stood.
During our walk to the terminal, we discovered that Wil was wearing his multipurpose tool on his belt. I reminded him that touring New York’s historical buildings is like going through airport security. They won’t let him bring a knife through security check points. After verifying this with a guard at an Ellis Island gate, Wil hid his tool in some ornamental grass, and he picked it up on our return walk.
We were exhausted after a full day of walking and touring, but it was well worth the experience. Once we returned to the boat, we were all very happy to put our feet up.