Fire Island Will Never Get Old

Blue skies on the ferry ride.

When I tell my kids about Fire Island, NY,  I'll tell them it's a magical place that can only be accessed by boat, where there are no cars, and where dogs, babies, and deer run free. And I will be telling the truth.

There are few places that I can think of that are quite as relaxing as Fire Island. Dave and I have been trying to pin point just why that is - most people have wifi and you can check your cell phone on the beach, so its not like you are completely disconnecting from the world - but there is something about the pace at which one moves while in Fire Island that instantly slows your heart rate. As previously stated, there are no cars on the island, except for maintenance and emergencies, so the main modes of transportation are bikes and two-feet-and-a-heartbeat. The island is about the width of a long New York City block, and after your swim, you can stroll across it barefoot in less then three minutes. The beaches rarely get crowded, so there seems to be little incentive to rush anywhere. Even the (mostly) modest beach houses on the island seem to be telling you to just chill out for a minute.  

Being in good company definitely helps too.  This is the second year that we have had the good fortune of staying with friends in Fire Island. Last year we stayed at Todd and Margaret Muhlfelder's house, this year at Jesse and Pam Ellis's. Like last year, the six of us spent most of our weekend together, playing with kids and dogs on the beach by day and eating good food at night. A routine I am pretty sure I will never get tired of.

From left: Dave, Jesse, Pam.  Dogs: Saydie (ours, black fur), Elvis (Pam and Jesse's dog, white fur)

Saydie. I couldn't help myself.

Olivia Muhlfelder, 1.5 years old tests the waters, with her family's support. Photo by Pamela Ellis.

 How cute is that? Photo by Pamela Ellis.

Dave, Todd and Olivia. Photo by Pamela Ellis.

Elvis Ellis trying to chase Saydie down. Photo by Pamela Ellis.

Saydie hangin with her old pal Milo (Todd and Margaret's dog) after a long day of playing.

An Instagram photo from last year's trip: A deer and I check each other out on my trip to the market.

Fire Island Sunset. Photo by Pamela Ellis.

Also: check out this short BBC clip on architecture in Fire Island that just came out this past week. Thanks for sharing Andrew!