New Traditions: The First Annual Kayak Conservation Cruise

With summer in full swing, Oyster Bay has once again become vibrant with flora and fauna. Missing from this equation is all the shoreside and on-water events that make our little corner of Long Island unique! As the critical state of the pandemic extends further into the summer, chances for families to experience the Oyster Bay Wildlife Refuge and all it has to offer become few and far between.  

To remedy this situation, The Waterfront Center and Friends of the Bay came together to host the first annual Kayak Conservation Cruise on Saturday, July 18th. The goal of the cruise was to bring awareness to our beautiful bay and provide our community with a new on-water event, while still practicing safe social distancing.  

It was a sight to behold on Saturday as 50 attendees hopped on 38 kayaks and paddleboards launched from both The WaterFront Center docks and Beekman Beach. They flooded our harbor with spots of crimson red, canary yellow, and lime green, as they met the Friends of the Bay boat at The Christeen within our mooring field. There, Friends of the Bay President, Bill Bleyer, and our very own Ranger, Molly Gagliano, welcomed everyone to the first Kayak Conservation Cruise. 

After introductions were made Bill went into the history of the area, talking about the Jacobsen shipyard that was then bought by the Town of Oyster Bay to be made into the WaterFront Center with The Friends of the Bay’s help! He went onto talk about the history of our 183-year-old gaff rigged Oyster sloop, Christeen, which Friends of the bay purchased and helped restore for our public to use through The WaterFront Center.  

While Bill delved into the history surrounding Oyster Bay Harbor as they went east toward Theodore Roosevelt park, Ranger Molly discussed an array of environmental topics including the species native to our area and how they're fairing. As she pointed out a magnificent Osprey overhead, she explained that it is a huge environmental success that we even see one flying overhead. The Osprey population had been in decline due to use of harmful pesticides that kill mosquitos, they main part of their diet. Molly also covered Oysters, describing how they are a vital part of our waterways because they act as a naturel filter to our bays, streams, and even the Long Island Sound. 

At the end of the tour paddlers had extra time to enjoy the sights and sounds of our Bay while they slowly paddled and drifted back to our mooring field for a morning well spent.

We want to thank everyone who came and participated in our first Kayak Conservation Cruise! We hope you had a wonderful time. 

Proceeds raised from registration fees, donations, and apparel sales will support both organizations in their endeavors to educate the public and build a community of stewards to protect these natural resources. 

For more information on the WaterFront Center and the programs available you can visit our website Thewaterfrontcenter.org or call us at (516)-922-7245.