Aug. 20 – East Hampton, NY

Three Mile Harbor - Anchorage

We’re spending the next week exploring the “fish tail” of Long Island. It’s the eastern end of the island that makes a split and looks somewhat like a fish tail. Within this split are several other islands, with protected coves and towns to visit. Our stop today was in the large well protected harbor of Three Mile Harbor. I really don't think it's a very good spot to stop if you want to do anything. It was over a mile dinghy ride to the town dinghy dock and another three mile bike ride into East Hampton. If you wanted to go to one of the beaches around East Hampton you’d have to ride another mile or two. The town is very pretty and full of high end shops, restaurants and expensive cars. A place to be seen and watch others…if you’re into that. Living in East Hampton is one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S. The median price for a house in town is $895,000 and the cost of living is 168% of the national average. We didn't buy anything! We spent an hour or so wandering around and then went back to the boat.

I often include a history lesson on places we visit, but today you get a little science lesson with the blog. This evening’s full moon was a rarity…it was called a Blue Moon. In recent years we've been led to believe that the term Blue Moon means the second full moon in a month…in reality the term means something even more unusual. It’s a season that contains four full Moons. Why is the third full moon called a Blue Moon? The third full Moon is identified as the extra one in a season with four, because only then will the names of the other full moons, such as early summer moon, mid-summer moon, and late summer moon fall at the proper times relative to the solstices and equinoxes. No matter what you call it…it looked spectacular coming up on the horizon and even better as it sparkled on the water. I love to be anchored somewhere dark and peaceful when there is a full moon.

Just a few of the hundreds of fishing boats that are docked in Montauk.

Hook Windmill is located on North Main Street in East Hampton. It was built in 1806 and operated regularly until 1908. It is one of the most complete of the 11 existing windmills in Suffolk County on Long Island. Few of this style of windmill remain in the United States and it’s quite unusual to find such a large concentration of them in one area.

Main Street in East Hampton...full of stores like Tiffany's, Ralph Lauren and Michael Kors.

The beautiful "Blue Moon" rising