BAY SHORE, N.Y. — With a smooth spin of the heavy iron steering wheel, Capt. Ernie Villing backed the Fire Island Belle out of its ferry slip and set course for a thin, gauzy strip on the hazy horizon across the Great South Bay. Mr. Villing, a lifelong ferryman who is 70, has spent the past 55 years helping people reach that sandy Shangri-La known as Fire Island, on summer weekends. From his wheelhouse, he glanced back at passengers lounging on powder blue benches on the Belle’s upper deck. The sun-starved hordes storm these ferry docks all summer, armed with cases of wine, bodyboards and little yappy dogs.

Source: New York Times September 02, 2018 20:42 UTC