Geraldo Rivera’s River Journey: From East Hampton to Cleveland Aboard Belle

Geraldo Rivera set out on a notable voyage aboard Belle, his 36-foot 1998 Hinckley Picnic Boat, leaving from East Hampton, New York, bound for Cleveland, Ohio. The trip followed a major shift in his professional life: after 22 years at Fox News, Rivera left the network when he refused to endorse former President Donald Trump’s claims about a stolen election and was subsequently demoted, according to reporting by The New York Times.

A Change of Course at Eighty

Instead of attempting an open-ocean crossing as he might have in earlier years, Rivera chose a more measured inland route. At eighty years old, he and his younger brother Craig traveled a waterway route that combined the sheltered waters of Long Island Sound, the historic flow of the Hudson River, and the engineered locks and channels of the Erie Canal. The decision reflected both practical judgment and a desire for reflection rather than a long-distance ocean passage.

Slow Travel, Deep Reflection

The journey offered more than a physical relocation; it became a time for contemplation and memory. Unencumbered by a demanding schedule and accompanied only by Craig, Rivera embraced a quieter pace. He described the trip as “a passage,” a phrase he used in conversation with The New York Times to capture the layered meanings of the voyage—literal, emotional, and symbolic.

Boating, Freedom, and Reinvention

For Rivera, the cruise combined his lifelong love of boating with a desire to step away from the glare of national television. The Hinckley Picnic Boat—known for its classic styling and comfortable accommodations—served as both transport and retreat. Traveling the Long Island Sound into the Hudson and ultimately along the Erie Canal allowed Rivera to revisit familiar maritime landscapes while experiencing the intimacy of slow travel on American inland waterways.

Why the Route Matters

The route Rivera selected highlights rich maritime history as well as contemporary recreational boating culture. Long Island Sound offers protected coastal passages; the Hudson River connects New York City to the interior and carries decades of history and commerce; and the Erie Canal remains an engineering landmark, linking the Hudson to the Great Lakes and offering a unique inland corridor to cities like Cleveland. For an experienced boater at this stage of life, the trip provided scenic variety, manageable navigation, and frequent opportunities to pause and reflect.

Company and Companionship

Rivera’s only companion on the voyage was his younger brother Craig, whose presence added a personal dimension to the trip. The two shared hours on deck, brief stops at ports and marinas, and the kind of private conversations that long, quiet passages tend to foster. That companionship helped frame the journey not just as a route between two points but as a shared chapter in family history.

A Thoughtful Exit from a Public Life

The trip followed Rivera’s departure from a long public career. After more than two decades at Fox News, his exit—linked to his refusal to back contested political claims—appears to have prompted a new focus on personal priorities. This waterborne journey served as a transition: a deliberate step away from headline-driven life toward a slower, more introspective rhythm.

Whether viewed as an act of reinvention, a nostalgic return to the comforts of boating, or simply a scenic passage between East Hampton and Cleveland, the voyage aboard Belle combined practical seamanship with personal meaning. Rivera’s choice of an inland route reflects both his respect for safety at his age and his appreciation for the history, beauty, and quiet pleasures of America’s waterways.