As a writer and artist documenting the history and environment of Long Island and beyond, I have been privileged to meet and interact with many advocates for keeping both our nautical heritage alive and moving forward so that its richness can be appreciated by all.…
Long Island Boating World
It happened every Friday evening, almost without fail, when the sun resembled a giant orange orb dipping into the sapphire blue ocean, and the light flickered off the small scudding wavelets like the glint of hard diamonds.As predictably as the tides, Old Ed came strolling…
When we think about workboats, we might remember passenger ferries we have taken, pilot boats we may have seen looking down from a bridge while in traffic, taking harbor pilots to or from a boat they will temporarily command or maybe a dinner boat we’ve…
From the earliest days in our Nation’s history, the Race, Long Island Sound’s gateway to the open sea, was well known for its navigational hazards. During the maximum ebb tide, an hour or two after high tide, currents through the Race can exceed 5 knots!…
Come down to my cabin,” the Englishman offered to the four newly arrived guests aboard the schooner. “We shall celebrate your arrival and purchase of the remaining cargo over a stiff swig of the good stuff.” The four men followed him down the narrow passageway…
Gone are the days when the bays and inshore ocean were free and uncrowded and, if you ran into a boat issue, you could hail a passerby for a friendly tow or hail the Coast Guard on your marine radio to pull you off a…
Understanding the different types of clouds … What do they tell us … What can we learn?Meteorologists study the weather. To do this they use sophisticated instruments, but experienced mariners can predict the weather just by observing the clouds. This boating safety tip will help…
No one steps aboard a vessel planning to have an accident. Whether the setting is an outboard skiff fishing on Great South Bay or a tug hauling oil barges on the Hudson, the goal is to be safe and get home in one piece. It…
Not too long ago, a friend of mine fell overboard – while boarding a boat at the dock! Sound crazy? Not really – the “victim” wasn’t wearing proper shoes… he stepped on the gunwales and not into the boat… and the wake of a passing…
The latter part of this past winter has fluttered around weather-wise, like an early autumn day rather than a late winter one. So much so that, unlike other years, we have been unable to take the short weekend trips we enjoy, due to the uncertainty…