We love John Calascibetta, Harbor Host of the Great Kills Yacht Club. When we arrived from our anchorage at Sandy Hook, NJ, he opened up our world by having an MTA (Metro Transit Authority) card available for us to purchase. Our cruising neighbors Mark and Karen on Captain’s Choice recommended the Express Bus easily accessed at the top of Hillside Terrace. The very next day we were on that bus headed for Manhattan, NYC.
The 9/11 Memorial and Museum was on the top of our list. We spent most of that day at Ground Zero, the site of the World Trade Center Towers disaster. It’s hard to believe that nearly 18 years has passed since that terrible tragedy unfolded. Standing at the disappearing pools surrounded by the names of all those whose lives were lost that day and in the days that followed was a very sobering experience. The museum brought the details of that never-to-be-imagined attack on our country back into focus. Words cannot explain the vivid sense of disbelief, terror and sadness that we felt all over again as the events unfolded around us. Since September 11, 2001, we have not been able to look at our world in the same way.
When we have the opportunity to do so, we try to walk our 10,000 steps. Downtown Great Kills is about ten blocks from the Yacht Club. We discovered Frank & Sal’s Italian Market three years ago when we were in the midst of the Great Loop. It was a fun place to shop in back then, and it hasn’t lost its appeal over time. The deli case is fascinating to peer into with its numerous store- made delectables. Since none of the offerings are labeled, we had to ask the other patrons what they were choosing!
By May 11, with the weather chilly but dry, we used our MTA card to ride the train that took us to the Staten Island Ferry. We waved as we passed the Statue of Liberty before we were delivered to Battery Park at the tip of Manhattan.
We wanted to get the lay of the land of the Big Apple’s iconic downtown so we took a two-hour double-decker bus tour. We sat on the top level, an open compartment, and saw skyscrapers up close and personal. From our vantage point, we had a once-in-a-lifetime view of all those converging streets and avenues filled with the hustle and bustle of city life. Wearing ear-buds, we listened to a delightful story of New York City’s special places and notable citizenry. Kudos to the tour director who, along with his stories, pointed out amazing details throughout our experience. Wally was ready to rent an apartment in Greenwich Village for a month to get a better idea of what it would really be like to live in America’s greatest city. I guess I’d be willing to give it a try.
Gannets… yes, they are our new birds for this post. We found them in the ocean about 2-3 miles off the New Jersey coast. As the Golden Guide to Field Identification of Birds of North America states, “Feeds by diving from 50’ or more into the water and swimming underwater for short distances.” Gannets are found in the guide book grouped with Tropicbirds, Pelicans, Frigatebirds, Boobies, Cormorants and Anhinga. I first noticed these birds in loose gatherings. They were much whiter and larger than the other seabirds that were near them. The Gannet’s butterscotch-colored head caught my attention while Wally noticed them diving from on high. The black wing tips made them really striking in flight. Exciting stuff, eh?
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