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Seaside Stories

SEPT 2013
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VII. Action on the Channels

Residents of the close-knit beach communities in and around Sheepshead Bay interact with the water that surrounds them in myriad ways. Many fish, others set sail, a few kite-surf—while a handful of hearty souls sleep on their boats year-round. All who frequent Brooklyn’s marinas hold a distinct sense of ownership over one of the last unspoiled landscapes in the city.


Jay and Kathleen, members of the Miramar yacht club in Sheepshead Bay, spend afternoons sailing their boat, Topaz. Each of the yacht clubs on Emmons Avenue has its own traditions, but all invite fresh “rail meat” to learn how to sail from a seasoned skipper.
Jay and Kathleen, members of the Miramar yacht club in Sheepshead Bay, spend afternoons sailing their boat, Topaz. Each of the yacht clubs on Emmons Avenue has its own traditions, but all invite fresh “rail meat” to learn how to sail from a seasoned skipper.


Tahir and his friend, both local Turks, fish off the pier for Lafayettes, while larger fishing boats head out to catch Blues and Bass. It has been a slow year, but they keep faith that as the tide comes in so will the fish.
Tahir and his friend, both local Turks, fish off the pier for Lafayettes, while larger fishing boats head out to catch Blues and Bass. It has been a slow year, but they keep faith that as the tide comes in so will the fish.


Luba, left, takes kite surfing lessons from Nina, right, who despite her SoCal look is actually a Russian gal who teaches daring Brooklynites how to navigate the winds under the Belt Parkway in Plum Beach.
Luba, left, takes kite surfing lessons from Nina, right, who despite her SoCal look is actually a Russian gal who teaches daring Brooklynites how to navigate the winds under the Belt Parkway in Plum Beach.


On tracks built into the dunes of Gerritsen Beach, teens drive dirtbikes with precision, fearlessly racing across the sand.
On tracks built into the dunes of Gerritsen Beach, teens drive dirtbikes with precision, fearlessly racing across the sand.


Darren, better known by his neighbors as Captain Seaweed, spent his life in different cities surrounded by water, before settling into his house boat on the bay.
Darren, better known by his neighbors as Captain Seaweed, spent his life in different cities surrounded by water, before settling into his house boat on the bay.


Parkway Marina mechanic Harry holds Daffy, a duck, one of several semi-aquatic animals he cares for year round.
Parkway Marina mechanic Harry holds Daffy, a duck, one of several semi-aquatic animals he cares for year round.

Contributor

Saskia Kahn

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Seaside Stories

By Saskia Kahn

NOV 2013 | Local

I work at a bar that was recently named best neighborhood bar in N.Y.C. by the NY Times Magazine. While I agree that it deserves the title, I am not exactly sure which neighborhood it belongs to—South Slope? Greenwood Heights? Sunset Park? I thus felt compelled to dive into some bars deeply intertwined with their own distinct neighborhood (Sheepshead Bay).

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