NEW YORK—With 32 square miles of shoreline stretching along past its white sand dunes, many came to visit Fire Island to enjoy the few remaining weeks of summer. Whether in search of a quiet day at the beach, a tranquil walk through the woods, or a fine restaurant followed by a trip to a club, Fire Island’s various attractions have much to offer to please weekend beach-going visitors.
Resting on the beach of Sailor’s Haven on August 23, one of the more secluded spots on the island, Jerome Delnooz who is visiting from the Netherlands commented that it was good to get away. “It’s like the same as having a holiday for a week but you’re only out for one day,” said Delnooz. “It’s very relaxing.”
The journey getting there from the Manhattan can be an adventure in itself, with transportation spanning from foot to train to taxi to fairy. “I thought the trip there was very enjoyable,” Delnooz said. “The train ride was a bit long, but once you get to Sayreville, to the ferry of course, it’s very out in the open. The wind blowing through your hair, it’s like a different world.”
Although not quite colonial-style, as the name would suggest, the Colonial Taxi shuttles visitors between the railroad and the ferry. Filled with passengers, the taxis make their way through the small town of Sayreville to the quiet docks at the edge of the sea.
Farrah Bhatti, who is visiting New York from England commented on the scenic ride. “I didn’t notice anything on the train because I was sleeping, but that was pleasant enough,” said Bhatti. “When we got into the taxi it was like driving through the typical American suburbia with the porches and the wooden fences and the little garden with the lawn that goes around the houses, we don’t have that in England, not enough room. It was really pretty.”
Once arriving at the Sailor’s Haven part of Fire Island, boats decorate the waters near the dock and a small restaurant serving hamburgers, hot dogs, and ice cream welcomes guests hungry from the long trip, while wooden boardwalks stretch through the island to a quiet beach on the other side.
Many who would prefer a hike through the woods over a sitting on the beach found their way to the Sunken Forest, a 40 acre wilderness filled with trees uniquely shaped from the salty ocean spray, moss, and abundant animal life. The forest was named for its sunken look, created by the tall sand dunes that surround it on each side.
“It was the best part of my trip to New York. Sure beats being in the heart of Manhattan on a hot Saturday afternoon,” Bhatti said, “After seeing all the sites here, it’s like standing in a line the whole time. You walk down the beach, find a quiet spot and all you can hear are the waves.”
“It felt like a proper holiday,” said Bhatti.
