“FIRE ISLAND SLIDESHOW”

Clipper Roadway, Ocean Beach

We leave our Ocean Beach rental house, and enter a corridor of something that’s a cross between bamboo and corn.

Bayberry Walk, Ocean Beach

Weathered planks lead us to the water-taxi terminal. Today – our final on Fire Island – we’ve planned to walk from the island’s eastern end to its western. We’ll start in The Pines and reach Saltaire by sunset. In total it’s about eight miles along varying terrains: planks, paved paths, deep sand through which movement is tough. There are no cars. Here in this summer paradise, if people must transport something, they use wagons.

Basketball Court, Ocean Beach

As we await the noon taxi to The Pines, I suggest playing Horse. Amazingly the ball isn’t flat. Claire has an accurate jumpshot and beats me H-O-R-S-E to H. I know I’ll never match her distance game, so I change strategy and do a bunch of layups, alternating sides – right, left, and back again. It’s cheap. But I win H-O-R-S-E to H.

Liberty, Ocean Beach

Our taxi arrives.

Liberty, Great South Bay

The driver welcomes us aboard. He seems to enjoy his job. During our voyage, the passengers strike up conversation. One says “It’s hot today.” To which another replies: “I hate Fire Island when it’s hot.”

Ocean Walk, The Pines

At The Pines we encounter a fork in the boardwalk. Claire pulls out her phone and calculates our route. Everywhere we see graying wooden mansions, but no residents.

Beach Hill Walk, The Pines

Soon, however, a deer greets us. He wants to take us someplace. His head keeps moving in one direction, as if pointing. I recall Claire’s story about the wise homeless dog that led her family through Capri. He hit all the major sites. We follow the deer.

Beach Hill Walk, The Pines

Our tour-guide reveals this flock of plastic flamingos, then vanishes in beachgrass.

Linda & Richard, The Pines

How do you like Fire Island?

Linda: “We love it.”

Richard: “Here we’re forced to walk.”

The Meat Rack

We say goodbye to Linda and Richard at the Meat Rack – a forest falling between The Pines and Cherry Grove. This woodland is named after the sex it accommodates. Two mosquitoes bite chunks out of my arm. I swat another off Claire. We embrace.

Mark, The Meat Rack

Beautiful day, isn’t...