Fall 2010

Blazing Paddles
F a l l
2 0 1 0
Newsletter of Long Island Paddlers
Disclaimer
The views expressed in this newsletter are strictly those of their respective authors.
Information offered on any topic should not be assumed to be authoritative or complete.
On all paddling issues, it is important to base one’s practices on multiple sources of information.
Sept 24, 2010 Bannermans Castle and Constitution Marsh
Photo by Thomas
Mulligan
1
Message from the President: Changing Times
By Steve Berner
and more money available to spend on
programs, we were able to get some
noteworthy speakers for our monthly
programs. Chuck Sutherland from
Pennsylvania, an expert on cold water
paddling, visited us in March. Christopher
Clapp, with the Nature Conservancy on Long
Island, talked to us about the health of the
bays in May. Jake Stachovak, at a special
meeting in June, showed slides and talked
about his epic 5,700 mile journey around the
East Coast of the United States. At our
regular June General Meeting, Eliza Ginn, of
the Maine Island Trail Association, explained
the network of campsites off the coast of
Maine which are available to kayakers.
Aaron Virgin, the Executive Director of
the Theodore Roosevelt Bird Sanctuary,
spoke to us in July about the water birds
found on Long Island. And in August,
Captain Don Harris, the Vice President and
longest active member of Operation
S.P.L.A.S.H, discussed his organization’s role
in cleaning up the bays.
As Bob Dylan would say, “The times, they are
a-changin’. The club began 2008 with 140
members. That made us the largest kayak
club on Long Island. Today, the club boasts a
membership of 337, and counting, making us
one of the biggest kayak clubs on the East
Coast. With so many new members, come
new ideas. Susan Story joined the club in
2008 and revamped the website making it
more user friendly. Then Frank Durante
joined the club in 2009 and took the website
to another level, adding interactive features
such as the Forum, the Membership Directory,
the Personal Profile, and the Put-in Map.
Another advantage to having more members
is having more people willing to lead trips,
the most important part of our club. In 2008,
we had seven trip leaders. In 2009, we had
twelve trip leaders. In 2010, we had twentyfive trip leaders. Because these people Barbara Fontana, Fred Hosage, Ray Clarkson,
Mike Chachkes, Bonnie Wallace, Lou Rivera,
Paul Aledort, Fran Cassidy, Barry Goldblatt,
Frank Durante, Ken Doxsey, Ross Moore,
Bruce Mulligan, Alan Mindlin, Don Gorycki,
Janet Hann, Judy Cooper, Paul Giwoyna,
Lorrie Hollis, Chiara Nuzzo, Helen Horton,
John Giuffe, Ken Fink, Vi Quintero, and Liz
Marcellus – the club had a record 101
trips/events this year. There were trips in the
middle of the week, on Friday evenings, and
multiple trips almost every Saturday and
Sunday. They took us into every body of
water on Long Island, into Manhattan, up to
the Adirondacks, across to Pennsylvania, and
down to Maryland. A big, “Thank you!” to
all these trip leaders for all they have done.
Our effort towards greater safety has grown
over the years as well. In 2008, the club had
two indoor pool sessions so that members
could practice basic and advanced skills. This
year, there were four pool sessions with
nearly thirty members attending each session.
Frank Chillemi has provided trip leader
training for the past two years while Linda
Rivera taught our trip leaders CPR this year.
Our store, under the guidance of Bruce
Mulligan, now sells lights for kayaking safely
at night.
My hope is that the club, in the years to
come, will continue to grow and share the
joy of kayaking with the people of Long
Island. What should never change is the
friendship that our members have always
offered to anyone who joins the Long Island
Paddlers.
When Suffolk County began talking about
charging us $150 a night for the use of the
classroom at the college, that we were
beginning to outgrow, many in the club felt
it was time to move on. Mike Chachkes found
the beautiful Bay Shore Brightwaters Library
where the community room could seat 100
people at no charge. With the larger room
Steve Berner
2
Members Profile - John Guiffre
By Denise Caparatta
clean-ups. in 2002 -2003 he wrote “Just Ask
John, which was a regular feature in our
newsletter. If you look at the website there is
a listing of previously published newsletters.
Here is a sample of some of the questions
John has answered.
I was asked by our
current president,
Steve Berner, to create
a new column. We’ll
inagurate this column
with an interview of
long-time member,
John Guiffre.
