Sunset over the Peconic Bay
Recently, I was invited to a cordial evening on the North Shore of the South Fork of Long Island, New York. That shoreline faces the lovely Peconic Bay. I was visiting the home of Greg Yale, a landscape lighting designer, who has worked on many great homes and done fabulous installations throughout the world. The occasion was a party held in honor of the Peconic Bay-Keeper. I had never been to this part of the island before and when I arrived at this place, I was almost overwhelmed with the beauty of the landscape.
1 The upright pole has a platform attached where osprey, or fish hawk, build their nests.
2 Each of the properties on this stretch of beach have a long wooden boardwalks, which were built long ago, across the marshes and out to sandy beaches on the Peconic Bay.
3 The marshes and the low dunes stretch for a long way and canals run through the grasses.
4 Here is an even better view of the vastness of this special place.
5 The marsh grasses were very, very green and the waters were so clear.
6 This is Greg Yale enjoying the evening.
7 The sunset began about 8 PM and I almost missed getting a photo of it. The night was so clear the reflections were incredible.
8 The reflections of the grasses were beautiful.
9 Many dogs were invited to the party.
10 This charming dog was very well-behaved.
11 The groundskeeper walked Francesca and Sharkey out to me on the board walk. I was a bit afraid that the dogs would fall off into the water - thankfully, they did not.
12 All three posing for a portrait
13 This is Milo, a tiny dog with a very big personality!
14 Frannie was very interested and thought Milo was a stuffed toy and not a real pomeranian.
15 The two Frenchies got a bit rambunctious.
16 Sharkey play attacking - Milo reacting
17 With ears perked, this feisty dog never got afraid.
18 Trying out another breed, the Frenchies were a bit more respectful.
19 Another aspect of the sunset
20 And yet another
21 In addition to the boardwalks, there are also boat docks - all built in the 1920s and 1930s.
22 This is one of Greg Yale's fire displays constructed of rusty-looking corten steel.
23 Another of Greg's fire displays - these are great in the night landscape.
24 This view is from another home in this magical place.
25 The sky turned mauve and pink.
26 The reflections were crazy beautiful.
27 There were streaks of pink everywhere.
28 Night is finally falling.
29 Darker and darker with just a sliver of moon
Breathtakingly beautiful. So peaceful and serene. I always love the sky. It is a source of constant fascination -- everyday is a different journey, compelling, inspiring...
This is a beautiful place. Thank you for letting me see with your eyes.
Here is a youtube video that is so lovely. With your eye for beauty, I think you will be captivated.
http://www.thedayspring.com/SomethingBeautiful.html
Posted by: Jerri | September 10th, 2009 at 2:50 am
I don't know what it is about boardwalks and bridges, but I always want to walk over them. These boardwalks are no different!
Posted by: Lynn from For Love or Funny | September 10th, 2009 at 6:39 am
Thanks for posting these beautiful photos. They remind me of my beloved coast of North Carolina and the marshes on the inside of the Outer Banks and smaller islands further south. I miss it so much as I sit landlocked in Dallas. One day I'll move back there. I wonder if you have ever spent any time on the NC coast?
Posted by: Wayne M | September 10th, 2009 at 7:38 am
We live here and always appreciate the landscape... even though we see it everyday-- thanks for stopping and sharing! - Ryan
Posted by: Ry Sal | September 10th, 2009 at 7:44 am
These are breathtakingly beautiful! I'm in dire need of vacation, and I felt relaxed just looking at these photos. May I ask you what camera you use? It's quite good.
Milo is the cutest!
Posted by: LadyLUX | September 10th, 2009 at 9:29 am
I'm in love the boardwalks!
Posted by: Kari | September 10th, 2009 at 9:47 am
Boardwalks are always in style!
Posted by: sherey | September 10th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Hi Martha
You would love Prince Edward Island in the Canadian Maritimes. Very similar landscape.
Darrell White
Posted by: Darrell White | September 10th, 2009 at 11:32 am
What a wonderful, beautiful, and serene place, Martha (and these words don't even do it justice!) - I KNOW this is a superb birding spot - those marshes and grasses lend a fabulous ecosystem just FULL of life and activity (but one has to slow down and be tuned in, to see some of it!) I loved the osprey platform and knew right away its purpose. I am certain that eagles must be present, as well as myriad species of other waterfowl, and what a place to be, especially during migration! [a hardy 'SCHWHEW!'] [giggle]
~
I am sooo glad the puppiegirls didn't fall over the edge of the boardwalk and they got to come along and socialize with their 'furriends', too. Little Milo wasn't backing down, was she?! - I had to chuckle how Frannie and Sharkey looked huge, in comparison to her.
