The end of summer rituals are commencing. In a few weeks we will start raking leaves, taking trips to pick apples and pumpkins, and bring out the winter clothes. The 23rd annual Oyster Festival, (Oct. 14 and 15) will soon be here and then the colder weather will thicken. Before all this is forced upon us though, many are sneaking in a few more outdoor barbecues, the occasional swim in the pool before it closes and some boating excursions before the cold weather takes hold.

As the sun begins to noticeably set earlier and nights get a little cooler it is hard to overlook that our sunny season is coming to an end. Overall the weather this summer has been pleasant. We had a slow start to typical summer weather conditions, a record-breaking heat wave in July, and only a few hot days in August. There have only been four tropical storms and one hurricane named so far, which is less than half of what we had by this time last year.

Because of daylight shrinking, the Wednesday night sailboat races through Sagamore Yacht Club will start earlier over the next few weeks. Captains and crew will be racing more than ever on the roadways from all over Long Island, Manhattan, and even northern New Jersey to try to have the last thrills of the season on the waterways. Charles Baldanza, a builder from Paramus, NJ, is one such person who will be trying to beat the traffic for his weekly fix of sailing. It is the anxiety of the lazy long summer days slipping away that these sailors are all experiencing. It beckons them to get through traffic and work hassles to race to and socialize by the water.

For local fisherman, the Town of Oyster Bay's 21st annual Bluefish Tournament on Sept. 17 is the climactic event of the summer. The event has become one of the leading community events in the area. About 1,300 people participate and many spectators come down to hang out. Tom Swiencki of Oyster Bay Marine Supply on South Street helps the Town of Oyster Bay organize the event. He said, "It is the largest one-day tournament on Long Island. What makes this tournament different from other fishing tournaments is the raffle. So much is given away that something like 1-out-of-9 people have a chance of winning a prize worth more than a $100. Some even enter the tournament and never even fish that day. They want to be a part of the fun, have a hot dog, and ultimately want to see who wins the tournament and raffle prizes." The pinnacle tournament prize is a $2,000 gift certificate to Oyster Bay Marine Supply and the raffle prizes include dozens of tackle and boat supplies. Applications can be obtained at the store.

Now is the time to savor the few warm days left. Some things you might want to try are enjoying a sunset in Bayville, taking a sail on the oyster sloop Christeen through the WaterFront Center, sitting on a bench in a local park that overlooks the harbor, have a water balloon toss, or fish from the pier at the Western Waterfront. Perhaps even just a drive down West Shore Road between Bayville and Oyster Bay is all you need to recharge your batteries. Whatever you do, take a few moments to ever-so-deeply inhale the salty air, and smile contentedly knowing that in a few months that nature will bring back warmer times.

For more information about local boating, environmental issues, and other water-related activities throughout the Oyster Bay area you can email the author at Jaime.VanDyke@gmail.com or reach her at 946-9464.