February-March 2026 Palisade Boat Club Newsletter
February-March 2026 Palisade Boat Club Newsletter
WELCOME TO OUR 160TH YEAR
Bill Vance and Les Radoman provided a gallery of wonderful pictures and articles from our history, check them all out here. Below is an article about our 100th Anniversary. Mark June 13th on your calendar for both our opening day and 160th Anniversary Celebration!
Image courtesy of Bill Vance and Les Radoman
THE RETURN OF FLAG 136
Photo credit: Jason McGinnis. Image includes Justin Fornal (second from right) and James Sexton (right).
On January 31st PBC member and longtime Explorers Club fellow Justin Fornal performed a public flag return and public lecture to Explorers Club at 46 East 70th Street. Several supportive PBC members attended the event. Since 1905 the Explorers Club has sent their club flags around the globe (and into space) on expeditions. If a member is selected to carry one they are responsible to write a report proving how their mission furthered human knowledge and contributed to scientific understanding. Since 2020, flag 136 has accompanied Justin and his team across some of the world’s most challenging environments, from the remote reaches of the Nares Strait north of Etah, Greenland, to the dust-filled, conflict-scarred streets of Mogadishu, Somalia.
The Project Harmony Expedition recovered, catalogued, and relocated more than 150 African American tombstones discarded into the Potomac River after the Columbian Harmony Cemetery was sold in 1959. Co-led by Justin Fornal, joined by PBC member James Sexton and supported by the Commonwealth of Virginia, this multi-year effort united genealogists, archaeologists, and descendants to reunite the stones with the deceased and restore their histories.
The Great Arctic Swim Expedition centered around Justin's attempt to complete the first continuous swim from Canada to Greenland. The expedition’s primary objective was to collaborate with satellite technologists and local Inughuit communities to document how global warming is rapidly reshaping the High Arctic. The majority of Justin's training was done in the Hudson River under the watchful kayak support of Jason McGinnis James Sexton using our PBC clubhouse and a base of operations.
Finally, the Somalia’s Lost People Expedition sent Justin on several research trips through Somalia, Somaliland, and parts of Ethiopia. This project partnered with Somalia’s historically marginalized “untouchable” clans, who are experts on the rich but rapidly disappearing web of Somali indigenous traditions.
Justin will be hosting an annual Explorers Club event at his Yonkers home on Thursday April 16th, at 7pm. All PBC members are welcome to join. Contact Justin @
WORK PARTY REPORT
Roel, Eddie and Tracy got the water back on at the club after it was turned off for the winter.
Our next work party is April 11th at 11am, a spring cleaning of the boat house. More info to come over email, but this is a great way to put in some work hours!
MEMBERS ON THE MOVE!
And here’s a great photo of Jay Moran with his band Stoke' n the Motives playing in Yonkers. Rock on Jay!
2026 FUNDRAISERS ANNOUNCED!
To build on the success of last year's fundraisers, we are sending the planned events for 2026 in advance. As the dates near, we will send out additional details. If you'd like to get involved please contact Tracy Broome.
Refreshments will be served at all events and drinks will be available for sale. We will also have a 50/50 raffle and prize giveaways, so come and join us for some fun!
IMPORTANT MEMBER INFO
CLUBHOUSE CLEANUP: All members are being asked to remove any and all personal items that they may have lying around the clubhouse or in the boathouse before March 27th. All personal items should be located in either the members boat or locker. All remaining items will be discarded if they are not removed by that time.
REMINDER: work hours for 2026 can be entered here, the link is also on our website.
GET YOUR FREE COAST GUARD WATERPROOF WATERCRAFT DECAL: Not only are these good to have in case of a lost boat, but they help us ID boats in the house. Get your free decals here.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
To contribute photos and stories to the newsletter, please email: PBC-newsletter@jamesmumm.org.
Visit the Palisade Boat Club website: https:/thepalisadeboatclub.com/
The Palisade Boat Club
3 Warburton Avenue
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY, 10706
United States
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