Boating adventure, boating ordeal...

We had an enjoyable visit to the United States Merchant Marine Academy at King’s Point.  Since it was Parents’ Weekend, there were many activities on campus.  Frank salivated over the many well-appointed labs in the Marine Engineering Building and at Friday night’s ‘Beat Retreat’ we listened to the academy’s marching band and the Nassau County Pipe and Drum Corps.  We even got to watch a football game as USMMA took on Johns Hopkins University – the result was a disappointing 45-14 loss for the Mariners.
 

Though Hurricane Irene had departed the New York metro area, Tropical Storm Lee and Hurricane Katia seemed to be intent on toying with Lazy W.  One was due to dump torrential rain and the other was stirring up large swells on the Atlantic Ocean.  We prepared to spend a few more days on Long Island Sound.

Across the sound from King’s Point sits City Island, an appendage to the Bronx.   Surrounded by the waters of the Long Island Sound and Eastchester Bay and with Execution Light to the northeast and Stepping Stones Lighthouse to the south, the island sits on the main shipping channel to New York harbor.   Its shoreline is dotted with marinas catering to locals and transient alike.

City Island, just one-and-a-half miles long and a half mile wide, was once owned by the Pell family.  Benjamin Palmer purchased the island in 1761, changing its name from Minneford to New City Island.  His plans to build a city to rival Manhattan never materialized and the community of oyster fishers, shipbuilders and boat pilots chose to call their home City Island.  Once part of Westchester County, the residents voted to become part of New York City in 1896.  And even though it is officially ‘da Bronx’ and linked to it by a short bridge, the island seems a world away from that borough.

The bridge linking City Island to Rodman’s Neck and the rest of ‘da Bronx’

Shipbuilding played a major role on City Island into the 20^th century.  Minesweepers, torpedo boats, seagoing tugs and landing craft were built here during World War I and World War II.  Afterwards, shipbuilders turned to yacht production. Seven America’s Cup winning yachts were born here including Columbia (1958), Constellation (1964) and Intrepid, the last classic wooden yacht to defend the cup in 1967 and 1970.  She was built at Minneford Yacht Yard - the yard closed its doors in 1983 and is now the site of the Minneford Marinas where Lazy W is docked.

With wind and rain guaranteed in the forecast we took advantage of what might be the last dry day for awhile to walk the length of City Island along City Island Avenue.  The southern end was rather deserted considering this was Labor Day Monday in ‘da Bronx’!  There were few clam diggers (aka the native-born locals) or mussel suckers (aka everyone else) to be seen.

Looking south on City Island Avenue

Santa is a year-round sight at Sammy’s Fish Bar and Market

Maritime ‘stuff’ on display on City Island Avenue

 

The northern end of City Island Avenue near the bridge -

does this look like the Bronx??

In 2010 the movie City Island premiered.  Filmed here on City Island, the movie starred Andy Garcia and Julianna Margulies as Vince and Joyce Rizzo, true Italian-American clam diggers.    Houses on Horton Street were featured in the film and anyone who saw the movie may remember this location for one of the closing scenes:

The end of Horton Street, City Island

The next day, September 6^th, right on schedule, the rain came!  Strong gusty winds blew!  Lazy W and all the other boats bobbed like corks in a witch’s cauldron, straining the lines tethering them to the docks.  Small craft advisories were posted for the New Jersey coast (where winds were gusting to 20+ knots and seas were building to 10 feet!) through Thursday afternoon.  There is a fine line between boating adventure and boating ordeal.  I think we crossed it!!