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September 20, 2007 - A perfect summer sailThe Suffolk Times • September 20, 2007.13A Drawings by H.L. Todd In -The Rabelais and Fishery Industries of the U.S.' by Goode. Left: The porgies are in, so bait your hooks with squid and have some fun. When handling porgies, watch out for the sharp spinal fins. They can give you an awful cut. Right: When I was young we used to catch kingfish regularly at the Kingffsh Hole on the west side of Robins Island. To my surprise, we caught one recently while porgy fishing. A perfect summer sail With the summer slipping away, everyone is tak- ing advantage of the last bit of the dwindling season. The way we did it was to go for a sail on my son's recently FOCUS acquired 26 -Moot Albin sailboat. ON lives the die -hard sailor who lives for strong winds and boats NATURE heeling over, the day we chose would hold little interest. But by Paul for a family outing, the day was Stoutenbur& perfect: a light wind, a blue sky full of white, puffy clouds, lots to eat and drink and, of course, the fun of having three generations of fancily aboard. We let the wind determine our direction. There was no clinging to the sheets or lines, no orders to "Take up the slack in the main," no command to "Head up more," or any order to "Let the jib out." No, none of these would be heard on this outing. What you did hear was "Remember the summers we spent at the cottage where we had the whole beach to ourselves ?" or "Remember when we went fishing and caught all those snappers down at the channel ?" or "How about the night we all slept aboard out in Orient? "The day slipped by with fancily chatter in between "Pass me a Coke" or -I'll have one of those cookies now" or "I'll try one of the others!" Of course, yours truly kept an eye out for any sign of bird life. I did see royal terns They have a call much different from that of our common terns You'll hear them before you see them. These big terns seem to be showing up more and more each year. I often see them resting on the sand spits throughout our East End.They're as large as a small gull and you can't miss that large bright orange bill. It's a bird we should all get to know better. They're around, so keep an eye out for this relative newcomer to our bay. Things to look for: much different call, large or- ange bill, bird as large as a small gull. The rhythm of the waves on the hull of the boat started to lure me below to take a nap. There's noth- ing like lying in a bunk and being rocked to sleep as the crew takes over the sailing of the boat. I slipped away and found what I was looking for, that wonder- ful feeling that all is right in the world above and things below couldn't have been better. Time passed and all of a sudden the rhythm of the boat changed. We must have come about. I'd better go topside and see what's up. I found things were about the same as when I left, but we were on a new tack. Off to the north was South JamesporL with that wonderful collection of old homes, new homes and renovated homes. In its heyday, South Jamesport was one of the busi- est places on the East End, with party boats loaded with excited fishermen all hoping to catch those silvery weakfish the area was so well known for. The waterfront was also famous for its scallop shacks that were built to the waters edge.The scallops were brought to the shacks to be opened. Today some of Suffolk Times photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh Down to basics. That's what the early scallop hous- es were that lined the bayfront of South lamesport years ago. It was in these simple shacks that the scallops were opened and made ready for shipment. Those of you who are out on the bay probably have heard a different call coming from a strange bird flying overhead. This is the royal tern, a large tern with a big orange bill. It's about the size of a small gull. Look for it on sand spits, where it's often found resting. i� ■ 0'. T", . those original scallop shacks have been converted into delightful summer homes. There is only one that remains just as it was in the "good old days" when scallops and weakfish were KING. Our trip back was as leisurely as our trip down; young and old bathed in the glory of the sun. Some dozed in the splendor of the day. What could be a more perfect way to spend an afternoon with family? Another day, I went fishing with my youngest son in his recently reconstructed boat of epoxy and yards of Fiberglas He turned out a boat that fits his needs perfectly. It's powered by a 25 hp Mercury that gets the boat planing as soon as you open her up. We left the dock at the head of the creek and made good time across the