Nov. 2003 issue:
Question: I have a new graphite paddle
which has very sharp edges. Is it OK to sand
these smooth and if so, what sandpaper
should I use?
Question: How do I rid my gear of salt,
especially on fabrics and neoprene?
John’s experience on the water began when
he was about six years old. His father was a
flight instructor of sea planes based on City
Island, in the Bronx. To keep John out of the
adults’ hair, they had him row a dingy.
John has been kayaking for about eleven
years. He originally was a canoist. John and
Vi met while ice skating in 1991. If you ask
what got John into kayaking? The answer is
Vi. He joined the kayak club in 1999. He
paddles a kayak that he himself built in 2000.
It is a Chesapeak 16. Later he and Vi built
her kayak.
1962-1966 John served in the US Navy,
electronics technician, 2nd class. He had a
career with IBM and officially retired in 2006.
He continued to work part-time as a driver
for a trucking company and then he worked
at the Setauket Harbor Canoe and Kayak
Shop. He is now enjoying what he really likes
to do. Besides kayaking, his other interests
John is a former vice president of our club, he and hobbies include model airplanes, cross
country skiiing and mountain biking.
volunteers to help at skills day, he is a trip
leader, he participates in most of the river
Holiday Party Raffle
Holiday Dinner Party
Saturday 12/11/2010 7:00pm -11:00pm
The Silver Paddle Award for our Volunteer of the Year
and the Silver Whistle Award for our Trip Leader of the Year
will be presented that night.
Great food, music, dancing, and good friends for $35! What could be better?
Go to our website www.lipaddlers.org to download the Holiday Dinner Party Form.
The party will once again be at the Pomodorino Restaurant in Happauge.
Camano paddle, the San Juan model, which
lists for $265. Empire Kayaks is supplying
the club with a Paddleboy Nemo Kayak Cart
which retails for $134.99. The fourth raffle
prize will remain a mystery until the night
of the party. So, if you needed one more
reason to celebrate the holidays with your
paddling friends, here it is. Come out, have
a good time, and maybe go home with a
great door prize.
At this year’s Holiday Party, in addition to
the good food, music, dancing, slide show,
and great conversation, there will be a raffle
of four kayak items, supplied at cost by some
of our sponsors. Rack Attack has sent us a
Yakima HullRaiser Aero J-style cradle. These
fit factory, Thule and Yakima bars and
contain mounting hardware and tie-downs
for one boat. It lists for $139. The Peconic
Paddler is providing a 220 cm Werner
3
Trip Report Sept 24, 2010
Bannermans Castle and Constitution Marsh
Article and Photos by Thomas Mulligan
town’s marina, and provides river access
through a protected inlet, called Foundry
Cove. To the north is Pollepell Island, home to
the remains of Bannermans Island Arsenal.
Built in the early 1900’s this warehouse and
family home was made to look like a fanciful
Scottish Castle. Over time the business deteriorated and the castle fell into disrepair. In the
sixties there was a major fire that destroyed
wooden floors and any combustibles, leaving
only a concrete and brick multistoried shell.
These remains are being slowly claimed by the
elements. In fact, 1/3rd of the south wall and
2/3rds of the east walls of this unique structure fell down in late December 2009. This
was the destination for my kayak trip.
Just north of West Point Military Academy lies
the village of Cold Spring on the eastern
shores of the Hudson River. Accessed from the
south via the Taconic Parkway, you pass
through Clarence Fahnstock State Park and
then take the long ride down to the hillside
town as it meets the shoreline. The heart of
the town is perched at what seems to be a 45
degree angle. Small and country-like, stores
and houses grab tenaciously at the land to
avoid tumbling down into the river. You
glimpse the river as you brake into town, but
it’s not a straight run to the shoreline. You
must turn off this main street and roll over a
bridge that allows Metro North right of way.
But once at riverside the view is dramatic. At
this point the river has narrowed in width to
less than a mile across and the landscape has
hills on either side of the Hudson. On the
Cold Spring side is Breakneck Ridge, and on
the western edge lays Storm King. Looking
north these hills frame a vibrant view of a
tidal river.
The morning was foggy and the caps of both
Breakneck and Storm King were shrouded
from view. The weather report promised no
rain and that was my assurance of smoothpaddling. The island is three miles north of
Cold Spring and sits on the eastern side of the
river approximately 1000 feet from shore.
