In the wake of a storm the previous day, the current on the Hudson River was unusually strong and the wind kicked up as a Colgate 26 sailboat with Steve Colgate, its designer, at the tiller left North Cove Marina in Battery Park City for a spin across the river to New Jersey. His wife, Doris, helped to steer and navigate, calling out when a ferry was nearby or another boat was approaching.

Steve and Doris Colgate own the Offshore Sailing School, which was selected by the Battery Park City Authority and by Brookfield Property Partners to provide sailing lessons at North Cove Marina for the next 10 years. Steve Colgate was an Olympian and Americas Cup sailor, whose sailing feats include crossing the Atlantic Ocean six times in a sailboat. Doris Colgate has decades of sailing experience and is the author of a book about sailing specifically designed for women.

Steve Colgate. (Photo: Doris Colgate)

On that particular afternoon in early June, the tall red, white and blue sail on the Colgate 26 carried the boat along at racing speed and it heeled at a precipitous angle that fazed neither Colgate. Despite the wind, Steve Colgate had not a hair out of place and he looked calm and happy.

The Hudson River presents an array of potentially tough conditions for the novice sailor, but, said Doris, after 24 hours of instruction at the Offshore Sailing School (spread out over three days and preceded by a four-hour, online course), even a novice would know how to handle them.

A student would steer the boat, said Doris, and "In a short time, they would be getting used to handling the boat in the wind and wave conditions, with the instructor coaching them through any difficulties they may be having." Not alone, that student would have someone on the boat "looking out ahead, and to port and starboard, watching for approaching boats from any direction. This is the instruction we give students learning on our boats - awareness of everything going on around us as we sail. Normally there are at least three students aboard. All these tasks work through teamwork, with everyone participating in all the tasks at hand. This becomes second nature by the end of a three-day course."

Doris said that in a stiff wind, "We also would have walked all the students through reefing the mainsail and then would have rolled out the jib. So all students would have a job, trimming, steering, watching for other vessels."

The Offshore Sailing School is now in its 51st year and has taught more than 130,000 people how to sail. (Photo: Terese Loeb Kreuzer)

North Cove Marina is only partially open this summer, however the Offshore Sailing School has seven Colgate 26 sailboats in the marina and is offering sailing lessons for children and adults.

A weekly KidsSail program will start on June 22 and continue through Aug. 14. For three hours a session on five consecutive days, children enrolled in KidsSail can go out on the Hudson River in a Colgate 26 sailboat with a professional instructor aboard each boat. KidsSail is open to children aged 7 to 17. "Every effort will be made to put similar ages together," Doris Colgate said.

The program runs from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Parents can enroll their child for both sessions in any given week depending on availability, or they may request multiple weeks.

KidsSail costs $325 per child per week for half-day sessions and $600 for full-day sessions. "We are committed to providing up to half of the sailing spots on scholarship for parents who might not otherwise be able to afford this fun and enriching program for their children," Doris said.

To request a KidsSail application, or a KidsSail scholarship application, contact Beth Oliver at BOliver@OffshoreSailing.com.

In addition to KidsSail, the North Cove Sailing School at Brookfield Place is offering sailing rides and lessons, three-day Learn to Sail certification and Performance Sailing/Racing courses. The school also offers corporate team building sailing programs, group regattas, and membership in the North Cove Sailing Club with unlimited use of Colgate 26 boats on New York Harbor, a racing series and social events.

Offshore Sailing School now has eight locations, including two others in New York Harbor at Tribeca's Pier 25 and at Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City, N.J.

For more information about the Offshore Sailing School at Brookfield Place, click here.

