The S.S. Minnow leaves for Port Jefferson
Is there a shortcut?
The ominous sky
To get to Port Jefferson, we have to backtrack east a bit. Shelter Island is between the two forks of Long Island, so we have to get to the other side of the North Fork before we can continue on our westward journey toward the East River. But according to the chart, we can cut through just before Plum Island and reach Long Island Sound without having to go all the way around. As you can see, even though it is raining, the sky is clearer in that direction…and a wall of gray to the west.
The Island Shrouded in Mystery
Plum Island sits at the end of Long Island, about 10 miles across the water from Groton, CT. It is accessible by government ferry boat only, and armed officers stand guard. Formerly Fort Terry, the Army transformed it into a biological weapons lab. Eventually they gave the land to the Department of Agriculture, and they used the lab to study foot-and-mouth disease.
This disease is extremely contagious among cloven-hoofed animals, and people can be carriers. Federal law prohibits the study of the live foot-and-mouth disease virus on the U.S. mainland. But because it is an island, they can study it here. Actually, they study more than 40 foreign animal diseases and several domestic diseases, including polio, but there are limits. This facility is equipped to contain airborne pathogens, but it cannot work with those that have no cure, and those that can be transferred from animals to humans, such as Ebola. Plum Island has been seeking an upgrade in status to also handle those diseases.
Mass hysteria avoided
When the lack of knowledge of replacement workers for those on strike in 2002 potentially compromised the water supply, Homeland Security took over control of the island. Since then, two containment breaches of foot-and-mouth disease inside the lab at Plumb Island called the safety of the facility into question. Also, rumors linger that the Island is connected to the outbreaks of Lyme disease and West Nile Virus. So you can imagine why area residents protest the status upgrade of the island.
A biological weapon can be a weapon of mass destruction, so Plumb Island may be a terrorist target. In fact, in 2008, they arrested a Pakistani neuroscientist who possessed notes referencing an attack on various U.S. locations, including the Plum Island Animal Disease Center. They convicted her of assault with a deadly weapon, and the attempted murder of U.S. soldiers and FBI agents.
On the positive note, in 2012, Plum Island scientists developed the first licensed Foot-and-mouth disease vaccine that does not require the live virus in the manufacturing process. So now the vaccine is safe to manufacture on the U.S. mainland. The Department of Homeland Security is building a replacement facility in Manhattan, Kansas able to handle this and the world’s most dangerous diseases. But it seems short-sighted, if not downright stupid, to build a facility that houses animal diseases in the part of the country where most of the animals we raise for food are located. This is a disaster waiting to happen. At least on Plumb Island there a natural barrier in place to help contain any outbreak.
The weather started getting rough…
A world of hurt on the starboard side
As we pass by Plumb Island and make our way to Port Jefferson, we are well-aware of Mother Nature’s growing temper. The weather service still calls for scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon, and the horizon is solid gray. Rain, heavy at times, constantly falls throughout the morning. The wind picks up by lunchtime, and the water becomes increasingly choppy, with swells up to 5 feet. That gray sky is now almost charcoal to the starboard side of us, and bolts of lightning cut through the darkness in the distance.
We press forward. The storm grows. It encroaches from our right, and stretches around behind us…a huge black-green wall charged with electricity. There is a curious lighter gray layer of clouds with “fingers” stretching down. It reminds me of tornado clouds before they form a funnel.
The lightning is more frequent now. There’s a flash of pink lightning! Cool! – but I’m glad we are pulling away from the mayhem. The radio chatter picks up as the pack behind us looks at what’s ahead of them and is considers whether to duck into port and ride it out, or risk it and keep going. Their boats are smaller and the seas are rough, but they are a determined lot. In the end, they decide to carry on to Port Jefferson.
The tiny ship was tossed…
The Sound tosses our sailboat around as if it were a toy. I hear things falling and rolling around below deck, and the hanging lantern over the table swings wildly from left to right. The surf is like a roller coaster, and a wall of water washes over the bow as we crash down from the crest of the last wave. I feel like Gilligan on the three hour tour! The Skipper is trying to steady our course, but it’s a struggle. The boat heaves, sways, and surges unpredictably. The rain is thunderous as it pelts the roof – which I’m informed is called a dodger (a sort of half-roof for boats). It’s so loud I can barely make out the voices on the radio now. Then all at once the rain practically stops – like someone flipped a switch – and I think the worst is over.
