The Long Island Blog

CQ, CQ, CQ field day…

That was the mantra heard across Long Island this past weekend as local ham radio operators took part in Field Day, an annual exercise in emergency preparedness. (CQ is an invitation for anyone hearing the signal to respond.)

You might have seen them in open fields at schools, parks, parking lots, malls; small groups of people huddled over radio equipment connected to antennas strung between trees or held up by twine.

I came across this group, members of the Radio Central Amateur Radio Club, at the Long Island Maritime Museum in Sayville.

Establishing a satellite link for long distance communication

This portable antenna can be set up in a matter of minutes

In the event of a natural disaster, extreme weather (or worse) standard means of communication are sometimes knocked out leaving amateur radio operators, hams for short, as the only link to vital emergency services.

To demonstrate their emergency operating capabilities hams take their equipment outdoors for a 24 hour period running from 2pm on Saturday to 2pm the Sunday on the 4^th weekend in June. During this time they try to contact as many other hams as possible sometimes making upwards of 50 contacts per hour.

It’s nice to know that on a moment’s notice amateur radio operators can set up effective, long distance and local communication systems that don’t rely on telephone, internet, power grid, or any other infrastructure that can be compromised in a crisis.

As a former ham myself, I think this is pretty cool.

More information about ham radio

Long Island Maritime Museum

A couple of  weeks ago after the Boating with the Baymen tour I had some excellent soft shell crabs and steak at Fatfish in Bay Shore.

I tried to get to another restaurant on the water, but lucky for me, the wait was too long.

Read my full review of Fatfish Wine Bar & Bistro here

Last weekend Long Island Traditions held their annual Boating with the Baymen tour and I was lucky enough to have remembered to buy tickets. (I kicked myself plenty for missing it last year.)

The 3 hour tour (I know what you’re thinking, and we did not get stranded) took place on the Lauren Kristy, a stylized paddle boat that I’m sure many of you have seen cruising the Great South Bay, and gave us an inside look at the lives of the baymen and others who make their living on or near the bay.

This event, one of several held throughout the year, is part of Long Island Traditions’ efforts to preserve maritime and farming culture on Long Island.

Continue reading Boating with the Baymen.

Editor’s note: I put a lot of work into Loving-Long-Island.com, so it’s always a thrill for me when I receive letters like this. -Bill

Hi William,

While doing research for Fire Island I realized how complicated that small island is if you want to explore everywhere.

Your site was THE BEST advice I got, and the easiest way to figure out a plan for a day out on Fire Island.

Thank you so much for the site… it’s now in my faves and I will always read it when I need to venture out to Long Island.

Susanna
Brooklyn, NY

Sunshine has been scarce lately and today is not looking very good at all, so I’m glad I took a few minutes yesterday to snap some pictures down by the water.

It was a beautiful day with a brisk wind forming large swells and whitecaps on the Great South Bay. The wind and the waves must have kept most boaters home because the bay was deserted.

Other than the wind it was a perfect day with blue skies and big white clouds.

Sayville Dock

A lone fisherman tries his luck

Rays of sunlight beam from behind a cloud

Strange clouds race past the trees in my yard. (Looks much better in BW than color)

Blues skies, potted plants, and beach umbrellas are all signs of summer on Long Island. Lately, though, the weather hasn’t been summer-like at all.

With all the rain we’ve had it’s hard to get our hopes up, but let’s just hope that starting today, summer is finally here for good.

You have no idea how bad I want to buy this tractor. If you’ve driven on Rt. 25 on the north fork lately you may have seen it. Never mind that I have no idea what I would actually do with it (other than ride in circles in my backyard). I just want it. Only $2500! It’s killing me to just let it sit there.

I’ve had this infection ever since I was a kid. I think it started after my first trip to City of Glass on Melville road. Do you remember those giant green houses? There’s nothing but condos there now. It was either that or the TV show “Modern Farmer.” At 6am every Saturday I was glued to the television.

If you’re into this farm stuff like I am you might want to check out The Barns of the North Fork. The book documents all 734 of Long Island’s north fork barns and includes beautiful photographs of 150 of them. It’s much cheaper that a tractor and takes up a lot less room too.

I went down to the dock at the end of Foster Avenue in Sayville for lunch and was surprised to see a lot of people fishing—in the pouring rain.

Now fishermen are as dedicated as golfers when it comes to their sport, so it takes more than a little rain to keep a good fisherman home. However, if you’re going to fish in the rain, the fishing better be good, so I could not begin to imagine what brought so many people out today.

Within minutes I had my answer: Giant Bluefish.

These guys were pulling in the biggest bluefish I have ever seen, and right off the dock no less, one right after another.

I wanted to run home and grab a pole, but I know how these things go. If I had gone home the fish’d be gone by the time I got back. I figured I was better off just taking some pictures.

I know there are normally plenty of bluefish in the Great South Bay, but I have never seen big ones like these so far from the Fire Island inlet.

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Many different species of fish use the bay as a nursery during this time of year, so the big blues are probably in the bay feeding on them.

Lesson learned? Keep a fishing pole in my truck at all times.

Remember that vineyard I showed you last week? Well, bud break is in full swing there now. The leaves are small, but they’ll grow like mad until the vines flower and produce fruit.

The warm weather not only stirs activity in the vines, but in the vineyards as well. There’s work to be done from now until harvest and beyond.

This is also the time of year when people end their winter hibernation and start exploring Long Island wine country. If you’ve never been to a tasting room before and feel a little intimidated, no bother, just read this bit about Long Island wine tasting and relax. If you already know the drill, then consider taking a chauffer driven Long Island wine tour.

WLIW21 needs your Huntington memories for a new documentary

In the tradition of WLIW21’s award-winning New York the Way it Was series, WLIW21 is getting ready to explore the story of one of Long Island’s most interesting communities – Huntington.

Following the tremendous success of New York War Stories, which featured viewer-contributed videos and letters, WLIW21’s production team turns to viewers like you once again for stories, photos and home movies of family celebrations, sporting events, carnivals, parades and other Huntington activities.

If you lived in Huntington Village, Cold Spring Harbor, Huntington Station, Northport, Greenlawn, Dix Hills and Lloyd Neck between 1950 and 1990, please share with us your memories of the places and people that will always remind you of your hometown, Huntington.

Our cameras can capture Huntington today; we need your help to tell the story of yesterday.

Send your photos or movies (any format) to:

Stephanie Marsh
WLIW21
P.O. Box 21
Plainview, NY 11803

Please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you want your submission returned.

All photo submissions will also be considered for the film’s DVD cover.

Email your stories of life in Huntington as you knew it to Hometown@wliw.org.

Call 516.367.2100 x8461 with any questions.