Sixty-Something: Warm Water, Jellyfish and Sharks

It’s a waiting process every year. Even Thomas Jefferson was amazed his one year living in New York City back in 1790 how short and cold the spring season was in New York compared to Virginia. He said it seemed to go from winter to summer “in like one week.” In the spring of 1790, Thomas Jefferson actually rented a house at 57 Maiden Lane, in lower Manhattan in NYC. It was his first year as President George Washington’s Secretary of State. The actual first U.S. Secretary of State. 



More amazing, Jefferson came out to the east end traveling with his then protégé and future U.S. President, James Madison. Both leaders stayed in Center Moriches, where they met with William Floyd near his estate. Jefferson knew Floyd in Philadelphia back in 1776 when Floyd signed the Declaration of Independence. All his life, Jefferson had an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Intrigued by the various Native American dialects and cultures throughout the nation; he therefore made the effort to meet with several tribes on eastern Long Island. 



Hopefully a weather turnaround comes sooner than later in 2023. Rest assured it is coming. Get the shorts, bathing suits, tee-shirts and beach towels handy. Soon pure beach weather and ocean bathing weather will arrive. Then it will be time to put away the ski jackets, heavy sweaters, and fleeces. There are many who enjoy the weather when it is between 55-degrees and 65-degrees. I personally enjoy 75-degrees to 88-degrees with mild wind. 

After the Memorial Day weekend extravaganza, I slowly start the process of swimming off my sailboat in Gardiner’s Bay, usually off the shore enjoying the magnificence of Sammy’s Beach. At first I wear a short wetsuit, but eventually just a bathing suit. The shallow water and extremely fine sand bottom beach at Sammy’s usually pleasantly warms up the water. I am a little concerned about the jellyfish this year. Already I have seen more than I did all of last year and I have only been sailing a few weeks this season. 

I have an acute dislike for jellyfish. My worst episode came off Sunset Beach Resort (Crescent Beach) on Shelter Island. I had anchored my sailboat around other boats one fine warm summer’s day. The plan was to swim in to cocktails at the resort with a few friends. The water was shallow. So, I jumped right in and stood up with a giant jellyfish practically centered in the middle of my back. I quickly, instantly, dipped back into the water and it was off me. It was a miracle I was not stung. However, I have never jumped into the water off the boat with the same innocent carefree frame of mind since. 

Before the movie Jaws came out, my brothers and I fished with my dad on his boat in the ocean off Montauk. On really hot days he would kill the engines, stop the boat and we would all jump in to cool off. We never did that again after seeing the movie Jaws! 

I love warm summer nights, especially if there is a pleasant ocean breeze. The first few weeks after I moved to the east end twenty years ago, it was those first nights that changed my life. I just said, “I think I am going to stay here,” and I did. I’d walk the ocean, or just sit in a beach chair off the waves and think. There were no smart phones to stare at in 2003. One just watched the surf, the waves and the horizon. My troubles, and in that time period I had some major ones, seemed to be placated by the positive energy manifested naturally along the shoreline. To this day I love to go to the ocean all year ’round, to think, write, and relax. It is a luxury living 11 miles away from the Atlantic Ocean. All south shore Long Islanders understand. 

I have a smart and beautiful wife. In the summer she wears stuff with a lot of style and pizzaz. Many times, I just watch her walk, swim, and sit and read. The warmer weather really brings out the core of her natural God given beauty. There are many other folks the warm weather has the same effect on. It creates a really positive vibe. I felt it twenty years ago and I still love plugging into it now. 

Many folks love the alfa-energy of Manhattan. I worked in Manhattan from 1977 until 2003. My dad and first daughter were born in Manhattan. I now live on the south shore of Long Island because I prefer to. Living close enough to my sailboat in Gardiner’s Bay is everything. This is my 20th year at the same marina on Three Mile Harbor. I know great sailing and swimming will soon be at hand because the warm weather is coming. 
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