"Judge Clears Way for Pierhouse Complex to Cast Shadow on Brooklyn Bridge," New York Times, 6/14/15. "After months of debate between developers and organizers, a judge ruled last week to allow the continued construction of Pierhouse, a hotel and condominium complex that obscures some views of the Brooklyn Bridge," says The New York Times. Though the judge, Justice Lawrence S. Knipel of State Supreme Court, called the panorama 'an iconic, world-class view worthy of the maximum protection the law can afford,' he also concluded that developers were within their legal rights in blocking portions of it from people ambling on the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. In his ruling on Friday, Justice Knipel acknowledged that the current construction, which is nearing completion, leaves 'an indelible impression' of overwhelming the promenade's historic space and view. Still, he concluded that the government made 'a conscious decision' to allow the project to be built at its current height 'for reasons relating to economic sustainability,' that rooftop 'appurtenances' containing mechanical equipment may legally exceed that limit and that because opponents failed to file their challenge within the time allotted by law, construction could proceed." For the complete article, click here.

"This Solstice, Skylight at Fulton Center Hub Will Get Its Day in the Sun," New York Times, 6/17/15. "Druids, take note. On the summer solstice, clouds permitting, the Fulton Center in Lower Manhattan will be filled with more sunshine than has ever before reached its interior," says The New York Times. "Rays of sunlight will burnish Sky Reflector-Net - the 79-foot-high convex tracery of aluminum panels and stainless steel cables in the Fulton Center atrium - for more than nine hours on Sunday, between 7:50 a.m. and 5 p.m. (At the winter solstice, by contrast, direct sunlight hits the net for only 70 minutes.) From 12:15 p.m. until 3:30 p.m., the rays will penetrate about 40 feet below sidewalk level to recesses on the lowest level of the center. The $1.4 billion Fulton Center, New York's newest transportation hub, was opened in November by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, 11 years after the project began, at almost twice the originally estimated budget. It was designed to untangle the tortuous connections among the 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, J, R and Z subway lines. This is its first summer solstice." For the complete article, click here.

"The Jazz Age Lawn Party Takes New Yorkers Back in Time," Observer.com, 6/15/15. "Over the weekend, New York's dolls and babies joined their gents and gigolos for a whale of a time at the annual Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governor's Island," says Observer.com. "For the last ten years, the party has remained one of the most celebrated summertime attractions in New York, where partygoers don their best roaring 20s get-ups and dance the Charleston to big band swing, headlined by event founder Michael Arenella and his Dreamland Orchestra. This year in particular was a special one, marking the decade milestone. What began as a simple event with 50 friends has exploded into a highly sought-after ticket for this highly curated affair." For the complete article, click here.

"What 15 Historic New York City Scenes Look Like Today," Curbed.com, 6/15/15. "It's often said that the only constant in New York is constant change, and glancing through historic photos of the city-even photos from just 20 years ago-it's evident how true this really is," Curbed.com observes. "New Yorkers love waxing poetic about the good ol' days and lamenting the loss of history, and a new app wants to tap into that nostalgia and let users time travel. Called Deja Vu, the app holds a collection of hundreds of vintage photographs that have been geolocated, so you can stand on a street corner and pull up a photo of that same spot from 100 years ago. The app's creator, E J Kalafarski aims for historic scenes that 'illustrate particularly stark contrasts with today,' and photographer Scott Lynch set out to recreate 15 of the shots." Among them are several places in Lower Manhattan - the Brooklyn Bridge walkway, Doyers Street in Chinatown and Ellis Island. For the complete article, click here.

"With Hogan and Kostic Out, Brookfield Looks to GGP for Leasing at Brookfield Place," Commercial Observer, 6/15/15. "Sandeep Mathrani's General Growth Properties will be taking over leasing at Brookfield Place, according to sources with intimate knowledge of the arrangement," Commercial Observer reports. "Brookfield Property Partners, which opened the 250,000-square-foot retail center Brookfield Place at 250 Vesey Street in March, has been winding down its Brookfield Place leasing team. As of last week, Mark Kostic left his position as manager of retail leasing at Brookfield and started as senior general manager of retail, leasing and asset management at Related Companies. At the end of April, Ed Hogan, the national director of leasing at Brookfield, was hired to oversee leasing at Vornado Realty Trust." For the complete article, click here.