But another storm lies ahead, threatening to swallow us. We come closer and closer. Then it’s as if we have Moses on board! Miraculously the storm parts in the middle, literally, and just long enough for us to pass through unscathed. Then the opening is gone. This smaller storm combines with the storm already behind us, and now it covers the entire radar screen. It’s huge! The radio constantly squawks, as the determined ones are in the thick of things. The voices become frantic and muddled. But there is one phrase that comes through clear as a bell – a woman screaming “Never again!” Their adventure is just beginning, but we’re in the clear. The swells diminish, and we make it to Port Jefferson without incident or accident…and without getting soaked through.
If not for the courage of the fearless crew…the Minnow would be lost!
Port Jefferson Ferry takes on passengers
Port Jefferson has a Ferry, the kind that also transports vehicles. I can see a tractor trailer queued, waiting to board. It looks like a Matchbox toy in relative size to the Ferry. And this Ferry must be full because as we enter the harbor, the Ferry horn blasts. It needs a wide berth to turn around in the harbor, so Casper throws it into reverse to give way. Reverse engages, then he tries to shift into forward, to no avail. Back and forth – no forward gear. Red Alert! He puts on his Professor hat and disappears below. The horn blares as the Ferry bears down on us. Casper is only gone for a short time, but it seems like an eternity. The ferry looms above us, and our sailboat is paralyzed like a deer in the headlights!
I am now nervous Mary Ann…sweat starts to form on my brow, and I am keenly aware of the passing seconds. The Skipper is back on deck…he tries again, and it goes in gear. Crisis averted! The Port Jefferson Ferry boat passes by us and once more the controls jam. Curses fly from Casper’s mouth as he dons his Professor hat again and goes back to the engine room. Metal clashes with metal, and I hear a long string of expletives before he’s on deck again in his Skipper hat.
The ship set ground on the shore of Port Jefferson
A tight squeeze
He was able to restore maneuverability, so we make it into the slip at Danfords Marina, where we have a reservation. It’s a tight squeeze, but he nails it the first try. The marina staff here is excellent! They are waiting for us, and they tie the boat up in a flash. The Professor fixed the transmission problem, so we relax a bit and our pulses slow.
Looking out at Port Jefferson Harbor, you would hardly guess a huge storm is raging close by. There is very little wake, and the sun peeks through the clouds. I can hear acoustic music coming from the outside restaurant adjacent to the marina, and the wind gently blows wisps of hair in my face. An elevated condo-looking complex looks out across the harbor. I bet the sunset views are spectacular on a clear evening.
With Gilligan, the Skipper too…
Now, safely docked at Port Jefferson, my thoughts turn toward dinner as I look through the marina welcome packet. Several places catch my eye, but right now the Skipper and I agree a shower is paramount. They house the showers in a separate building, a short walk away, and the marina provides towels and toiletries as a courtesy. It feels great to shower after being Gilligan for the day!
The millionaire and his wife…
Refreshed and hungry, we emerge in attire suitable to our status and decide to dine at Danfords’ restaurant. It started to drizzle while we were cleaning up, and the rain forced all the outdoor diners to take cover inside, so there is a wait for a table. You would think they would have made an exception for Thurston Howell III and his Lovey! We stroll around the dock area in the interim, and I decide I like it here. Hopefully the morning will be pleasant enough to walk around town before we head out.
Danfords Restaurant at Port Jefferson
I really like the lounge area at Danfords. The bar sweeps along one side, and semi-private nooks set up like small living rooms line the opposite side. It’s classy, warm, and inviting. I like wine, and I discovered they stock a really great Malbec – Terrazas Altos del Plata, Argentina. Casper tells me about Pirate’s Cove and the shipwrecked sloop on the eastern shore of Port Jefferson Harbor. We plan to get a closer look tomorrow. In the meantime, we settle in to enjoy our meal and a couple drinks and relax. We laughed about “never again!” a few times while recounting the day’s adventures. All things considered, we had a great day. Sleep came swiftly when my head hit the pillow….and I dreamed of being…the movie star.