We noticed a short path leading straight to the bay, so we seized the chance for a sweeping view of the estuary. The word “estuary” almost rhymes with mystery (the kind of ‘slant rhyme’ Emily Dickinson loved), which seemed fitting as we gazed at the wind-rippled expanse of narrow-leaved cattail spread out before us, Cruger’s Island and the Hudson beyond the marsh, and the Catskill Mountains framing the western horizon. The tidal marsh is so full of marvels, so fertile, the life it harbors so diverse and abundant, despite the invasions of purple loosestrife, phragmites (common reed), and water chestnut, that it can never be fully knowable.
Frank and I forged ahead on this blue trail, up and over the crests of small divides, in and out of steep ravines that creeks had carved into the banks of the bay here. Another, yellow-marked, trail intersected, but we stayed along the verge of the estuary, pausing at intervals to glimpse the V-wake of a muskrat in a tidal channel, or a large, conical beaver lodge, or to inspect some of the trailside rushes and sedges, which Frank identified, rattling off their Latin names. But where the blue trail veered from the bank, we turned back, retracing our footsteps. We realized we didn’t know how much further this trail led, and whether it looped back to our starting point or just kept winding through the woods. The sun was poised above the distant Catskills, and we didn’t want to have to walk this route in the dark, over its tangles of exposed roots, so we went back the way we came, the vespers of wood thrushes fluting to us out of the gathering dusk. It was only a first walk here for both of us, really, and the beginning of further exploration, maybe next time with a trail map obtained from the HRNERR headquarters. It was a tantalizing introduction to a beautiful, intriguing place, and we knew we would have to return.
Richard Parisio is a lifelong naturalist, educator and writer. He currently leads field trips for school classes at Mohonk Preserve, teaches courses about John Burroughs and conducts tours of Slabsides and the John Burroughs Sanctuary for groups and individuals by request. Rich is New York State coordinator for River of Words, a national poetry and art program on the theme of watersheds, and teaches River of Words programs for school classes, grades K-12, by request. Contact Rich ([email protected]) with questions, comments, or suggestions for Nature at Your Doorstep.
