FAIR HARBOR

FAIR HARBORBy Emily Sunshine BrafmanI am finally writing in my favorite spot…on my deck, in the big red chair with the canopy that almost shields me from the sun. The air is warm but there is a slight breeze and I can hear the morning doves cooing behind me. It is one of the many signs that summer is upon us. It is Father’s Day weekend and it finally feels like the season has begun. By the time you are reading this, owners and renters will be settling into their summer so I thought I would look ahead and tell you about some of the upcoming events and activities to look forward to.THE BAYThis weekend, the bay was filled with children swimming in the warm clear water. They collected crabs and shells. A very large horseshoe crab came for a visit. Not all the kids were thrilled about it but it was nice to see this ancient creature after many years of not. Most noteworthy was the dock installation and many kids enjoyed jumping and frolicking in the deeper water. It is very important for your children to be good swimmers on our island. There will be bay lifeguards on duty daily but please supervise your kids as well. Every summer swim lessons are offered at the bay. They are held Monday through Friday and Ashley is a great teacher. There are group and private lessons available. Sign up is at the bay on Friday, July 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., look for Ashley or Lolly. FHCA members get a discount!  All may join the FHCA.THE BEACHOn Saturday we sat out on the beach for the first time. It was a picture perfect day and it was already hard to find a prime location near the water. The ocean was beautiful but the waves were large. There are no lifeguards yet and there were quite a few people swimming. The rule in my family is that we don’t swim in the ocean until the lifeguards are on duty. The great news is that by the time you are reading this, I believe they will be in their chair on duty. So enjoy the beautiful ocean safely!SUNSETMy family took a trip to Ocean Beach for dinner on Saturday night. We went to Maguire’s and had a fun Father’s Day celebration. Jen was our waitress and she was lovely. FYI, Thursday night is lobster night and if you need a change of pace, I recommend it highly. If you have kids it is great because the park is right next door! We made it back to Fair Harbor in time for an epic sunset. The dock was packed and so was the restaurant.THE PINE WALK FAIRThe Pine Walk Fair has been a tradition in Fair Harbor for more than 40 years. It is a wonderful fair where long time Fair Harbor residents have a chance to sell their creations. It will be on Saturday, July 2 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is a one-day fair so don’t miss it! There is an abundance of jewelry; some are made of beads, jewels and my personal favorite, silver. That is because my dad, Kenny, comes to Fair Harbor and sells his beautiful silver sculptures. Last summer was my debut and I will be back selling my children’s picture book, “I Know A Place: A Fire Island Story.” Please come and say hi and get your signed copy. There is pottery, clothing, food and many other unique Items. I hope to see many of you there!Last summer, I took you all on my journey of planting my first tomato plant. I had great success. August was filled with beautiful, juicy, sweet, red tomatoes. This year I am going to add cucumbers to my garden. I will update you from time to time and let you know how it goes. Of course, Gerdener B will be helping me along the way and giving me some of her best-kept secrets.Happy summer to all of my readers! I will be moving my family out and living on the island full time at the end of June. I look forward to reporting all of the summer fun. As always, feel free to contact me at fairharbor@fireisland-news.com.-Emily