Cold Spring has thoughtfully provided a
scenic kayak put-in that lies just south of the
(continued on next page)
4
Bannerman’s Castle and Constitution Marsh (continued)
island and stand as sentries to the island.
Southeast of the island was a twin tower
structure, connected by an archway and
made with the same color bricks of the
sentries and castle itself. These three
structures are island cast off’s and perhaps
were part of plans for a proposed moat that
was to be built around the island.
With the assistance of a flooding tide, the
trip north to the island took less than an
hour. As dramatic as the framing hills were,
they served a second purpose, as a funnel
from southerly winds that roared northward,
and together with the tide, generated waves
of one foot. On the way north this created an
opportunity to practice some mild surfing as
the waves were from the southwest.
By the time I reached the island, it was
maximum flood stage. The strong northerly
tidal flow together with winds ranging from
10 to 20 knots (corralled by the mountain
funnel) created 1 to 2 foot waves around the
island. My plan was to paddle close to the
island on the eastern side, but I grew
As I approached the island there were several
brick structures in the water. At the southwestern edge of the island stood a round
brick tower, approximately twenty feet in
height. An identical tower is located at the
northeastern edge of the island. Both
were placed several hundred feet off the
(continued on next page)
5
Bannermans Castle and Constitution Marsh (continued)
with many window openings. There are
several buildings that are in close proximity
to each other and from the water it’s hard to
tell what is connected and what is not. Views
are limited by overgrowth of plants and
trees. But the effect is striking; the structure
is standing proud and defiant to all who pass.
Only now with the recent downfalls you
wonder how much longer we will have the
opportunity to view this unique ruin.
Taking advantage of the high tide I returned
to Cold Spring to view Constitution Marsh
Wildlife Sanctuary. Accessible when in flood,
this inlet is immediately south of the kayak
put in. Entrance to the Marsh is under a
Metro North train trestle, and you literally
have to lie on the back of your kayak as the
clearance is barely 12 to 15 inches. Guiding
by hand underneath the trestle, many spider
webs were disturbed. Glad I was wearing a
LI Paddlers cap!
On the other side of this trestle was a
beautiful quiet waterway with serpentine
paths that go for approximately one mile or
so. The water was absolutely still even
though the area was in flood tide. I tried to
minimize the sound of paddle entry into
water as I propelled forward for two reasons:
to enjoy the serene peace of the area, and to
try and get closer to herons, geese, and
ducks. But their vision or hearing is better
than my ability to be stealthy and I was
unable to limit frantic bird flyaways. Fall was
already hinting its arrival as several trees
have started to show red, orange and yellow
cautious of the following seas and instead
colors. There is a waterfall in this marsh, but
paddled north past the island and then
I didn’t spend much time looking for it.
turned around to paddle back into the waves Perhaps next time.
at a 45 degree angle. This gave me better
If you wish to learn more about the castle or
stability and time to see what the river had
to see what it looked like in the past, just
to offer as I took pictures. Coming in this way Google it. The castle is now property of the
I saw that the water in the lee of the island
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation
was smooth as glass and by good fortune,
and Historic Preservation and is off limits to
this is also where the best viewing of the
unsupervised landings. There are efforts
castle remains is.
underway to preserve what is left, but it
The castle itself is still impressive in its ruins.
looks like that’s at least another winter away.
The structural detail includes columns,
Let’s hope it’s a mild one.
