Surprising, Fierce and Comforting
Swimming used to be a popular activity in the East River.
Terri Daly, Director, Mount Vernon Hotel Museum, and Garden
Where is the East River?
The East River separates Manhattan island from the boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn. So if you find yourself in Manhattan, simply walk east and you’ll eventually meet the river’s edge. But if you’re in Brooklyn, do the opposite: Walk west to reach the river’s shore. In Queens, depending where you are, you could reach the river by either walking west or north. Why either direction? It’s because the East River runs along the western and northern shores.
Views of The River
Five Things You’ll Discover In This Episode
- It’s Not A River: Unlike true rivers, the East River doesn’t flow from a fresh water source and empty into the ocean. Rather, the East River is a tidal strait that connects Long Island Sound to New York Harbor. And, the water flows back and forth between these two bodies of water every 12 hours, according to the tides.
- It Was a Popular Swimming Spot: Back in the early 1800’s, New Yorker’s used to escape the hectic city by visiting the Mount Vernon Hotel, a country resort on the shores of the East River (now East 61st street). And one of the favorite activities for guests was swimming in protected alcoves of the East River.
- It Prevented Prison Breaks: The strong currents in the East River discouraged prisoners of The Penitentiary on Blackwell’s Island (Roosevelt Island today) from attempting a water escape.
- Few People Know The Role The River Played In Super Storm Sandy: “Most people don’t know this,” Malcolm Bowman told me in this episode, “But during Sandy, the area was hit by two storm surges. One coming up from the ocean through the Verrazzano-Narrows and a second storm surge that came barreling down from Long Island sound through East River.” That second surge collided with first one in the lower East River and caused the flooding and damaged that occurred in lower Manhattan.
- Gates Placed in the East River Could Protect NYC from Future Storms: To keep future storm surges — and they’re devastating effects — away from New York City, some experts propose placing storm surge barriers (gates) in the river. However, there are arguments against the barriers, including their potential to harm the delicate ecosystem in the East River. The Army Corps of Engineers is currently evaluating proposals and they are expected to announce a recommendation in early 2020.
Who You’ll Meet in this Episode
- Terri Daly: Terri is the Director of the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden. She was promoted to director in 2014 after holding several positions at the museum, including interpreter and educator.
- Malcolm J Bowman: Malcolm is a Professor of Physical Oceanography and a Distinguished Service Professor at the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences (SoMAS), State University of New York at Stony Brook. He is also chairman and founder of the New York New Jersey Metropolitan Storm Surge Working Group.
- Todd Rice: Todd is a composer, performer, speaker, coach and educator. You can learn more about Todd and his work at his website (creative-breakthroughs.com) and you can enjoy Todd’s music via Apple Music, specifically here and here.
Resources and Links
- Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden
- Blackwell’s Island
- The Penitentiary on Blackwell’s Island: Background part 1, part 2 and part 3
- New York, New Jersey Storm Surge Group
- Creative Breakthroughs
- Todd Rice Albums: It’s Just A Thought and Can You Hear Me Now