Montauk Pioneer - June 19, 2009 -

Initially I had intentions of doing a piece highlighting a distinguished Montauk local such as Chief Robert Gosman of the Montauk Volunteer Fire Department. I wanted to draw attention to his leadership and grit that are well admired around the village and was sure it would have made a nice article. But what happened was that on Sunday after the "Blessing of the Fleet," I wandered down to Liar's Saloon and watched hundreds of locals celebrate a Montauk right of passage on what became a wonderful late afternoon. It seemed so in-tune with the assignment that I just started taking photos. With music provided by the Lone Sharks, many danced, talked, and yes, some were consuming certain beverages of choice, but everyone was smiling. As I started taking photos and saying hello to so many, I realized the crowd was made up of countless locals I had seen all winter-long, scurrying about often in the foulest of weather, and if you spend winters in Montauk you can truly understand that phrase.

First off, up on the deck, wearing very fashionable sunglasses, was fisherman Rich McGuire, now a full-time resident having recently retired from being a detective for Nassau County Police Department. Rich can tell you where the fish were, are and are going to be, using the guile that made him Nassau County's top detective. In fact over the years, I have always asked him questions about murder cases in the news and Rich always seemed to have another example of one he covered over his 30-plus years on the Police force. However his true loves are his wife Cathy, his two children and, of course, fishing. Every day he goes out, he comes back with fish.

Dancing up a storm, right in front of the band was Claire, who most know as the owner of Nick's by the Beach. She left work to hustle over to Liar's to catch the Lone Sharks and found herself dancing the night away.

Lovely Cindi, from Gurney's Health Spa's front desk was there relaxing, kicking back on her day off. All winter long it was her lovely face that greeted you if you were making your way into Gurney's Spa.

Popular professional singer T.K. was there dancing and smiling. Nobody does tunes from the 50s like Tom. He likes to refer to himself as a guy who sang with the guys on the corner back in the day, harmonizing those hit songs.

A wonderful master-carpenter from Norway named Per, who spent last winter living in Montauk, was there taking it all in, sipping a beer, as was Diane from the Montauk condominiums, Diane loves her country music.

Also standing out was my former neighbor Tom, who just doubled the size of his home this last spring, his son tends bar at The Point.

Mary, Cindi, and Kate were busy making drinks as the lines at both the indoor and outdoor bars grew. Sometimes they are the only entertainment Montauk, has at 3 AM, when they are tending bar on cold winter nights. Cee Cee was busy helping customers purchasing those famous Liar's tee-shirts. Hotdogs and other treats were being sold from a makeshift snack-truck.

Ray and Orla popped in to say hello, as they so often do around town, both with magnificent smiles all-year-round, no matter the weather or time of day. Orla can also be seen hitting golf balls around at the Montauk Downs.

Now joining in on the fun were people who had never been to Montauk before and just happened to see the long line of cars on West Lake Drive along with the police cars monitoring the situation. Some of the officers were seen cracking jokes with former high-school buddies. Montauk is that kind of town. Joe Bloeker was there selling chances for the Friends of Erin, beaming from the success of this year's big parade.

The remarkable thing was that when I was leaving, I realized this same activity was going on at all the local establishments along the Montauk harbor, like Lenny's, Salivar's, The Dock, Gosman's, The Westlake Clam and Chowder House and a few others. Everyone was going everywhere to say hello again, to celebrate the start of another season of boating on the Montauk waters, renting their homes, or having the day off from what is so often very hard work.

Watching Cathy McGuire dance is alone a treat because with every energetic dance step, you see someone who knows how to revel to the music, and for these occasions in Montauk the town follows her lead. It may be noted that in early May, the Lone Sharks performed for no charge at the Old Harbor House to help raise money for the Chamber of Commerce's Monday Night Concerts on the Green. They really are a class act. The way to sum up the day is as simple as saying a lot of local color got even more color on a sunny Sunday afternoon.