~
I'm glad you got to explore this part of the island and were so enamored with/got to capture the natural beauty there.
~
=^..^=
~
"Keep your love of nature, for that is the true way to understand art more and more."--Vincent Van Gogh
Posted by: Cindy Bricker | September 10th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
Hi Martha,
I love boat docks and marshes and boardwalks and beautiful skies! Wow, your photos and captions almost lulled me to sleep. That truly is a magical place and you take the nicest pictures! I couldn't pick a favorite but #21 had me gazing for the longest time. Loved Greg's fire displays also and of course the doggies everywhere made me smile! Thanks for a great blog! Trish
Posted by: Trish | September 10th, 2009 at 1:00 pm
Hi Martha.
Comments from overseas. Well You are the woman of America. Together with Obama You are doing a great job to keep the picture of "the dream" alive. Here, where I rule, natural beauty just exists, people are as boring as refrigerators. Whatever; to get some breeze into your heart, visit me: http://www.heartfrequency.com/.
All kinds of stuff. And, would be nice to make a musictrack for your TVshow. Chill/Sean Suile
Posted by: Sean Suile | September 10th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
If you really love this landscape, you might want to visit Stone Harbor, New Jersey. Particularly, the vistas at the Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor look remarkably similar to this. And the Institute does marvelous work with local wildlife, especially the local water fowl and turtles.
Posted by: Lisa Goldschmidt | September 10th, 2009 at 1:29 pm
The view and the setting is amazing... I do love #7 the most.
Nancy Natter from Descanso... 50 miles east of San Diego, about 3700 ft. elevation
Posted by: nancy natter | September 10th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I was thrilled to see the photos of that magical place..especially since several of them were taken from my porch..it is always a source of pride to find someone who thinks the spot is as mystical and breathtaking as those of us who are lucky enouogh to live there! many thanks
Posted by: barbara sloan | September 10th, 2009 at 1:57 pm
you certainly captured the beauty of this wonderful place...i know, as I have lived there for 40 years and some of the views are from my porch. thank you for seeing the magic through the eyes of those of us who are lucky enough to see it every day.
Posted by: barbara sloan | September 10th, 2009 at 2:05 pm
Hi, Martha,
Get your paint brushes out. Some of your photos would make absolutely beautiful landscape paintings.
Still waiting to see some MS masterpieces.
Thanks for sharing your adventures.
Take care.
Posted by: Jon | September 10th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
What a beautiful place! So green there.
Posted by: Alyzabeth | September 10th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
Very beautiful. Looks like a nice place to visit.
Posted by: Kim R | September 10th, 2009 at 4:18 pm
Beautiful stuff, nothing like the taste of salt on the lips ,and smell of the fresh salty air to relax the soul,and rustic boat docks and boardwalks ,makes everyone smile with the youthful exuberance of young children.Thanks "Martha My Dear" for the great pics and sandy dreams
Posted by: N.Rudy | September 10th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
The sunsets were so breathtaking, serene and looked like a painting. I am a Long Island girl and remember when I was a child going out to Peconic Bay with my family. . .As you know both the North and South Fork are spectacular.
thanks again for sharing. .
regards, Nina
Posted by: nina zeumer | September 10th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
On the way to one of my friends home and there some water and I enjoyed watching all types of birds even the osprey.
Coffee is on.
Posted by: peppylady (Dora) | September 10th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Hi Martha, You have some of the most stunning, picturesque photos of the most beautiful places in upstate New York displayed on your fantastic blogs. I just love these photos and I could enjoy looking at them all day long. Everyone of your photo galleries is unique. I sure wish I could go to all of those places. I thank you again for sharing all of this with us. Enjoying your photos is second best to actually being there. You are a superior photographer. Jan
Posted by: Jan Erickson | September 10th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
I too love Canons! Your photos are beautiful, and take me to some places I've never visited. Thank you SO MUCH!
Patty
Posted by: Patty young | September 11th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Gorgeous, lovely, are their beautiful enough words to describe this bay and the boardwalks to the sand? I hope so cause its just simply beautiful. Thanks for sharing these photos.
Linda
Phila PA
Posted by: Linda | September 12th, 2009 at 7:45 am
Martha, you are breaking the unwritten code that we who live here keep it quiet! Its too good to be true! Great pix, though, as usual.
Posted by: Sally | September 12th, 2009 at 11:04 pm
LOVE Long Island...saw your tweet about the Peconic and it brought back memories of childhood summers in Hampton Grove (also on the bay). Thanks for bringing a smile to my face; now I'm land-locked in KC dreaming of beaches!
Posted by: Lisa | September 13th, 2009 at 11:47 am