Betty Boop

Just came off the Good Ship Lollypop...gotta love summer!

June Evening

Peace and quiet by the bay....

Thrills Still

The Cyclone...Still coasting along. As a backdrop to last weekend's parade this Coney Island classic was as busy as ever. (Best viewed in large format, click on the image)

Flying Scott

For some 20 years or so my Dad spent his summers at the helm of his Flying Scot. At 19 feet, this open boat carries a large mainsail and jib and combined with her overall light weight she has only one speed...fast! The local "Sayville Wet Pants Sailors" sponsor Flying Scot races on Thursday evenings, providing me with an opportunity to be nostalgic!

Mermaid Mummer

All the way from Northeast Philly! The Mummers were among the Mermaids...!

Couch Queen

More from Coney Island's parade...A very eclectic mix of Mermaids provided a certain degree of gender confusion.

Contestant Number 511

Mermaid Parade costumes and themes were judged for originality and impact. Contestants certainly showed creativity in their styles of dress (and undress). There seemed to be traces of Coney Island from another era in this shot...

Mermaids on Parade

Mermaids from near and far made their appearance at Coney Island's annual extravaganza on Saturday.

Coney Island Elder

Rabbi Abraham Abraham the self-proclaimed elder of Coney Island at the start of the annual Mermaid Parade. The parade scene was a joyous mixture of mermaids, Neptunes, extroverts and exhibitionists. All in all a wonderful way to spend the first day of summer!

Retro Gas

Way back in the olden days....a little bell would ring when you drove into the "service station" alerting the uniformed "attendant" of your arrival. He would promptly wash your windshield, ask to check your oil level and inquire as to your tire pressure. All of that attention for 37.9!... Two dollars worth of gas took you from Friday night to Monday morning. Seems to me that "service stations" became "gas stations" right about the time they started to charge a quarter for compressed air and opened those "self-service" and "full-service" lanes. Ahhh...I'm showing my age again!

River Afternoon

The last full day of Spring 2008. The weather could not have been more Spring-like with temperatures in the mid-70's under sunny skies. No better way to say farewell to Spring than a cozy afternoon on the boat. Off the stern is the Patchogue River...

Chubby

Our neighbor's Marshall Catboat, Chubby, shows off her reflected lines in the afternoon light. At 22 feet in length, Chubby feels much larger thanks to her wide beam and shallow draft. I had the privilege of sailing her for a few hours the other day, the fact that I was at the helm is testament to how easily she handles in a breeze!

Fire Island Light

The Lighthouse at Fire Island is having some much needed painting work done. That's the good news, the bad news is that the scaffolding lines were very much visible during our "Landscape Photography Workshop" over the weekend.

Getting to Third Base

Another fisheye from Shea..... (best viewed in large format)

Earthrise

Still rather impressive after all these years...

Future Nostalgia

Creative gift idea? Early Christmas shopping?...Plans are already underway for the seat by seat sale of Shea Stadium. Rumor among the fan base has it that any part of the stadium that can be safely moved will be on the auction block. I wonder how that urinal from the upper deck would look in the downstairs bathroom....?

Back to the Future

The 1964-65 World's Fair featured the Observatory Towers looking over the Flushing Meadows fair grounds. The structures have seen very little maintenance in the past 40 years or so and have that haunting "back to the future" appearance.

Outfielders

As Citifield continues to grow beyond the center field wall fans bask in the last season at Shea. A few more wins would make it a good deal more enjoyable however...! (best in large view, click on image)

A Beach Of My Own

Not much in this image...and that's the whole point! Fire Island on a June Monday that just happens to be the hottest day of the year (to date). There's a pleasant sea breeze and not another soul for miles. After seeing a good bit of the east coast the past few years, I am convincined that what we have in our own "backyard" exsists in very few places along the Atlantic seaboard. You gotta love it......

Morning Calm

Stony Brook Harbor early on a very hot Sunday morning in June. Summer is on the radar....

Working the Bay

Another work boat shot from the other day...nasty weather and indoor projects have kept my camera in the closet!!

Philly Bound

Haven't been here in years.....Philly's Ben Franklin Bridge. Helping step-son Kevin move this past weekend to South Philly took me to parts of my old home town that I have not seen in decades. To quote many comedians.."Philadelphia is a great place to be from.."

Baymen

Made some new friends on the bay yesterday...These conch fishermen came by our boat to say "hello" and exchange smiles as they worked their trap line. Full time baymen are few and far between in recent years.

South Street in Philly

Philadelphia's funky South Street where no paint can is tossed until it is empty (evidently). Lined with unique shops and tempting eateries (read: Philly Cheese Steak!), South Street was a bustling tourist destination this past weekend!