bay. I couldn't help but think, as we came through the creek, of the drastic changes that are taking place there today. All the marshes are undergoing some unknown change that kills off the marsh grass and eventually erodes the banks, so our marshes are disappearing at an alarming rate. They are dying not only here on our East End but along the entire eastern seaboard. This could be a major disaster to the marine ecosystems I'm told they're working on it at Jamaica Bay, where their marshes have been heavily damaged. But for now, what I was looking forward to was my son's porgy hot spot, for that's where he guarantees me we'll get fish. The engine is shut off and the an- chor dropped overboard. We're the only ones fishing. We bait our hooks with squid. I soon get a bite. I pull back hard to set the hook and start reeling in. It feels like the typical porgy trying to get away with bursts of energy. The light pole I was using almost bent back on itself. I reel in with a constant pull on my line, and then another burst from my captive down below. The line goes under the boat, more reeling in, now I've got my fish to the surface. They fight every minute they're on the line. It's a nice size and when held at the right angle you can see a delicate pink across its body. I had to bug my son about catching the fast fish. But my bubble soon burst, for after I caught the first one what did he do but pull up two at one time. We wallowed in the perfect day. The fish per- formed well, keeping us busy, but not too busy. Finally the hour was getting late. We'd stay for five minutes more. Funny, another five - minute deadline passed. We were still catching fish. Then I got a differ- ent tug on my line. Down the pole went as our new- comer fought its way upward. Eyes were focused on the incoming line. What was it? A kingfish. I hadn't caught one of those in years The catching of the king - fish topped our day. Time to pull anchor and head for home. The motor ran perfectly; the new boat worked out well. A day's fishing can't get better than that. Sailing is fun for everyone. Family sailing on a beautiful September day is a perfect way to end the summer season. Suffolk Times photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh perfect Th The Suffolk Times September 20, 2007 summer sail (Sailing is fun for everyone. Family sailing on beautiful September day is a perfect way to e the summer season. Suffolk Times photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh With the summer slipping away, everyone is tak- ing last advantage of the bit of the dwindling season. The way we did it was to go for a sail on my son's recently Focus acquired 26 -foot Albin sailboat. For the die -hard sailor who �N / lives for strong winds and boats NATURE heeling over, the day we chose would hold little interest. But by Paul for a family outing, the day was Suffolk Times photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh Stoutenburgh perfect: a light wind, a blue sky wn to basics. That's what the early scallop hous- full of white, puffy clouds, lots were that lined the bayfront of South Jamesport to eat and drink and, of course, irs ago. It was in these simple shacks that the the fun of having three generations of family aboard. dlops were opened and made ready for shipment We let the wind determine our direction. There was no clinging to the sheets or lines, no orders to "Take up the slack in the main," no command to "Head up more," or any order to "Let the jib out." No, none of these would be heard on this outing. What you did hear was "Remember the summers we spent at the cottage where we had the whole beach to ourselves ?" or Remember when we went fishing and caught all %y 4 those snappers down at the channel ?" or "How about " the night we all slept aboard out in Orient ?' The day slipped by with family chatter in between "Pass me a "I'll Coke" or have one of those cookies now" or "I'll -% try one of the others!" Suffolk Times photo by Paul Stoutenburgh Of course, yours truly kept an eye out for any sign )se of you who are out on the bay probably have of bird life. I did see royal terns. They have a call 3rd a different call coming from a strange bird much different from that of our common terns. You'll ng overhead. This is the royal tern, a large tern hear them before you see them. These big terns seem :h a big orange bill. It's about the size of a small to be showing up more and more each year. I often 1. Look for it on sand spits, where it's often see them resting on the sand spits throughout our Ind resting. East End. They're as large as a small gull and you can't miss that large bright orange bill. It's a bird u we should all get to know