The River is Wide
Not too long ago, we were sitting on the Metro North railroad, headed back to NYC, sore from hiking, reeking of campfire, tired as hell, and feeling just a little bit depressed knowing that around the next sunset would be a week filled with meetings and subways, instead of camping and waterways. Quite a shock to the system, it would be, if not for that massive and stunning Hudson River guiding the train all the way home, like a series of awnings bracing the fall from a roof.Now that fragile river has been in the news a bit recently – subject of a study by a group called Riverkeeper, and an editorial in the Times – reminders of the impact that that city will have on anything it touches. It was also the subject of a recent American Masters on Pete Seeger, one of that river’s first defenders.In 1966, Seeger started to build a 106 foot sloop called Clearwater (photo above), to sail down the Hudson, sing folk songs and heighten awareness for a river left for dead. That ship and Pete Seeger have since sailed 400,000 students up and down the river, fought polluters, and made a heck of a lot of progress.As Pete’s daughter says in the film, “He made a promise to me, when I was about 12 years old. He said when you grow up, you’re going to be able to swim in the river. And I did.”Catch the documentary if you can – the man was black listed for 17 years, hand built his home, and continues at age 87 to fight for his music, his river and the greater good.MP3: Pete Seger - Turn, Turn, Turn