Gardiners Island

One of the nicer places we visited last week and two weeks ago was Gardiners Bay at the Eastern end of Long Island. Pictured above is the Dutch windmill that had been positioned on the private island called Gardiners Island by its owners whom has ancestors from the Netherlands. Since the island is private and had so been for the past 400 years (owned by only one family at all times) we couldn't step ashore. But anchoring in the water outside and going for a swim is an option as ocean water, at least for now, can't be bought.

"Gardiners Island... is the only real estate intact in the United States that is part of an original royal grant from the English Crown. The Island has survived Indian wars, pirates, invasion by British forces, war, and family issues. It is home to more than 1,000 acres of old growth forest, the largest stand of white oak trees in the Northeast, 1,000 acres of meadows, rare birds, Indian artifacts, and structures that date back to the 17th century." Read more on Hamptons.com
 Dark chocolate, fruit, veggies and beer built this booty. Not even joking. And bicycling I might add.
Water was an astonishing 24 C/75F. What a difference to Boston with only 15C or 60 F at the most.
Of course there was some job to be done when the sun settled in the afternoon. Here I help holding the portable bench in place so Alex could make a groove in one of the frames for the cockpit table with his Stanley 45.
 Finally hand tools for finer work comes to good use. This plane was made in 1939.
 A beautiful beetle landed on the scribing knife.
Loved being back at sea and fully immerse in the natural elements again. Not many places I feel more at peace.