Outdoors

This is the sixth large whale stranding in New York this year and the fourth dead humpback reported in 2020, according to the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society.

Because striped bass are so popular and so heavily pursued, the stocks of the linesider have gone through some rather severe ups and downs over the past few decades. Most seem to agree that the current fishery is in a rather precarious position, but efforts to help conserve stripers are extensive.

A North Haven osprey nest was the scene of a dramatic rescue last week after part of it collapsed, dashing two chicks to the ground.

I’m a very tall guy with Sasquatch-like size-16 feet. It does not take a mathematician or physicist to conclude that this does not equate to safely entering, exiting, or just remaining stable when paddling around my nearby back bays, estuaries, and coves. Science has proved that it’s impossible to stuff 10 pounds of potatoes into a five-pound bag.

It was an excursion I was looking forward to. Ever since the outbreak of the pandemic, other than checking on my lobster traps and doing a bit of fishing on my boat, I have not ventured far from home. I’ve been playing it safe.

The weekend of June 27 and 28 is "free fishing weekend" in New York, when all residents are encouraged by the State Department of Environmental Conservation to try their hand at some local fishing. This is the second of six free fishing events in the year.

Tony Caramanico of Montauk was recently inducted into the East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame for "having made the most significant contributions to the sport, thereby preserving their historical significance and the sport's cultural lore for future generations." He was one of 10 singled out for this honor from a list of 200.

Many businesses have struggled to survive during the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent economic shutdown, but one niche industry is witnessing solid sales. Bait and tackle shops around Long Island have seen a significant uptick in business as more people take up fishing as a social distancing pastime.

As if we didn't have enough to be concerned about these days, Mother Nature has been in a rather ornery mood of late. I'm not sure what's ticked her off, but her unpredictable exploits have left a mark in many parts of the world, including our area.

The Accabonac Protection Committee and the Hamptons Observatory will host a virtual sky-watching event on Monday evening.

They have been around for a very long time. Well before even dinosaurs roamed and roared about the planet.

On the morning of May 27 a heavy sigh of relief was palpable along the well-worn docks of Montauk Harbor. Despite a dense blanket of fog that blended into the placid, dark water, there was a buzz and banter that had not been heard for many months.