turrets, arches and a 3 to 4 story high facade
6
Long Island Paddlers’ 2010 Expenses
Submitted by Kristin Costa, Treasurer
TRAINING & SAFETY
$1,200.00 Pool rental + $15 tip for lifeguard
$260.00 First Aid kits
$140.00. Dry bags
$60.00 Kayak rentals
$60.00 Park admission for volunteers
________________________________________
$1,735.00 TOTAL
INSURANCE
$808.80 Members’ liability and medical
$500.00 Additional $1,000,000 liability
$385.00 Directors & Officers Liability
________________________________________
$1,693.80 TOTAL
PROGRAMS
$414.00 Travel, lodging, food
$675.00 Speaking fees paid to non-profits
$250.00 Speaking fees paid to individuals
$280.00 SCCC room rental
________________________________________
$1,619.00 TOTAL
DONATIONS
$250.00 Bay Shore/Brightwaters Public Library
$200.00 Orient Beach State Park
$250.00 KFAC
$250.00 Suffolk County Parks
________________________________________
$950.00 TOTAL
HOLIDAY PARTY
$350.00 DJ
$400.00 Raffle prizes
________________________________________
$750.00 TOTAL
REFRESHMENTS
$354.00 General Meetings
PICNICS
$326.00 Permits
CLUB LIBRARY
$298.00 DVD’s
ANNUAL AWARDS
$265.00
OFFICE EXPENSES
$235.00 Postage, copying, ink, & notebooks
WEBSITE
$212.00
PUBLICITY
$153.00 Club brochures
TOTAL EXPENDITURES
$8,591.00
7
The Frank Answers Column
Hello Frank,
At a recent kayak symposium, there were a whole lot of vendors selling stuff. One guy was
“hawking” a small orange flag mounted to what looked like a chrome automobile radio
antenna with a crude clamp on the other end. He claimed that the U.S. Coast Guard is going
to make these flags mandatory on the rear of kayaks and that I should buy one now before
the price goes up. The thing looked pretty poorly built so I passed it up. Do these things
have any value? If so, do you know if high quality versions are available?
Best Wishes.
D.C.
Dear D.C.
We can find no notice of any impending U.S. Coast Guard regulation pertaining to these
flags. These mostly worthless, and potentially dangerous little flags have been kicking
around for a few years now. Give me a moment to explain why, in my opinion, this garbage
should be avoided for most of us…with the possible exception of kayak fisherman.
High visibility for kayakers is a very wise and prudent thing. On the water, Obnoxious
Orange, Arrogant Yellow and Triple-Ugly-Day-Glo-Green are my favorite colors. The brighter
we make ourselves and our boats, the better off we are. These flags are, again in my opinion, far too small to provide any real visibility on any water bigger than a small pond, or a
large bathtub. In addition to that, they present some real safety problems just by being on
your boat. Once set in place, the tip of that antenna would be sitting about three feet
above your rear deck just waiting for the chance to take one of your eyes out. Just as bad,
imagine some bystander coming over to look at your boat as you’re setting up on some
beach somewhere. Imagine that person looking down at your boat, not seeing the flag
‘cause he’s looking at the boat itself and…Wacko! Law suit anyone?
Here’s another scary thought. Should that flag shaft break when you dump over and the
lower portion remain on your deck, that pointy stump is now begging for the opportunity
to puncture a part of your body as you’re completing your wet exit and re-entry. Some manufacturers claim a “Quick Disconnect’ capability for these things. Some FM-VHF maritime
radio manufacturers claim that their products are waterproof…and we know how false
some of those claims are. Forgive me for not using politically correct adjectives here, but as
regular readers of this column know, our safety is this kayaker’s biggest motivator. As mentioned earlier, kayak fishing folks may get some value out of these things, but that’s about
it. These paddlers sit still for long periods of time, often partially blocked by high grasses
and other visual obstructions. An orange flag visible above that grass will probably do these
folks some good. For the rest of us… are you willing to put a good-size hole in your deck to
mount this thing, then hope the Quick Disconnect will work after three or four seasons in a
high-salt environment? Please give this idea some thought before buying one of these flags,
dragging out the cordless drill and having a go at your aft deck.
Best Wishes,
Frank Chillemi
8
Hello Again Frank,
Thanks, I didn’t think my answer would come so fast, or be so comprehensive. I agree that
high visibility is an important part of a kayaker’s safety gear, that’s what prompted my first
question. Now that this little flag is off my checklist, I have another question. Where do you
get your super loud paddling clothes? Kayak shops seem to have a pretty limited selection.
And, just for the record, I didn’t mind your strong adjectives at all. In fact, Frank, I’m thinking it might be a little overdue? Please keep it up.
Best Wishes.
D.C.
Dear D.C.
My loud shirts come from bicycle shops and soccer team uniform suppliers. They’re made
from the same rash-guard materials as what kayak shops sell, but bike and soccer shirts tend
to be more readily available in those “grab you by the throat” colors and designs. You
might have to put up with the occasional corporate logo splattered here and there, but in
most cases your PFD will cover them up. Get ‘em from the discount bin at the end of the
season. The savings can really be significant. The orange hat comes from a hunter’s shop.
