It was a lovely day in the Hudson Valley, so we took the early afternoon off to kayak at one of the area’s most popular paddle sites, Tivoli Bay north, part of the wetlands that comprise the Hudson River Reserve.

Situated on the shores of the Hudson River, which is actually a tidal estuary, the bays are best reached during the hours just before and after high tide.

Several channels sweep through the bays, but access is determined by tide levels, plant life and the occasional beaver dam. We paddled north from the dock, taking a left into a narrow channel that winds south and ends up in the main channel leading out to the Hudson River.

We then entered a wide dead-end channel, off to the left of the main water trail, which offers a magnificent view of the Catskill Mountains rising up behind the Hudson River.

Yellow and purple irises were blooming and the water lily buds were just beginning to open. Two new (since we were there last) beaver damns were up, but no beavers were in sight. Swallows and redwing blackbirds were abundant, however. The largest turtle I’ve yet seen, at least one and one-half feet across, surfaced briefly at the side of my kayak before diving below.

We did not pass under the railroad bridge to the Hudson River today, but the south bay is an excellent paddle also, and has its own launch. Several hiking trails wind around the protected property, described and mapped conveniently by Bard College.