Kayaks leaving the Downtown Boathouse, at Pier 26, in Manhattan, on a frigid winter morning.

f the sight of a kayak on the Hudson River in the middle of winter seems bizarre, it is only because a picture of Eskimos in New York doesn’t come easily to mind. But since the Eskimos invented this sport, why should it come as a shock that people dare to go out paddling at any given moment on New York’s waterways?

"I’m used to this reaction," Eric Stiller explains as he paddles from Pier 63, where his Manhattan Kayak Company is located, heading in the direction of Battery Park. People stare at him from the piers, and a young girl can’t help screaming: "Aren’t you cold out there?" He chuckles as he answers: "No, aren’t you?"

lthough business does slow down from November through March, Stiller still goes out into the water frequently. "During the winter, there are no Jet Skis, less boats cruising the waters, so it’s really calm out there," he says, "and that’s what some people are looking for -- a peaceful place to escape from the city’s stress."

That is the motivation for architect Brad Floyd, who goes out twice a week during the winter and almost everyday in summer. "I don’t have my dry suit yet, but I bought it last week and the moment I get it I will go out more often," he says.

loyd has been involved with the sport for the last couple of years. He used to run but developed a knee problem that would eventually prevent him from working out. Then one day, when he insisted on jogging, he saw people on kayaks. Immediately he knew he’d found what he was looking for.

"It is a good way to have contact with the forces of nature, plus it’s beautiful," he says.

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Brad Floyd in a dry suit.

Stiller shows the right position.