Hudson River Sloop Clearwater is a nonprofit, member-supported organization whose mission is to preserve and protect the Hudson River.

In 1966, folk music legend and environmental activist Pete Seeger, in despair over the pollution of his beloved Hudson River, announced plans to “build a boat to save the river.” At the time, the Hudson was rank with sewage and pollution; fish had disappeared over many miles of its length. Seeger believed a majestic replica of the sloops that sailed the Hudson in the 18th and 19th centuries would bring people to the river, where they could experience its beauty and be moved to preserve it.

Inspired by that vision, the 106-feet-long tall ship Clearwater was built and launched in 1969. The sloop was among the first vessels in the U.S. to conduct science-based environmental education aboard a sailing ship, virtually creating the template by which such programs are conducted around the world today.

Since the launch of the sloop Clearwater, more than 500,000 young people and hundreds of thousands of adults have experienced their first real look at an estuary’s ecosystem—fish, invertebrates, water chemistry and ecological principals—aboard the sloop. And Clearwater’s members have helped advocate for the Clean Water Act, the Hudson River Park Act and removal of PCB’s from the Hudson.

The sloop Clearwater was named to the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 for its role in the environmental movement. Please visit our website for more information on Clearwater and its programs.