LocalSeptember 2013

Seaside Stories

By

VII. Action on the Channels

Residents of the close-knit beach communities in and around Sheepshead Bay interact with the water that surrounds them in myriad ways. Many fish, others set sail, a few kite-surf—while a handful of hearty souls sleep on their boats year-round. All who frequent Brooklyn’s marinas hold a distinct sense of ownership over one of the last unspoiled landscapes in the city.


img1
Jay and Kathleen, members of the Miramar yacht club in Sheepshead Bay, spend afternoons sailing their boat, Topaz. Each of the yacht clubs on Emmons Avenue has its own traditions, but all invite fresh "rail meat" to learn how to sail from a seasoned skipper.


img2
Tahir and his friend, both local Turks, fish off the pier for Lafayettes, while larger fishing boats head out to catch Blues and Bass. It has been a slow year, but they keep faith that as the tide comes in so will the fish.


img3
Luba, left, takes kite surfing lessons from Nina, right, who despite her SoCal look is actually a Russian gal who teaches daring Brooklynites how to navigate the winds under the Belt Parkway in Plum Beach.


img4
On tracks built into the dunes of Gerritsen Beach, teens drive dirtbikes with precision, fearlessly racing across the sand.


img5
Darren, better known by his neighbors as Captain Seaweed, spent his life in different cities surrounded by water, before settling into his house boat on the bay.


img6
Parkway Marina mechanic Harry holds Daffy, a duck, one of several semi-aquatic animals he cares for year round.

Close

Home