Over the past few years, the banks of the Hudson River in New York City have undergone a phenomenal transformation from the litter-strewn wastelands that they had become. The waterfront has been cleaned up; piers jut into the river with parks, green spaces, fountains, and playgrounds. The bike/walking path has been almost entirely connected and improved so you can now journey from Battery Park to the little red lighthouse at the base of the George Washington Bridge on part of the Manhattan Waterfront Greenway. The banks of the Hudson River in New York City are a fun place to be.

The portion of the river bank from 72nd Street to about 100th Street is particularly attractive as it edges Riverside Park, a beautiful area which offers spectacular views of the water. In spring masses of daffodils and tulips dance in the wind; clouds of cherry blossoms rain down on the pathways, especially along Cherry Walk between 96th and 125th Street. In summer, the shady green, grassy areas offer a welcome respite from the sun and perfect picnic places.

This is also the spot where driftwood sculptures began to appear along the banks of the river about five years ago, in a spontaneous expression of art. The sculptures, which are visible from the Henry Hudson Parkway, are spaced in an irregular pattern along the water’s edge. They stand silently in groups or singly, dozens of yards apart. Some are over six feet tall; others are wide and low. In some case two sticks have simply been positioned upright among the rocks, standing like sentinels, observing the comings and goings of the river. There are elaborate structures with dozens of pieces of wood, plastic, stones and/or string. Some sculptures are twigs stuck into unused metal signposts. There are no rules; the artist is limited only by the materials at hand and imagination as well as the ability to weave them into original shapes.

Who created these intriguing sculptures? People have wondered for years. According to an ABC news clip, a sculptor named Tom Loback is responsible for many of these fantastic creations. Others are put up by nameless individuals who, seeing these original pieces, put their own mark on the riverbank, expressing their creativity.

Irrespective of who creates them, they are well loved by the cyclists and walkers. Alina Enggist, who we met on the bike trail together with her friend, Brad, considers them to be so magical that she is writing her thesis on them, having documented their evolution through thousands of pictures that she has taken.

Whatever the creation, it is an ever-changing, victim to the vagaries of tides, man, and the Sanitation Department, which regularly takes them down. But no sooner is one sculpture gone than a new abstract creation appears in its place.  The river is like a giant living art gallery. If you are in the area, take a walk or ride to Riverside Park at 96th Street and head north along the river bank. The sculptures will be on your left by the water’s edge. The light is particularly interesting in the late afternoon. When you have seen them, ride or walk back down to 79th Street where houseboats and sailboats gently bob up and down; stop for a drink at the 79th Street Boat Basin Cafe and enjoy the unique views of the river as the sun slowly sets.

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