Fire Island Day Trip

Well actual it was more than a day trip, I went out to Long Island to stay with some friends on Friday, we went to Fire Island on Saturday, and then I came home on Sunday on the 4:15 ferry out of Port Jefferson.

We got up early so we could be at the passenger ferry boat terminal in Bay Shore to catch the 9:30 ferry to Fair Harbor. All the ferries to the different towns on Fire Island are lined up for the morning run. (click on a photo to see it full size)

My friends had invited me to a party that the organization that belong to was having at a cottage in Fair Harbor. In the morning a group of us walked over from the bay side where the cottage was to the ocean side of the island, a distance of only a quarter mile. This is a view looking down Pine Walk towards the ocean.

In the afternoon I went over to wade in the ocean. The waves were about 2 feet high but then a seven foot wave would roar in. A couple of years ago I got caught in one of the seven foot waves and I was knocked over and ground into the sand. But this year I knew what watch out for, the dreaded seven foot waves, because soon as you turn your back on them… WHAM! This year it happen to a father and daughter, the girl looked about ten or twelve years old; the father had his back to the waves when a seven foot wave stuck them and deposited then up on the beach. The girl was crying and coughing but otherwise okay.

This year there were lifeguards on duty. I was trying to figure out the mound of sand that they dig in front of the tower and the only thing I could think of was that it was to help lift the tower into place.

There is only one way to get around on the island other than walking and that is by bike, so everywhere you go there are bicycles racks and each bike must have a bell and a light… it’s the law!

And if you have packages to carry off the boat you use your little red wagon that you keep by the ferry slip.

As the sun sets in the west the 8:00PM ferry to Bay Shore departs into the setting sun.

The sunset from in front of the cottage where we were visiting…

On Sunday I walked around Port Jefferson while I waited for my ship to come in, I found a spot in the shade and watched karaoke singers while I had a grape Italian ice cup. I didn't have long to wait, when it arrived I drove up and into the ferry. One of the nice things about owning a compact car is that you get loaded first and you are one of the first to get off. This is a photo looking through my car windshield out the back of the ship, they allow you in your car during the voyage so I put the radio on, put the seat back and read.

# # # # #
Fire Island is known for its “gay” community but it is only two towns out of more than a dozen towns on the island.

When we were getting on the ferry to go back to the main island there were a number of people debarking and I could swear that there was a member of the tribe getting off the boat. So I guess I not the only trans-women in Fair Harbor.

Every year they have an invasion to the Pines, another small village on Fire Island. The Fire Island News said this about the invasion,

History of the Invasion for newbies (are there any?)

The Invasion started 39 years ago when a few bored Grove drag queens led by Teri Warren decided to take a water taxi to the Pines where they were denied entrance to a well known watering hole because it conflicted with the Pines’ ban on cross dressing. She went back to the Grove and got friends who then, en masse, “invaded” the Pines. The Invasion has become a friendly and fun tradition ever since. Panzi was one of those original invaders, and has led the parade of invaders.

Sayville Ferry owner Ken Stein has transported the parade of the invaders every year. They now average 300 strong occupying a special ferry that sails into the Pines harbor (I [Panzi, the drag queen who organizes the invasion each year] toot the horn since all the queens are waving, and Capt. Stein has to maneuver between the yachts lining the harbor – who toot back whatever signal I give. This is my moment!)