The Long Island Blog

Bill,

Great idea for a website, I will book mark it.

I grew up in Bay Shore, in the house across the street from the High School (the one next to what was then the high school practice field). Anyway, I left Long Island for good in 1989, but my heart and soul have never been far away.

I live in the Pacific Northwest and carry a great pride of LI. with me every day. Your video really struck home. Nice job.

All The Best,

Joe Killian
A Long Island Boy

Thank you so much for taking the time to tell others how much you love LI. We are moving there this summer due to my husbands job transfer and everywhere I look online are people complaining about Long Island.

Your site is refreshing and has made me SO excited to get there! I know it will be a great experience for my family and I look forward to exploring!

Thanks!

Heather
Wisconsin, USA

I received some excellent fan mail yesterday:

Hello, Loving Long Island!

Such a cool blog. What I really like is the LOVE you put into your posts. Nice photos, recommendations, recipes, videos how to… a rich, lovely site.

You and Soundbounder have the Island covered. You both make me want to explore more.

Thanks for the work you put in! It IS greatly appreciated!

If that weren’t flattering enough, it’s from Christina Sun, one of my favorite publishers. Her site, Bowsprite: A New York Harbor Sketchbook, features beautiful, informative, and sometimes comical water color paintings of New York Harbor, and entertaining transcripts of radio communications between the boats working there.

(I still haven’t figured out why she always has that radio with her, but when I was working from home I had a marine VHF squawking on my desk all day long just for fun. So if that’s the case, I get it.)

The funny thing is, while Christina wants to explore Long Island, she and Will Van Dorp of Tugster (he has a way with words like Christina has a way with brushes) have me hooked on New York Harbor and the Hudson, places I never thought I would have any interest in whatsoever.

But that’s the whole point of publishing this stuff anyway, isn’t it; to share the excitement and inspire others to come see too?

As for Soundbounder… Well, that’s Mathew Housekeeper. I’m on his site all the time for his excellent photographic coverage of both shores of the Long Island Sound. I don’t know how he gets around so much, but he does.

So, three great sites that I highly recommend. If you love the water, work boats, cool places, great writing, and pretty pictures, then the rest of your day is shot

Oh, and thank you, Bowsprite for the fan mail. It’s nice to know that all this work is greatly appreciated.

Memories… Memories…

I was born in Huntington Station (one block from the intersection of Jericho and 110) in 1953 and lived there until November 1968 when my parents and I moved to St. Petersburg, FL.

Believe it or not, after all these years I still daydream about Long Island. I love to envision places and streets that I remember so well. The last time I was there was 1999 and I was able to visit my old elementary school, West Hills, except it is a district office now.

I can’t describe how I have enjoyed your website!

Thank you!

-Dircy

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

If you’ve been following this blog or browsing the main site you may know me as The Long Island Guy. It’s my YouTube handle and the sig on some of my email.

As you might imagine my kids get a kick out of nicknames and this one is no exception. (King William is another favorite, but that’s another story.)

Well, my ever-lovin’ and very talented daughter, who lately has a just little too much time on her hands and misses me dearly, decided to pay homage to the Long Island Guy with a portrait.

I guess it was inevitable. People that can draw, will draw. And nothing is off limits, not even their parents.

Are you ready for this? Seriously, brace yourself…

The Long Island Guy (Ta Da!)

Hey Long Island Guy,

I just wanted to say I love the site. I watch all your clips on YouTube as well. Nice to see someone take so much pride in their home. I am the same way.

I was wondering if you guys are local to Islip? I think I recognize the boat behind you in the scallop shucking film. Are you guys down by Whitecap?

I love your son’s boat too, I used to have an 17 foot Garvey pilothouse but I recently purchased an old down east pilot with a small cuddy.

Just wanted to say I love your work. Thanks so much for the effort.

Take care,
Tom Costello – 24 Bay Shore

Tom,

Thanks for the kind words. It nice to know that all my hard work on this site is appreciated.

Here is another shot of my son’s boat, a 23′ Thomas Marine. It’s all aluminum and very heavy. It used to be at Whitecap, but now it’s elsewhere, and this weekend we’re hauling it for maintenance. Won’t launch again until spring.

-Bill

Bill,

I was born and raised on Long Island, and only two weeks ago managed to get back out there and NOT go to Port Jeff for once.

Instead, a friend took me wine tasting on the North Fork, and I loved it-thus, I’ve been looking it up online now.

Your site is great and look forward to reading up more on what you write!

Joanne
Pennsylvania

If you’d like to share your comments, compliments, complaints about my site, well then, have your say. -Bill

Its nice to be noticed…

My blog was mentioned on Sunday in the sidebar to an article about Diana Faria’s blog longislanddailyphoto.blogspot.com.

I don’t know Darren Sands and I didn’t know he was writing anything about me, but I’d like to thank him (Thank you, Darren) for including me in his article.

I don’t know Diana Faria either, but best of luck to you and keep up the good work.

Bill,

I love everything about your site. It’s very informative and until I move back next year, it helps to keep me less homesick. I still have family there – some have moved back and won’t leave!

Thanks for having this site – and keep adding to it!!!!

Heather M.
Texas

If you’d like to share your comments, compliments, complaints about my site, well then, have your say. -Bill