Shelter Island, New York
Explore the island’s
scenic inlets by kayak.
From the March 24, 2003 Issue of New York
If you long to be on the water but not
necessarily in it, kayaking may be the sport
for you, and the shallow inlets of Shelter Island are
the perfect place to find out. Jay Damuck of Shelter
Island Kayak Tours leads two trips a day (9:30 a.m.
and 5:30 p.m.) for both novices and vets. Don’t
worry if you’re the former. “Eighty-five
percent of the people I take out have never been in a
kayak before,” he says, “but I’ve
never run into anyone who has a problem with
it.” Typically, Damuck takes his charges along
the eastern shore of the island, through the Mashomack
Nature Preserve, taking care to point out
wildlife—great white and blue herons, tern,
egrets—as he goes. Taylor’s Island, a tiny
spit of land with a turn-of-the-century log cabin, is
a popular pit stop for a picnic lunch; the massive
boulders sculpted by ancient melting glaciers off
Foxon Point are also crowd-pleasers. Off the water,
try the crab cakes at Planet Bliss or the beef ribs at
Commander Cody’s, then crash at the Olde Country
Inn in the Heights, a Victorian bed-and-breakfast that
dates to 1886.
— SARAH BERNARD
Details
Shelter Island Kayak Tours are $45 a person,
$22.50 for kids 12 and under (631-749-1990;
kayaksi.com); Planet Bliss (631-749-0053); Commander
Cody’s (631-749-1851); Olde Country Inn
($175–$255; 631-749-1633; oldecountryinn.com).
Related Stories on New York Metro
• Alt Shelter
(March 26, 2001)
Related Websites
• Shelter Island Online
- Check this out for restaurants, shopping,
and entertainment guides.
If you long to be on the water but not
necessarily in it, kayaking may be the sport
for you, and the shallow inlets of Shelter Island are
the perfect place to find out. Jay Damuck of Shelter
Island Kayak Tours leads two trips a day (9:30 a.m.
and 5:30 p.m.) for both novices and vets. Don’t
worry if you’re the former. “Eighty-five
percent of the people I take out have never been in a
kayak before,” he says, “but I’ve
never run into anyone who has a problem with
it.” Typically, Damuck takes his charges along
the eastern shore of the island, through the Mashomack
Nature Preserve, taking care to point out
wildlife—great white and blue herons, tern,
egrets—as he goes. Taylor’s Island, a tiny
spit of land with a turn-of-the-century log cabin, is
a popular pit stop for a picnic lunch; the massive
boulders sculpted by ancient melting glaciers off
Foxon Point are also crowd-pleasers. Off the water,
try the crab cakes at Planet Bliss or the beef ribs at
Commander Cody’s, then crash at the Olde Country
Inn in the Heights, a Victorian bed-and-breakfast that
dates to 1886.