Long Island Loyland

After securing the dinghy to the dock, Mike and Brenda walked towards the house to be greeted  by the tall guy approaching us, Tim, husband to Brenda’s cousin, Cathy (whom Brenda had no memory of meeting before).  Tim explained that Cathy was with Caitlin (14) and Charlie (11) as they ready for bed.  Tim then introduced us to Loyland (twin-to-Charlie). Hmmm….Loyland?   Loyland was Brenda and Cathy’s grandmother Anna’s maiden name; Grandma Torgerson was a Loyland.   And spelled the same!   Such a beautiful name for this talkative and animated and lively and smart 11-year-old girl who loves gymnastics and swimming.  Loyland: a name that affirms Cathy and Brenda’s common heritage.… let the cousin reunion begin!

With plans to get together with Cathy and Tim (and get a taste for the Hampton area), we arrived in Shinnecock Bay (which is about 2/3 up the Atlantic Coast of Long Island, NY) on Friday afternoon.  Cruising to Dave’s Creek near East Quogue was a nail-biting experience as the water depths (shallow: 3.6-3.9’) weren’t matching our Aquamap program’s information  (5.9-6.2’).  Regardless, we watched for guiding buoys and followed how other boats with deeper drafts maneuvered around the Bay.  We anchored within a dinghy ride to Cathy and Tim’s place.  We anchored in an area where an occasional "sunfish" sailboat, pair of jet skis or whaler would go by.  

We had a bit of excitement on Saturday.  Imagine the stage:  Mike and Brenda are relaxing in the fly bridge.  Mike, having completed a number of projects that morning (tweaked the dinghy motor, checked on the fridge's non-cooling condition, replaced motor zincs), was napping.  Brenda, having stayed out of Mike's way while he worked on his projects, was nearing the end of her latest read, Michener's "Chesapeake."  Brenda looks out onto the water and sees a pole that she hadn't noticed before.  Then her eyes gaze farther out towards shore and widen in alarm.  "Mike!  The boat's moved!"  Both jump up into motion: Mike to the bow's anchors and Brenda to the ship's helm, and together they begin the process of taking the boat back towards Dave's Creek and setting anchors...again.

In order to move with more water depth, we pulled anchors at 6 am this morning and departed Shinnecock Bay nearing high tide.  We’re bouncing “outside” on the Atlantic and will return to a Long Island inlet and anchor out again this evening.  We will return to New York Harbor tomorrow (ending our East Coast cruising) and begin our journey up the Hudson Valley towards Canada.

Friday evening we took the dinghy to Dockers for their Friday Night Happy Hour specials (Tim's recommendation). 
This gave us a taste for  Hampton area and Cathy and Tim--who are training for an upcoming triathlon--time for a bike ride.

This is approaching Dockers from the waterside.  It was busy with people enjoying the warm weather and sunshine and the beginning of the July 4th holiday week.  After Dockers, we went to Cathy and Tim's for hamburgers off the grill!

Cathy, Tim and Loyland cruised to Velsignet on their whaler on Saturday afternoon. 
Caitlinnd Charlie were home with their caregivers who help Cathy and Tim 24 hours a day.

Cathy is the youngest of Brenda's Aunt Gloria's 5 children (Aunt Gloria is now deceased). She was "a little kid" from Memphis, TN when Brenda was a teenager in NW MN.  Cathy's mom and dad, Gloria and Charlie, were always very kind and visited us on our farm near Crookston when they were in the area.  While at Aqua Yacht Marina on Pickwick Lake off of the Tennessee River, Cathy's older sisters, Cheryl and Barbara, drove from their Memphis homes to visit us.

After visiting Velsignet, Brenda went with Cathy, Tim and Loyland and together we made a grocery run, picked up a part at Napa for Mike (who stayed behind to change the generator's fuel filter....there's always something needed attention!), and made a little tour around Quogue and West Hampton.

Tim is a fun and quick witted guy who welcomed his wife's relatives (actually, strangers) without any obvious hesitation:  "Here's the fridge, drink anything you like."  "Come relax at the house.  Use the showers if you'd rather not on the boat."  "Take our boat if you want."  "You need groceries?  We'll take you to the grocery store!"

Cathy and Tim have a lovely vacation home on Dave's Creek and are in the midst of projects that will make the place more accessible and convenient for them and their children.

Cathy and Tim live in New York City, just west of Central Park.  Tim works downtown in investment finance; Cathy is an opthalmologist for a clinic across the river in New Jersey.

Loyland is an EXCELLENT dock hand and crew member!

...and she's a serious new boat driver! (that's her dad's knee right next to her)

We enjoyed our Saturday evening together in their comfortable home. 
Cathy and Tim prepared and grilled a fabulous dinner!

In this picture, I think Tim might be putting together a plate of "stinky cheese", Loyland's homemade fruit compote, and bread slices.  He included goat cheese on the plate for the non-stinky cheese lovers.