Burning boats, flying kites at the Long Island Maritime Museum
Kidsday reporters Erin Parrott, left, and Rylee Chichester at the LI Maritime Museum. Credit: Parrott family
Who wants to go to a boring old museum? The Long Island Maritime Museum in West Sayville is way different. Sayville kids say, “Yes!” when they find out they are going there. There are so many extraordinary things to do, including festivals, camps for kids, and even fishing in the bay. But this time of year, as we celebrate autumn and Halloween, the best event at the Maritime Museum is the annual boat burning.
What?!?! Yes, a boat burning. If your town doesn’t have a boat burning, you’re missing out! A boat burning is when they take a big, old boat, and set it on fire. Each year, the museum receives a donation of a large, wooden boat that is in terrible, unfixable condition. Anyone can go to the boat burning, and a lot of people do. Kids come in their Halloween costumes.
The boat is placed in the center of the Maritime Museum’s property and set on fire by the West Sayville Fire Department. They also have a raffle and live music. Just remember it is at night. So dress warm, and you might want to bring a flashlight. This year the boat burning takes place Oct. 28.
There is a kite festival in September. If you have a kite then you can bring it with you. It’s OK if you don’t have a kite because there are also some you can buy at the festival. There are so many different types. There is even a kite you can color before you fly it. The breeze off the Great South Bay usually helps the kites fly really well.
There are a bunch of other activities to do at the Maritime Museum. We enjoy riding our bikes around the museum. We walk there to look at the bay and go swimming. When we go swimming in the bay we always find beach glass, shells and different types of creatures that live in the Great South Bay.
There is also a summer camp. You can also go fishing and learn about sea life. You even get to take the ferry to Fire Island. We go through the Sunken Forest there, and then go to the beach.
The gift shop is a superb place to buy gifts for you, your friends and family. It offers hats, shirts, jewelry and stuffed sea animals. We hope you will be able to go to the Long Island Maritime Museum because we think you will enjoy it so much. The museum is located at 88 West Ave., West Sayville. You can call 631-854-4974 or visit their website: limaritime.org.
