FINS sends Saltaire and other Fire Island communities recurrent warnings about warming currents and “hazardous marine wildlife” prowling the coastline throughout the summer. Seldom, however, has anyone seen what Saltairians saw offshore the other week – a humpback whale breaching not only the surface, but traditional cetacean-human seaborne protocols. Lifeguard Connor Lambert was paddling out on his surfboard just as the Melvillian leviathan popped up right beside him. No big flap – Connor remained upright, impressed, and around to tell the tale of the tell-tale tail. For once, something benign beneath the seas besides the usual assortment of sharks, behemoths, and the one eel whose sighting evoked panicked cries of “That’s a moray!”
Labor Day Weekend is upon us, and it’s an early one. Another eventful summer draws to its close. We staged The Great Neptune & Pacific Pickle Ball Palooza and the official grand opening of 14 Bay Prom, spliced ribbon and all, on August 17.
Stay posted on the various goings-on and closings-up this fall via texts and emails from VOS, SCA, SYC, FIF, and, just in case, TWC (The Weather Channel).
Quick summary: Camp has decamped. The book is closed on the Library. Northwell’s docs depart the docks Labor Day. Post Office: All letters were boxed on September 12. Market: final mark-down on Columbus Day Weekend. Lifeguards: on duty weekends into late September, weather depending. Fireworks? No word on the deadline. Don’t forget the Labor Day Show, or the SVFC Pancake Breakfast on September 1.
Softball playoffs this weekend, and as usual, we yield space for Ralph Perlberger’s report on his eponymous Soccer tourney. Over to you, edited Ralph: “Successful 25th Perlberger Cup, great turnout—six teams of high caliber, winner Pink Team. Outstanding goal-keeping. J.D. Butler Sportsmanship award went to Abe Shire. Saturday afternoon Under-8 Game, a great innovation. Thanks to Referees Alex Chefetz, Dominick Flannery, and Keith.” And thank you Ralph!
We set aside a portion of each summer’s final column to remember those beloved Saltairians who’ve passed on since last September, and this year, the list is, as always, too long. Pause for an evening’s moment, gaze at the sunset, raise a toast, and give thanks for the lives of Ed Dowling, Tolly Ludlow, Jennifer Cook, Ann Bukowski, Bert Pogrebin, Richard Liebner, Rebecca Slack, Harry Scanlan, Barbara McKibbin, Richard Zuniga and Lenny Mindich. We’ll see you later.
And so, the end. Some longtime residents are moving away this year, a loss for everyone, and we wish them well. For myself, 50 years at this stand is a lot, so perhaps like Joe Biden, passing of the torch is in order. We’ll see. Meanwhile, a l’annee prochaine. Oh, and many thanks for your support in August’s election. We try! But remember November.