Richard Dorfman resigning as master of Pioneer: Richard Dorfman, master of the South Street Seaport Museum's 1885 schooner, Pioneer, is resigning as master effective July 4 but will continue to serve as a relief captain. The sailboat is a familiar presence in New York harbor, going

Richard Dorfman at the helm of the Pioneer.

out for up to four cruises a day in season. Dorfman has been master of the Pioneer, responsible for the crew and volunteers on the ship, since 2009. No replacement has been named. Dorfman is going to work for the historic lighthouse tender, Lilac, berthed at Pier 25 in Hudson River Park, where he will be operations director. "I want it to be known that though I am leaving [Pioneer] to pursue an exciting new opportunity, I remain an ardent supporter of the museum and plan to stay involved," he said. - Terese Loeb Kreuzer

Downtown Boathouse closures: Downtown Boathouse's free public kayaking will be closed at Pier 26 in Hudson River Park on June 20 and 21. The dock will be used for the Hawaiian Airlines Liberty Challenge (an outrigger race) on Saturday and for the New Amsterdam Swim on Sunday. The one-mile swim will start at Pier 45 in Greenwich Village at 3:30 p.m. and finish at Pier 26. It will be followed by a party on Pier 26, with all proceeds going to fund research into ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and the spinal cord and is commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's disease."

The Downtown Boathouse will also be closed on Sunday, June 28 for New York City Pride Day events. An email from the Downtown Boathouse said, "We are planning to be open on Saturday June 27, but the situation may change."

North Cove sailing: On June 20 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Steve and Doris Colgate's Offshore Sailing School will mark Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year, with "Summer Sailstice Celebrations" at North Cove Marina, Brookfield Place. Offshore Sailing School instructors will take guests for a one-hour ride aboard the sailing school's Colgate 26 sailboats. Tickets: $35. Minimum age 7 accompanied by an adult and minimum weight, 50 pounds. Minimum of two passengers and maximum of five per boat. Advance registration is requested and will be confirmed on a space-available basis. To book, call North Cove Sailing School at (212) 786-4888 or email Info@NorthCoveSailingSchool.com. Payment in full is required when booking. Walk-ups may be accommodated if space is available.

River to River Festival discounts: Several Merchants Hospitality restaurants are offering a 25 percent discount to festival audience members who mention "River To River" between June 18 and 28. The discounts apply at The Black Hound, Merchants River House and SouthWestNY in Battery Park City; Clinton Hall at 90 Washington St. (at the corner of Rector and Washington Streets); Industry Kitchen at 70 South St. and Watermark on Pier 15 at 78 South St. (in the South Street Seaport); and Pound & Pence at 55 Liberty St. (in the Financial District).

Learn to make Chinese tamales: On June 20, Kirby Tan, owner of Malaysian Kitchen in Battery Park City at South Cove, will teach how to make Zongzi, (Chinese tamales), which he

Kirby Tan, owner of Malaysian Kitchen.

describes as "a traditional Chinese food, wrapped with bamboo leaves, widely eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival." All proceeds from the two-hour class will benefit CPC Chinatown Senior Citizens Center at 70 Mulberry St.

Place: 21 South End Ave. Time: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Fee: $25 per person (each participant will take home four Zongzi). For adults and for children 6 years and older. For more information and to make a reservation, call (212) 786-1888.

Open auditions for Downtown Voices: Trinity Wall Street is looking for experienced volunteer singers to join Downtown Voices, a new choir bringing together the best professional and non-professional singers in the New York metro area. The choir will rehearse once a week and perform Benjamin Britten's St. Nicholas, James MacMillan's Seven Last Words from the Cross, and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis in the 2015-2016 season. Stephen Sands will direct. If you have choral experience and are interested in singing alongside members of the Grammy-nominated Choir of Trinity Wall Street, audition for Downtown Voices. Click here for more information on audition requirements.