Best Wishes,
Frank Chillemi
Hi Frank,
I was looking at the way you load your kayak onto your car recently. You use straps that are
wider than I’ve ever seen before. Is there a real advantage to these things, and if so, where
can I find them?
Paddle Safely,
A.C.
Dear A.C.
One inch wide Cam-Lock, Tie-Down Straps have pretty much been a kayaker’s standard
equipment for many years. 1” inch wide versions are a somewhat more recent innovation as
well as a vast improvement. They distribute the strap’s pressure across a much wider portion
of your kayaks surface area, thereby providing a much more secure grip without your having to use undue pressure. In addition, the larger amount of “teeth” in the Cam-Lock mechanism provide a much more secure locking effect. I’m fairly sure these straps are available
from a number of sources, but since you asked me specifically, mine come from NRS.
Best Wishes,
Frank Chillemi
Michael Fehling
Gabrielle Fehling
Sales • Rentals
Tours • Instruction
“COME PADDLE WITH US”
www.empirekayaks.com
4 Empire Blvd.
Island Park, NY 11558
Closed Tuesdays
9
Tel. (516) 889-8300
Fax: (516) 897-9366
Email: [email protected]
Fall Picnic October 2, 2010
By Denise Caparatta
outdoors and just very nice people looking to
have a good time, whether on the water or
off. After we left the picnic area my husband,
Paul, and I drove to Field 3 and did a short
bike ride on the well-maintained boardwalk
which parallels Long Island Sound. Of course,
at that time the water was calm and there
wasn’t much wind. Would have been a good
time for a paddle, but you can’t always plan
these things. We also biked off-road along
the Nissequogue River. I have lived on Long
Island all my life and I had never been to
Sunken Meadow Park before. Having been a
member of the kayak club for over 10 years, I
joined the kayak club when it was called The
Nissequogue Canoe and Kayak Club. Since
then it’s name has been changed to Long
Island Paddlers. It was nice to finally get to
see the Nissaquague River from which our
club got its original name.
Our fall picnic took place on a beautiful, dry
and sunny day at Sunken Meadow State Park.
The day was exceptional because it came
after several days of heavy rains.
Unfortunately it was very windy and the
scheduled, 10AM, paddle on Long Island
Sound was cancelled. Fred Hosage took a
group of paddlers out on the South shore
in the afternoon, after lunch, consisting of
hamburgers, hotdogs, a variety of salads,
drinks and dessert.
Michael Chachkes, Lou and Linda Rivera
bought, cooked and served the food. Pat
Burnside and her friend, Helen brought the
games. Thanks to all for a job well done.
Several of us enjoyed the day taking
advantage of the off-season quiet at a park
that is usually crowded and noisy. We had the
place to ourselves. We caught up with long
time members and became aquainted with
newer ones. After lunch, we played various
lawn games. I played boccie, met and
socialized with many new people. As usual,
there is a common link amongst our
members: we all seem to be lovers of the
I love living on Long Island. It is truly
beautiful if you take the time to enjoy
what it has to offer. Its natural landscapes
and plentiful waterways is what makes all
of the traffic and congestion worth
contending with.
10
Above Ground Pools Pose Threat To Local Environment
By Liz Marcellus
of chlorinated water. Multiply that by the
number of pools in the area, and that's a lot
of chlorine entering our fragile ecosystem.
The best thing to do before emptying your
pool, is to do what public pools do... wait a
week or so until the chlorine evaporates and
the levels lower to zero."
Operation SPLASH.org has been working
with local municipalities to install filter
systems into street storm drains to limit the
amount of litter and chemicals that enter our
south shore waterways. Tests over the past
few years in Freeport have been very
successful in having a positive impact on the
health of our waterways. Other Nassau
County towns are looking into the filter
program as well.
Store-bought above ground pools are
becoming a popular way to beat the summer
heat. But in the fall, when it's time to empty
them, new owners are not advised of the
potential harm they can cause to our local
environment.