better. They're around, so keep an eye out for this relative newcomer to our bay. Things to look for: much different call, large or- ange bill, bird as large as a small gull. The rhythm of the waves on the hull of the boat y started to lure me below to take a nap. There's noth- ing like lying in a bunk and being rocked to sleep as the crew takes over the sailing of the boat. I slipped away and found what I was looking for, that wonder- ful feeling that all is right in the world above and - yy '' things below couldn't have been better. Time passed and all of a sudden the rhythm of the W boat changed. We must have come about. I'd better go topside and see what's up. I found things were about the same as when I left, but we were on a new u tack. Off to the north was South Jamesport, with that wonderful collection of old homes, new homes and u. renovated homes. (Sailing is fun for everyone. Family sailing on beautiful September day is a perfect way to e the summer season. Suffolk Times photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh In its heyday, South Jamesport was one of 'the est places on the East End, with party boats loaded with excited fishermen all hoping to catch those silvery weakfish the area was so well known for. The waterfront was also famous for its scallop shacks that were built to the water's edge. The scallops were brou ht to the shacks to be opened. Today some of t ose original scallop shacks have been converted into delightful summer homes. There is only one that remains just as it was in the "good old days" when scallops and weakfish were KING. Our trip back was as leisurely as our trip down; young and old bathed in the glory of the sun. Some dozed in the splendor of the day. What could be a more perfect way to spend an afternoon with family? Another day, I went fishing with my youngest son in his recently reconstructed boat of epoxy and yards of Fiberglas. He turned out a boat that fits his needs perfectly. It's powered by a 25 hp Mercury that gets the boat planing as soon as you open her up. We left the dock at the head of the creek and made good time across the bay. I couldn't help but think, as we came through the creek, of the drastic changes that are taking place there today. All the marshes are undergoing some unknown change that bills off the marsh grass and eventually erodes the banks, so our marshes are disappearing at an alarming rate. They are dying not only here on our East End but along the entire eastern seaboard. This could be a major disaster to the marine ecosystems. I'm told they're working on it at Jamaica Bay, where their marshes have been heavily damaged. But for now, what I was looking forward to was my son's porgy hot spot, for that's where he guarantees me we'll get fish. The engine is shut off and the an- chor dropped overboard. We're the only ones fishing. We bait our hooks with squid. I soon get a bite. I pull back hard to set the hook and start reeling in. It feels like the typical porgy trying to get away with bursts of energy..The light pole I was using almost bent back on itself. I reel in with a constant pull on my line, and then another burst from my captive down below. The line goes under the boat, more reeling in, now I've got my fish to the surface. They fight every minute they're on the line. It's a nice size and when held at the right angle you can see a delicate pink across its body. I had to bug my son about catching the first fish. But my bubble soon burst, for after I caught the first one what did he do but pull up two at one time. We wallowed in the perfect day. The fish per- formed well, keeping us busy, but not too busy. Finally the hour was getting late. We'd stay for five minutes more. Funny, another five - minute deadline passed. We were still catching fish. Then I got a differ - ,nt tug on my line. Down the pole went as our new - -omer fought its way upward. Eyes were focused on he incoming line. What was it? A kingfish. I hadn't ;aught one of those in years. The catching of the king ish topped our day. Time to pull anchor and head for come. The motor ran perfectly; the new boat worked )ut well. A day's fishing can't get he.ttPr than that THE SCUPPAUG, SCUP, OR NORTHERN PORGY. 8�ano�,mu. <N,.ory IY—h — ai..o. er u. �. �.u. mr r. awn. � a. x.ue� uu+...•ai..,..�.. cow'. q.d •.a, im, M M. ar. M+ 0 4� >, L Z 3 ' ca vn � (D cca 3 v a� N L C N w E � o c F, N 'O CLc ea U) Lu, — a� 0 0 0� v 'uI �41 ea In 3 3 . c CL 0 c O cL ca w L � m L Y M 3 coo a� a_ L no c Y L 1 0 41 W '0 Y d O O '= 3 o c R � w 0� ,c_ _ — L c N i L > Q +1 c0 .bA bLiD � c. s 4; 3 L � c r.. 0 THE KINGFISH OR SEA MINK. H.L. Todd in "The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the U.S.