36 Views of the Clearwater

About the Clearwater

The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater is a non-profit organization whose environmental mission is to protect the Hudson River through lifelong stewardship and educational programs. It was founded in 1966 by folk musician and activist Pete Seeger and his wife, filmmaker, and producer Toshi Seeger, to encourage people to develop a personal relationship with the river, which had been heavily polluted by major corporations.

The Hudson River runs from the Adirondack Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean, and the Clearwater sails back and forth between Albany and New York City, docking in Hudson Valley towns along the way, typically from April to November every year.

Overlooking the Hudson River and Mid-Hudson Bridge from the Clearwater in summer 2024.

My Time on the Clearwater

Being on board the Clearwater in 2024 as a volunteer was the first time I’d ever been sailing. I was blown away by the efficiency of movement and communication on board, and how the whole crew acted as one. I was also moved by the organization’s empowerment of female, nonbinary, and LGBTQ+ youth, both in the hiring of their crew and their programming.

The *Clearwater* docked in Poughkeepsie, New York in July 2024.

Sailing on the *Clearwater* in July 2024.

Winter Maintenance

I knew I wanted to spend more time on the boat, so I applied to be a winter maintenance trainee last fall. Joining in March, I caught the tail end of winter maintenance and missed a lot of the official training, but still got to experience welding, make baggy wrinkles, and do some woodworking.

A watercolor illustration of twisted manila rope surrounded by soft, flowing lines. Below the image, handwritten text reads, "March 3: Unwrapping pieces of manila rope to be used as baggy wrinkles. The semi-gloss woodshop felt like love." — A watercolor and ink sketch of untwisted strands of manila hemp, which will be used to make baggy wrinkles.

A person wearing headphones sits on a wooden sawhorse in a workshop, focused on working with materials placed in a black trash bag. The space has wooden walls and various tools and equipment in the background. — Sliding the manila pieces to seine twine to make baggy wrinkles, which will protect the sails from contact with rigging.

I loved learning the different parts of the boat based on what we were repairing: it was a different way to acquaint myself with the boat, through understanding the distinct parts that come together to make the Clearwater a functioning boat.

I enjoyed working with blocks, which brought me back to sixth grade science class (shout out to Ms. Kauffman at Welsh Valley Middle School for teaching us about pulley systems!), as well as working with two groups of youth from the New York Harbor School and the School at Columbia University for the Junior Bosun Program who amazed me with heir enthusiasm for learning and impressed me with how much they knew about boats already!

A wooden crate filled with coiled ropes and wooden pulleys. The ropes are arranged haphazardly, with some ends loose, while the pulleys are variously positioned within the crate. — Moving heavy boxes, blocks, and line across a narrow gangway was a feat.

A handwritten note titled "19 Blocks" accompanied by a watercolor sketch of various block-and-tackle pulleys and ropes. The note mentions a memory from sixth grade about learning to tie knots and includes a reminder about the stability of certain setups. — A sketch of blocks: “Remember in sixth grade when you learned about pulleys?”

I left inspired to take a more active part in environmental education and advocacy—and to seriously learn the banjo!

Daily Sketches

I brought an accordion sketchbook with me and set out the intention to sketch every day while I was in Kingston, New York. The sketches became a way to document the things that I learned and to record my daily activities.

A sketch of the steam tugboat Mathilda outside the Hudson River Maritime Museum.

I drew inspiration from Hokusai’s 36 Views of Mount Fuji, a series of woodblock prints in which the artist illustrated the land and seascape around Mt. Fuji in different seasons and from different perspectives (it’s the one where his famous Great Wave off Kanagawa appears!). I used a muted palette for my sketches, to pay homage to the colors that Hokusai used in his prints.

Illustrations and handwritten instructions for "Lazy Eye Splice & Mousing." The left page shows step-by-step diagrams for creating a loop splice in rope, while the right page explains the concept of mousing with details on wrapping and securing the splice to prevent slipping. — Notes on lazy eye splicing and mousing.

It was difficult to sketch every day while working full-time, and I often ended up drawing from photos in the evenings rather than on location. Yet I appreciate the extra push that this project gave me to pick up my fountain pen and make a commitment to art.

Here are my supplies below, in hopes that they inspire you to create your own art project around trips, internships, or any learning environment.

A blue art case laid open on grass, containing watercolor paints, pens, pencils, a binder clip, and a sketchbook labeled "Kawaguchi, March 23." Dandelions are scattered around the scene.

A compact watercolor palette open on a blue artist's case, surrounded by green grass and small white flowers. The palette contains vibrant paint colors in various wells.

My Supplies

Blue Pocket Art Toolkit filled with the following:
- Black Demi Palette with Mini Pans filled with the following Daniel Smith paints (clockwise starting from upper left): Sepia, Indanthrone Blue, Cadmium Yellow Light, Cerulean Blue Chromium; Yellow Ochre, Quinacridone Rose; New Gamboge, Indian Red.
- Sailor Fude De Mannen Fountain Pen.
- Aquash Medium Water Brush, Rosemary & Co R20 Short Flat Size 6, Neptune 1" Mottler.

The *Clearwater* under her winter cover.

Thank You

Thank you to the staff and crew of the Clearwater for everything you do!