Founded in Freeport in 1990, Operation
S.P.L.A.S.H. (Stop Polluting Littering and Save
Harbors) is a 1,600 member, grassroots, all
volunteer organization dedicated to being a
part of the solution to waterfront pollution
through public education and individual
participation. Now celebrating its 20th
Anniversary, S.P.L.A.S.H. has collected more
than 400 TONS of trash. The organization
is currently working on other important
projects designed to protect and preserve
the fragile South Shore estuaries. Operation
S.P.L.A.S.H. meets the first Tuesday of the
month at the Freeport Recreation Center in
Freeport, Long Island at 7:30pm. To become
a member, visit www.OperationSPLASH.org
or call 516-348-4770.
Since street storm drains lead directly to
our bays and beaches, the simple act of
draining chlorinated pool water into the
streets can affect south shore water quality
and marine life.
"Pool owners need to add chemicals to pool
water to keep it clean and algae-free
throughout the summer. If that water has
been 'shocked' or chlorinated recently, those
chemicals will enter our salt water ecosystem
through our street storm drains. And that
poses a threat to marine life and the health
of our waters, by changing chlorine and pH
levels," said Robert Weltner, President of
Operation SPLASH.org. "Just one 15-footround pool will contain about 5,000 gallons
Rack Attack, online Thule Rack and
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11
Broccoli Salad
Blackberry Sangria
By Fran Cassidy
By Fran Cassidy
Two heads broccoli, cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup raisins
1 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1 cup bac-o-bits
1 red onion thinly sliced
1.5 litre Primitivo Wine
6 oz Tuaca
14 oz Cranberry juice (not cocktail juice)
14 oz Blackberry Brandy
Sliced Orange
Sliced Lemon
Blackberries
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
Mix above LIQUID ingredients together and
refrigerate.
In a wine glass, add one orange slice, one
lemon slice, blackberry (1-2), add ice to hold
the fruits in the glass, fill with wine. Enjoy!
In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, sugar and
red wine vinegar.
In a large bowl, mix broccoli, raisins, sunflower seeds, bac-o-bits, and red onion. After
mixing well, pour in mayonnaise mixture and
mix well. Refrigerate overnight if possible.
TRUUS' OATMEAL BARS (gluten-free*)
By Annemarie van Hemmen
* Note: OK for Gluten-Intolerance. If you are Celiac, you know the importance of scrutinizing all
recipes. The Oatmeal debate is still ongoing: some say on the “forbidden list”, others only use
from a certified source to avoid cross-pollination risk, and still others now proclaim that if you are
only gluten intolerant, it's actually important to eat a small amount of certain grains after all.
Be your own best judge.
When you make these bars, make PLENTY TO
SHARE with everyone. You'll quickly discover
how popular they are!
Ingredients:
chick pea / garbanzo flour, baking soda, salt,
butter, sugar, eggs, rolled oats, almonds,
cranberries, white chocolate morsels.
Double shift chick pea / garbanzo flour!
Mix:
2 cups double-shifted chick pea flour
1 tsp. baking soda
? tsp. salt
Mix well:
1 cup creamed butter
Gradually add 1 cup brown sugar
Blend in 2 (unbeaten) eggs
Stir in the dry ingredients.
Add:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup (6 oz) almonds (slivered or crushed)
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup white chocolate morsels
Spread on ungreased baking sheet.
Bake at 350 F, 25-30 min.
Important: cut sheet into bars after removing
from oven; before it cools and hardens!
Tip
Make a large batch. They freeze very well
and don't stick together.
Just take out as many as you wish for a kayak
trip, and...
have a power snack any time on the water.
Modified healthier versions:
> fruit(s) & nut(s) only
> replace ? or ? the butter with vegetable oil
> replace butter partially with apple sauce
(not tried yet)
> replace brown sugar partially with maple
syrup? (not tried either, yet)
Original recipe stated bars can be prepared in
microwave (never tried).
When you try it, let me know if it works.
Annemarie van Hemmen,
[email protected]
12
Canoe/Kayak Put-in Update
Sporting Advisory Council Notes
By Liz Marcellus
New signage is also planned. The project
should be completed by spring.
Yesterday, I met with Nick Gibbons and Diana
Sanford of Suffolk county parks at the
Goldsmiths Inlet county park site. The reason
for the meeting out in Peconic was to come up
with a logical plan of action for the parking
issue there. Goldsmiths Inlet county park put-in
site is located off Soundview Avenue, Peconic.
The $125,000 grant money that has been
allotted for improving canoe/kayak access for
Suffolk county parks is still tied up in Albany.
SO... so far not much has been accomplished.
