Always loved boating, perhaps because my Father Edward, was a Sailor in the Navy, or because we had a boat when I was growing up, or because they call me Squid, or because I've been on or piloted many boats during R&R.

Rafting - Skinners Falls many times on the Delaware River

Canoes - Up and down the Nessequa River many times from Kings Park to the Smithtown Landing.

Power boats - Many weekends renting a power boat and traveling between Port Jefferson and ????, fishing, soaking in the sun, or just having fun.  Or the few times I had the chance to pilot Uncle Chesters' boat when he lived up here.

Sail boats - Several dozen times at South Hampton.  Many more times on my Vacation Trips.  Don't know how to "officially" sail, but know the basics, enough not to get overturned or stranded  (yet).  (See my brother-in-law for that! LOL)

Port Jefferson Ferry - A short cruise to Connecticut and back for some R&R (used to be a lot better when the Martha's Vineyard was in use, with the old bands playing outside and even rock bands inside.)

Jetski's - Too many times, too many places.

2001 trip from Mattituck to Nantucket on Peter & Joyce's 48' Sea Ray.  The biggest boat I've piloted.  Only because, the owner (Peter), who's done it many times before, wanted to enjoy a cold brew, so I volunteered to keep dry and keep everyone else from getting wet.  I managed to drive due south when we should have been going due east, thanks in part to a crash course in navigational equipment.  Had it not been for my previous knowledge of boating, and common sense, we would have never gotten to our destination.  I hope I convinced Peter to get his NAV equipment fixed, as the computer in it froze up which caused our navigation error.  But because the old magnetic north compass (which Peter told me to ignore because it is wrong!!) was showing me due south, I made prompt attempts to yell for help!  The obstacle course with the Lobster Traps is another story, but basically, our brilliant skipper decided the fastest way to Block Island was a straight line, why use the boating lanes when you can zig zag through the lobster traps and hopefully not get tangles up with the prop!  Good thing I didn't!!  As I was yelled to me from the back of the boat, "Oh yeah, watch out for those buoy's, they're lobster traps, get caught in one of them and we're done for the day!"... Ok Peter!  Thanks!   Docking at Block Island, did I mention we couldn't?  well, I was no longer piloting, and since there was no room on a busy day there, we had to mourn it in the bay.  Not a good idea for our skipper Peter either.  Although the 48' vessel did have 250' of anchor, letting it all out in 20' of water wasn't really a good idea.  Especially for the poor folks between us and the anchor 250' away! as we drifted all over the place making sure to yell "watch your head" as the anchor line clipped over their heads.  The good thing about it was we could hide in the galley until he decided it wasn't really a good idea to do it now, and we'd pull in the anchor and try it someplace else.... all over again. Anyway, a great day & too much fun.  Thanks Peter!

2002 trip in the Chesapeake Bay with my Brother in Law's sail boat - A blast, and an experience piloting a larger sailboat than I'm used too. But basically the same principles apply, not too much differences there, just bigger.

2003 trip from Greenport to a cove on Shelter Island on Peter's 48' Sea Ray, meeting up with Peter's friend Al.  A smooth short trip and a lot of fun.  Peter's newest boat, the Alpha Ray, a 16'? Boston Whaler was also with us.  We used that for towing the tube, another 1st time for Peter, when Joyce, Megan and myself where 'dunked'.  Last time they used that tube, Peter eventually bought a new type a week later.

2003 trip from Greenport to Sag Harbor on Peter's Sea Ray again (about a month after the last).  The hardest part was getting to the Boat (another story), but we arrived at the dock at 7:00pm instead of the 1:00pm, so we had a really short time on the boat.