By Bradlee Whitem ~ Kim and Tom Sitone with Warren Lem are bringing back the Arthur Lem Memorial Kismet Kid’s Annual Snapper Derby. This fabulous event is open to residents and visiting kids 12 years of age and under. It was initiated in the 1990s by Warren and friends in memory of his father and has been held every August through 2019. Among his many accomplishments, Arthur spent a lot of time on the Kismet docks teaching local and visiting kids to fish. Snappers are essentially baby bluefish that come in season from August to mid-September. They are usually plentiful and easy to catch (though Kismet’s Derby has witnessed a few exceptions). It is all “catch and release” and the snappers swim away, perhaps wiser little fish. This year’s event, sponsored by 17 Kismet businesses and service people, is Tuesday, Aug.17 (rain date Aug. 18). Sign up is 9:30 a.m. by Kismet Market with fishing scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon. Bring poles: Bait will be supplied. Based on past events, there is an expectation of prizes and lunch and ice cream.As our ocean is growing warmer, large schools of little bunker fish are passing through attracting dolphins, sharks and even whales. Although Great White sharks have been reported in these northern waters, most of the ones that track along the Fire Island beaches – on an almost daily basis lately – are small and relatively harmless. Our lifeguards put up purple flags and clear the water for 30 minutes at a time causing quite a dance at the beach. Sadly, this past Saturday, a Minke whale washed up on the beach at Saltaire where park rangers first spotted it. Ranger and conservation officials moved it to a tented area west of Kismet. Because of the relatively small size, officials felt it likely was a young animal. A necropsy (animal autopsy) will be performed to determine the cause of death.It seems residents in vacation spots, like Kismet, seem to disappear in August. While younger Kismetians may join the crowds gathering for live name bands on the weekends, others are finding less frantic pastimes. Tim Mooney’s band continually draws good crowds on Thursday nights. Some friends are traveling, like Neal and Jennifer Mandel in Greece. Kismet residents are also busy entertaining visiting friends and relatives. All our visitors bring joy along with sidewalk congestion, income for local merchants and service providers along with crowded ferries, restaurants and mainland parking.The Maggie Fischer Memorial Great South Bay Swim, a charitable annual event, took place Thursday, Aug. 12, after a July weather postponement.Sam and Amy Wood are hosting local Kismet author, Kerry Cannava Turner, for a book selling and signing of her memoir,” Worthy,” on Aug. 13. RSVP to flowerlady738@aol.com.
