c/o @eddiefreiberg
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A paddleboarder was spotted on Friday casually making his way down the Hudson River — weaving through chunks of ice still lingering from this winter’s cold snap. And yes, he was wearing a backpack.
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Eddie Freiberg, a real estate broker from Greenpoint, was in the middle of showing an apartment to clients in the West 60s when someone glanced out the window and noticed a lone figure gliding across the frigid water. The group couldn’t believe what they were seeing.The mystery paddler didn’t even appear to be wearing a wetsuit, and Freiberg joked that maybe the man was heading downtown for a day at the office.
“It’s pretty wild. I’m born and raised in New York City, I’ve never seen anything like that on the Hudson,” Freiberg told the New York Post, which first reported the story.
Despite the unforgettable interruption, the showing apparently didn’t end in a deal — but Freiberg seemed to take the whole thing in stride, calling it one of those fun, wacky moments that only happen in New York City. He noted that the paddleboarder looked like a seasoned pro and appeared to be staying safely ahead of the ice.
The FDNY confirmed they received no calls about the incident, and the paddleboarder’s identity and destination remain a mystery. NOAA data showed the Hudson was hovering around a bone-chilling 31 degrees on Friday.
Naturally, social media had a field day. Viewers on X quipped that the man’s unconventional commute was probably still faster — and cheaper — than taking the train.
Still faster than the train ? #whatisnewyork pic.twitter.com/NMSqjKW8La
— WhatIsNewYork (@whatisny) March 2, 2026
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This isn’t the first time a brave soul has taken to the Hudson in winter. Back in 2018, a Jersey City comedian paddleboarded across the river to make a Manhattan meeting, and a former pro cyclist began regular winter paddles in 2021 as a way to cope with pandemic-era stress.As for our mystery paddleboarder? We’ll be keeping an eye on the river.
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