Recently an Eagle scout has proposed
improving this site. He will be putting up a few
split rail fences, clearing the path to the pond
and replacing a damaged footbridge. The
county will be changing the parking...
adding more room to park and hopefully
making it safer.
Southaven Park
L I Paddlers is going to be putting up an
informative kiosk at the put-in for the Carmans
river in Yaphank. Steve Berner and his friend
Wade Hartmann have generously offered
their time to build this. In addition to safety
information, we will also include flora and
fauna facts. A sign-in book will also be added
so that a more accurate count of how many
people are using the river can be determined.
With this information we are hoping to
convince the new Parks commissioner, Joe
Montuori, to add more days/times of use for
this stretch of the river.
Smith Point
Suffolk county is in the process of building a
new fishing pier in the northeast corner of the
parking lot. There will also be a designated
spot where kayaks/canoes can be launched
from the shore near the pier into the bay.
Eventually the plan is to change the layout of
the entire parking lot.
Browns River
DEC will be looking at the put in by Bryans
bridge off Middle Road to see what can be
done to improve the erosion there.
2010 CLUB ELECTIONS
positions, please e-mail Mike Chachkes,
chairperson of the Nominations and Elections
Committee, at [email protected] by
Monday, November 1st. Nominations can also
be made at the Club meeting on October 19th.
Ballots will be mailed out by November 7th.
They should be mailed to Long Island Paddlers,
PO Box 115, West Sayville, NY 11796 or brought
to the General Meeting on November 16th.
It's that time of year again... nominations are
being sought for President, Vice President,
Treasurer, Secretary, and two Members-atLarge. Elections will be held in November for
terms beginning December 1, 2010. The duties
and responsibilities are outlined in our By-Laws
which can be found on our website under
Membership. If you would like to nominate
someone or nominate yourself for any of these
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Cedar Point Lighthouse Tour, Sunday 10/10/2010
Trip Leaders: Paul Aledort and Fran Cassidy
They had picture perfect weather as is evident
in looking at the photos, below, taken by Fran
Cassidy.
A group of about twenty members attended
this event. Bob Alan gave walking a tour of
this historic lighthouse that was built in 1868.
Top left: Bob Alan
Bottom right: Paul Aledort and Fran Cassidy
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A Picture is Worth a Thousands Words...
Photos and captions submitted by Cecilia Bax
Crazy photo of Fred Hosage which he took of
himself with my camara, taken at Long Beach.
He looks like a viking without the horns on his cap...
High tide at Scallop Pond. After the paddle there
were a few cars with their tires in the water.
Judy Cooper on top of her ladder standing in water.
Photo of David Thaler at 2009 fall picnic in front of the Bug Lighthouse, Orient, NY
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New Editor Needed
By Denise Caparatta
use. I would be very happy to help my
replacement to make the transition. The
newsletter can be any number of pages now
that we do not go to print. It is prepared and
viewed in full color and the final approved
newsletter is submitted, as a pdf file, to the
president who then forwards it to the
members via e-mail. A pdf file is also sent
to the webmaster who then places it on
our website.
I have been editing the newsletter for seven
years now and would like to have someone
else take over my job. When I started, having a
background in desktop publishing, my
experience was needed for me to produce the
newletter. Now there are many people who
are familiar with desktop publishing, since
almost everyone owns a computer.
Creating the newsletter has been a very
rewarding and enjoyable experience. By
volunteeing my time, I have gotten to know
many members of the club.
The November elections will once again give
us a new president and board members. I am
a committe member and I am not elected but
appointed by the board. If you are interested
in becoming the next newsleter editor the
position would start with the next committee
appointments. Please either notify myself or
any current board member.
The newsletter comes out four times a year
and I receive the articles and photos from the
president and other members of the club who
contribute to the newsletter. I work on a
Macintosh computer and use a professional
program called QuarkXpress, but there are
many desktop publishing programs you can
River Clean Up - Caleb Smith (south side)
Sunday Oct 17th , 10 AM
Trip Leader: Liz Marcellus
Meeting place: Main parking lot of Caleb Smith
State Park, 581 West Jericho Tpk., Smithtown.
South side of Jericho Tpk just west of the
Smithtown bull.
Please come join us on our fall river clean up of
the upper Nissequogue river. Fishing season is
set to close on Oct 16th so we will be able to
get into the river to clean it up the next day!
