Recreation on/in the Water

The most wonderful aspect of the North Fork is that it is surrounded by water. Some folks have property on the bay or sound or one of the many creeks. The saying goes, "if you're lucky enough to have waterfront, you're lucky enough". The rest of us are only minutes away and have easy access. Our place is two miles to the sound and one mile to the bay. I can walk out the door and be fishing in five minutes. It's great to see families playing in the water, parents teaching the young ones how to swim, fish and be safe just as their folks taught them years ago, a generations old tradition. Amy spent many a happy summer with her cousins at their grandparents place on Jockey Creek in Southold. Now I'm reaping the benefits of her love for the area.

It's normal to see a boat in a driveway here but if you don't own one you can still do some serious fishing from a party boat such as the Peconic Star II out of Greenport or Captain Bob's sailing from Mattituck. Pack some sandwiches and beer and you're good to go. The boats provide all the tackle and bait you'll need on your quest. The trips are half day or full day excursions and some skippers head out at sunset for night fishing. The largest fish wins the pool which can put a nice competitive edge on things and you don't have to clean your catch as the crew sees to that (and appreciates a tip).

I've included a photo of the Astoria (Queens) community pool because it's unique in size and location and I've been looking for a way to squeeze it into my blog.