Volunteer for the South Street Seaport Museum: The South Street Seaport Museum has a fleet of six historic ships and a workshop barge, all of which need constant upkeep. Schooner Pioneer and Lettie G Howard rely on volunteers to not only maintain them, but to sail them. Both are recipients of the Tall Ships America - Adventure and Education Under Sail "Sail Training Program of the Year" award (2012 and 2014 respectively). All are welcome to join the crew - no experience necessary! Training is provided as you go, and there are numerous possibilities for participating, learning and growing into a skilled maritime preservationist and traditional sailor. Email volunteercoordinator@seany.org for more information.
 
Get Low Tuesdays: The Downtown Alliance has launched "#GETLOW Tuesdays," a new summer promotional campaign that will provide a 20 percent discount at nearly three dozen Lower Manhattan restaurants. In addition, participants who share the program using social media will be entered to win a four-day, three night trip to Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

Created by the Downtown Alliance, the program will be driven by social media. Participants can utilize 11 social media platforms to spread the word about the campaign, using the hashtag #GETLOW. Available platforms include: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Google+, Vine, Snapchat, Foursquare, Flickr, Pinterest and Tumblr.

Participating restaurants are: 121 Fulton Street; Atrio Wine Bar | Restaurant; Barbalu Restaurant; Bavaria Bierhaus; Beckett's; Blackhound Bar; Church & Dey; Cowgirl SeaHorse; Da Claudio Ristorante & Salumeria; Dina Rata; The Dubliner; Felice 15 Gold Street; Financier Patisserie; Fresh Salt; GRK; Harry's Caf� and Steak; Industry Kitchen; Lonestar Empire; Lumpia Shack; Mad Dog & Beans Mexican Cantina; Merchants River House; Nelson Blue; Pound & Pence; Ramen Burger; Red Hood Lobster Pound; St. George Tavern; Schnitz; Seaport Smorgasburg; Smorgas Chef; SouthwestNY Restaurant; Stone Street Tavern; and Watermark Bar & Lounge. The campaign is also receiving support from the Millennium Hilton and Hilton Amsterdam.

To learn more, click here.

July 4 fireworks: This year's Fourth of July fireworks display, presented by Macy's, will again take place over the East River. The best places to see the show will be from Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Brooklyn Heights Promenade, and along the east side of Lower Manhattan. The light show starts at 9 p.m., but it would be best to arrive early. For more information, click here.

 
Downtown Post Portfolio: Downtown Post Portfolio is a regular feature in Downtown Post NYC, showcasing artists and photographers who live and/or work south of Canal Street or who create images (paintings, drawings, photographs) of Lower Manhattan.

To have your work considered for publication in Downtown Post Portfolio, send up to seven high-resolution jpeg files attached to an email to editor@downtownpostnyc.com. (One of the photos should be a picture of you.) Several of these photos will be published in Downtown Post NYC, along with a short artist bio and a statement about the work submitted, including whether or not it is for sale and how to purchase it.

Not all entries can be published. Copyright remains with the artist. Before publication, each contributor will be asked to sign a release stating that Downtown Post NYC has the right to publish the work in the emailed newsletter and in the Downtown Post archives, and that there is no payment.

Downtown Little League opening day photo gallery: The Downtown Little League kicked off its 2015 season on April 18. This year, there are just under 1,100 players on 81 teams. For photos of the opening day, click here.

Whitney Museum of American Art photo gallery: The Whitney Museum of American Art at 99 Gansevoort St. opened to the public on May 1. For photographs of the Whitney Museum's new building and of its opening exhibition, click here.

South Street Seaport Museum Opening Day: The South Street Seaport Museum opened its 2015 season on April 25 with events on Pier 16 and activities for kids and their families in the lobby of the museum's 12 Fulton St. building. For photographs of the museum's opening day, click here.

Downtown Post Portfolio: Jay Fine: Jay Fine is a New York City fine-art photographer and photojournalist, based in Lower Manhattan whose work was featured in Downtown Post Portfolio (DPNYC, 5/6/15). To see some more of Fine's work on the Downtown Post NYC website, click here.