The boatyard travel lift hauled my sailboat, the “Cindi Lou,” a 22’ Catalina out of the water this last Thursday (Nov.11). I was actually on board as the boat was lifted out of the water of Three Mile Harbor, East Hampton. I did safely get off before it was placed onto the land for winter storage. It ended my 2021 sailing season in Gardiner’s Bay. It’s a sad ending every season-closing up the boat knowing the sailing adventures are now over until next spring.
My marina owner once said to me when you have a boat docked in the Hamptons you own waterfront property in the Hamptons. Like all the other real estate in the Hamptons this year the cost of docking on this “waterfront property,” rose substantially.
There is no doubt having so many docking and mooring locations on the east end helps increase the value of all homes in the Hamptons. Just recently the town of East Hampton Trustees granted permission for the first new private dock to be constructed on Three Mile Harbor. The “80-foot” dock approval is a sign of the times.
This year for me was a wonderful sailing season in Gardiner’s Bay with a plurality of sunny, mild winded, warm summer days. The report is the following, the bay was not as busy as last year when so many searched for safety and solace using their pleasure boats. I saw plenty of fish jumping and an occasional seal swimming. What I didn’t see thankfully were many large jellyfish. Years back Gardiner’s Bay was a sea of Jellyfish. Yet, there was a touch more algae or brown/red tide in the bay than in other years.
This year with the boat traffic in Gardiner’s bay down drastically I noticed many of the large superyachts were absent this summer. These over 200’ yachts are amazing to sail around. Usually, there are about 4-5 that drop anchor while sampling the high life of the Hamptons. This year only one, the 288’ Fountainhead anchored in Gardiner’s Bay.
On the other hand, the new trend in Gardiner’s Bay these last two years is not new expensive sailboats, but brand new 35’to 50’ supercharged power boats with their costs starting at least over a million dollars.
It was wonderful to see the restaurants such as Bostwick’s on the Harbor, The Blend (East Hampton Point,) along Harbor Bistro operating again successfully post the worst of 2020 covid. Coming in at sunset and smelling the cooking food drifting in the breeze as one sails by is most pleasant.
The beaches around Gardiner’s Bay are never that crowded. These sandy gentile warm water beaches are my favorites of the whole east end of Long Island. Diving off the back of the boat on a very hot day is fun even for this sixty-something individual. Every sailing season I post daily Gardiner’s Bay sunset photos that have about 200 followers every evening. It is amazing how sometimes a smartphone camera can capture a moment. On the other hand, no photo can ever capture the power and majesty of a big sky sunset over Gardiner’s Bay. Some of the red/pink/orange/ feathered clouds glow for an hour after the sun tucks away behind Shelter Island.
Hopefully, the next 2022 season will be my best ever. The boat gets painted every year but like me, it also ages a year. Hopefully, we both have many Gardiner’s Bay sunset sailing seasons left in us.
