2nd Entry, 0847 Hours: The first leg of our voyage this morning will take us through one of the most scenic and historically important sections of the Hudson River: the Hudson Highlands. Pollepel Island stands guard at the northern end of this narrow, winding stretch of the river. Pollepel Island takes its name from the Dutch term for "soup ladle" (the name being inspired by the shape of the island), but today it's most famous as the home of Bannerman's Castle, the burned-out ruin of an armory fashioned after a Scottish castle.