Sixty-Something: The March To The Hamptons

Slowly but surely, the momentum for the next “Summer Season” in the Hamptons has started. The kettle drumbeat that starts off slowly only to peak in a thunderous August crescendo has begun. Folks with second homes, summer businesses, and boats have now started the process of sprucing things up for the summer of 2024.

I have witnessed both sides of this annual renewal, both as a resident and as a non-resident. You might say that the “pre-tumbleweed Tuesday” exodus on Labor Day is massive and extreme, but the wagon train of the new approaching season is a slowly building multi-day process that suddenly becomes painfully noticeable to locals.

Truth be known, my 2023 sailing season in Gardiner’s Bay came to an abrupt halt on the Sunday before Labor Day while sailing off Louse Point on a most pleasant summer day. While in the bay, my Gall Bladder attacked me, creating a dangerous situation. Luckily, I was not sailing alone. After a very painful boat ride to my slip at Three Mile Marina, I was driven home. After a successful emergency operation with a dash of complications, I decided while in a hospital bed to have the marina folks take my boat out of the water. I only mention this because now I am more excited than ever to get it back in the water for 2024!

The process of preparing my 22’ Catalina to be seaworthy again for yet another long sailing season in Hamptons waters is underway. Yes, the recent snowstorm was not helpful. However, I am not alone at the boatyard because in all the Hamptons boatyards similar activities such as painting, cleaning, or repairing are taking place by either boat owners or paid professionals. For me, it is not a labor of love but a very necessary annual chore to be able to do what I love, that is sailing Gardiner’s Bay.

The same is true for the second-homeowners. In fact, all homeowners must do some sort of Spring cleaning! Whether one hires gardeners or do-it-yourself, it is a process to gather up both the remnants of last Fall plus the branches that the winter has added around the yard. On a bright sunny morning in March, for some strange reason, you can see what needs to be painted, repaired, or replaced around the house. Decks look tired after winter, and leafless trees look so barren, although soon the buds for this year’s leaves will start appearing.

Sadly, right now all over the Hamptons, the damage to the pine trees is more evident than ever. For me, it is heartbreaking to see the once heavily wooded areas I adore so much now crudely affected by this recent infestation and destruction to the pine trees. I was around back in August 1995 for the massive Pine Barrens fire. It was the largest fire the state had seen in nearly 90 years, and it took four days to contain. According to a Newsday article, “The Sunrise Fire,” scorched 4,500 acres of pine barrens. For a decade, you could see the burnt pine trees while traversing Route 27 west of Hamptons Bays. Then there was a full recovery until now as the whole area is going through another situation of devastation, this time by an insect. The “Southern Pine Beetle,” is the culprit because after it infests the pine tree, it kills it within 2-4 weeks. The process of reforestation has already started as small pines are now growing around the dead trees.

I always love the process that happens every March in homes all over. There is a wardrobe shift from down jackets to tee-shirts, sweatshirts, and fleeces. My T-shirt collection is so massive that I probably could wear a different one every day all summer long. Yet, somehow every year a different T-shirt from the collection becomes that new Summer’s favorite. As I traverse the Hamptons to get to the boatyard, I see two things; both trees and homes coming back to life. We all live it.

With about 90 days until Memorial Day, there is still plenty of time to get prepared for the next summer season. I always feel the next summer will be my best summer ever. March is a particularly weird month with both beautiful Spring-like and Winter-like days. One day can be sunny and sixty degrees and three days later it just might snow. February has never been my favorite month. There must be a reason why there are only 28 days in it, right?

Soon on March 10th, when daylight savings time comes in and sunsets start happening later and later, we all most likely will be spending more time outdoors. I will be in Montauk this March as I have been now for twenty years to see the St. Patrick Parade. As a sixty-something and beyond person, I know I am not alone when I say from here on in to the summertime, I start feeling younger or at least less old. Now that’s something I can march to.