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| The Christeen |
Are you searching for an unusual, educational and nautical excursion that your entire family can enjoy? A fun, two-hour outing on The Christeen, a 40-foot gaff rigged sloop docked in Oyster Bay on Long Island, would be a perfect idea! She is the oldest oyster sloop in North America and a National Historic Landmark. The boat was built in 1883 and was restored by a group of volunteers in Oyster Bay before being re-launched in 1999. The Christeen now functions primarily as a floating classroom and once a month on Sunday afternoons from May through September, the WaterFront Center offers public marine education sails in Oyster Bay.
I was originally interested in going kayaking on Long Island for the day and so I looked up outfitters that offered kayak rentals. The Oyster Bay area intrigued me because of its history. I went to the WaterFront Center’s website and read about their kayak rentals and public sails on the Christeen. I thought that it would be a superb day trip from Manhattan because it was only an hour and 20-minute train ride.
Last Sunday, I jumped on the 10:25 a.m. train out of Penn Station, transferred at Jamaica, and arrived at Oyster Bay at 11:45 a.m. A car was not necessary as the harbor was located across the train tracks and the town’s main street was a couple of blocks away. It was an ideal day to go sailing on the bay and so when I checked-in at the WaterFront Center, I asked if I could sign up to go on the Christeen’s 1 p.m. sail instead of going kayaking. Space was still available on the boat, which could accommodate up to 24 passengers and by noon, 18 others had signed up.
I was advised to be at the dock 10 minutes ahead of time. However, the Captain was not around and the small boat that would take the group out to the Christeen was not at the dock. I debated whether I should take a quick paddle in the bay because there was no evidence that a sail was imminent. Eventually, the small boat arrived and families started to show up. The Captain apologized for being late. Once we boarded the sloop, we had to wait for one of the crewmembers to join us because he was finishing a sailing lesson. About 15 minutes later, everyone was on board and the passengers were split into two groups, one on the port side and the other on the starboard side. Each group alternated in pulling back the rope to hoist the sails and once they were secured, we were on our way.
When Oyster Bay was discovered in 1653 by settlers from Massachusetts, the Dutch government in New Amsterdam and the English Colonial government in Hartford were each claiming jurisdiction over the village. During the Revolutionary War, Oyster Bay was the headquarters for British lieutenant colonel John Graves Simcoe, who was a close friend of Benedict Arnold’s British contact, Major John Andre.
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| Sailboat in Oyster Bay harbor |
As we sailed out into the bay, the Captain pointed out the boathouse of Sagamore Hill. He said that the main house on the property was not visible from the water. Sagamore Hill was the home of President Theodore Roosevelt until his death in 1919. The house was the “summer White House” during his administration, 1901-1909. The 1885 house features trophies, furniture and other memorabilia. Guided tours of the house are given daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
As we sailed around a bend in the bay, the Captain and crew pointed out a magnificent home up on a hill with a boathouse that was of considerable size as well. The property belongs to Billy Joel. Two former houses of his were nearby and were also visible from the boat.
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| Learning about marine life |
Even though it was difficult to draw the group’s collective attention away from the beautiful scenery, residences and sailboats, the marine educator on board opened up a touch tank that was full of local marine organisms and gave a presentation about the diverse marine life in Oyster Bay. The children loved to hold the sea star and crabs. The educator talked about oyster farming, aquaculture techniques and the Oyster Bay estuary, which is a designated National Wildlife Refuge. The WaterFront Center offers a wide range of learning opportunities for children, including school field trips, in-school programs, marine discovery and junior sailing programs.
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| Canterbury's on Audrey Avenue |
While we were on our way back to the harbor, I asked the crew for a seafood restaurant recommendation in town. Canterbury’s Oyster Bar & Grill was only a few blocks away on Audrey Avenue (main street) and the WaterFront Center’s office provided a discount coupon that I could use for lunch or dinner. The Maryland claw crab cakes with a side of fries were delicious. Throughout the restaurant, there was a collection of memorabilia on display which highlighted the Roosevelt era, turn-of-the-century Oyster Bay and work by the painter Mort Kunstler, who is considered to be a renowned historical American artist.
When I finished my late lunch/early dinner, I strolled around the village before returning to the train station for the ride back to Manhattan. I look forward to a return visit so that I can explore the area in a kayak, but if it is another perfect day for sailing, the Christeen might be irresistible.
The WaterFront Center
tel: 1.516.922.SAIL
Sagamore Hill National Historic Site
tel: 1.516.922.4788
Canterbury’s Oyster Bar & Grill
tel: 1.516.922.3614
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