Scenes from a Pre-Hurricane Walk to the Hudson River

The waiting is tedious. It was time to leave the apartment and take a walk. I had watched television coverage all day about the track of Hurricane Irene, posed to threaten the New York area beginning later tonight and into tomorrow, and I was getting a little restless. I appreciate the dangers of the storm. In the early afternoon on Saturday, though, I seized the moment before the storm's arrival to take a long walk through the West Village to the Hudson River.

MacDougal Street, Greenwich Village, before the storm

Christopher St Station, all subways closed (closed with crime scene tape).

Christopher Street, near Bedford St, West Village

The farther I walked west, the fewer people I encountered. I walked west on Bleecker Street and past MacDougal Street and then up Bleecker where it curves to meet Christopher Street. From there I wandered to the river through Zone A, the designation for our low lying areas at the water's edge. In normal circumstances, we call this particular area in Zone A the Far West Village.

A restaurant prepares windows for Hurricane Irene.

An outlying band of rain from Hurricane Irene arrives on Hudson Street, West Village

Views of quiet Washington Street in Zone A

A Belgian block street in an area close to the water's edge

The Hudson River was beautiful this afternoon, quiet and atmospheric and romantic, a little dark, a little ominous. A giant cruise ship glided down the river, a fantastic sight.

Calm waters, overcast skies, Hudson River

The Norwegian Jewel cruise ship heads down the Hudson River prior to the arrival of Hurricane Irene.

I usually don't mind when I find myself alone walking around deserted areas near the river. But I understood the reason why it was quiet today, so I turned around and took the quickest way home.

Hudson River Park, looking downtown

Images by Walking Off the Big Apple from early Saturday afternoon, August 27, 2001.