This event is one of two times per year that
anyone is allowed to kayak down this portion
of the river. We start at the dam at the north
end of Stump pond (new Millpond) and end up
in the pond (Phillips Millpond) by the mill just
up river from Paul T Givens park. It’s a spot
quite unlike any other on Long Island and definitely a gem. It will challenge your skills too !
--------------Reservations a must----------------Email [email protected] We are
limited to 10 boats, so please reserve your spot
early. Clean up equipment and bags are
provided. Gloves and UV sunglasses or hat are
recommended. Must dress for the
water/weather and wear PFD. Bring a light
lunch or snack for a stop midday.
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Planning For The Future, With Love
By Fran Cassidy
aloud: wow, your mom was so organized. She
states that her gold chain is inside the closet on
a hook (not on the door… inside the closet
behind the clothes), her rings and bracelets are
in the upstairs medicine cabinet… in
prescription and vitamin bottles. One daughter
started to cry realizing that she and her aunt
had jut cleaned out the medicine cabinet and
thrown everything in the garbage. Believe
what you may but, in my opinion, their mom
was really working hard from upstairs. The
daughter ran outside because Dad left one
large plastic garbage bag on the side of the
house for the following day’s garbage pick-up.
THE VITAMIN AND MEDICINE BOTTLES, ALONG
WITH THE JEWELRY, WERE IN THAT BAG.
I know this is not your ordinary letter for the
kayaking club newsletter but I feel very
strongly about sharing this story. I hope you
agree it is worth the space. Anyone not
interested in reading it can skip it but I am sure
there are people who will benefit from it.
Thanking you, in advance, for allowing me to
share this emotional experience.
Best regards!
I’m writing this because if anything happened
to you or your family members and you
weren’t prepared, I would feel terrible that I
didn’t share this story. Please plan for the
unexpected and share your plans with
loved ones.
If you were gone or became incapacitated,
could your loved ones find your will, social
security number, the passwords to your
computer, or your insurance/investment
accounts? Please compile this inventory of
personal information and advise your family
where to find it. This could make all the
difference to a traumatized and confused
family trying to fulfill your final wishes. As a
Financial Professional, I have written this letter
to help you eliminate the emotional stress and
possible financial loss during a time when you
may not be in control. If you’d like a form to
help you to identify where everything
important is located, please go to my website
www.FranCassidy.com and request your free
copy of the family love letter.
I met with a long-time client and his five adult
children at their Long Island home searching
for his wife’s Health Care Proxy and Power of
Attorney while she lay in a coma. When we
found her sister’s documents at their home, we
immediately called her assuming the sisters had
each other’s documents. She believed she did
so I drove from the North Shore of Long Island
to the South Shore only to find they were not
the documents we needed. It took three days
of searching before the family was able to say
their good-byes to a very proud, terrific lady
who had signed a DNR (DO NOT RESUSCITATE)
which no one could find.
One week later, meeting with the family to
transfer her IRAs to him, the family showed me
a book that their mom had written. Don’t ask
why… but I turned to the last page… and said
Thank you for letting me share.
89 Peconic Avenue Riverhead NY
631-727-9895
"In Business Since 1966"
[email protected]
17
Blazing Paddles
P.O. Box 115
West Sayville, NY 11796
First Class Mail
To learn and see more of what Long Island Paddlers is all about, visit our website www.lipaddlers.org
Tentative 2010 monthly meeting dates
Always check website.
3rd Tuesday of every month
7:30-9:30 PM
January 19 • February 16
Long Island Paddler’s Publication Dates
March 16 • April 20 • May 18
June 15 • July 19 • August 17
September 21 • October 19
November 16
April 15 • July 15 • October 15 • January 15
Deadlines for submission are one month prior
to publication date. All copies submitted
must be typewritten. Members are encouraged to submit articles, letters to the editor
Newsworthy Notes, trip reports or future trip
information, etc. to editors. Editors reserve
the right to editorial privileges. Unless otherwise stated, the views and opinions expressed
are those of the authors and do not represent official position statements of Long
Island Paddlers Club.
Submit all newsletter articles, letters and
advertising to the editor, Denise Caparatta
[email protected]
LOCATION:
Brightwaters Public Library
1 South Country Road,
Brightwaters, NY 11718
Go to our website for
directions from your location.
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