Nearly twenty years after it was first published, Along the Great South Bay continues to be the definitive source of Great South Bay history, recounting a century in which New York's most affluent families came to enjoy the cool summer breezes of the Atlantic Ocean and the boating, fishing, and bird shooting for which the area was renowned. Newly released in paperback as an illustrated edition, Along the Great South Bay now includes 182 photographs and maps, bringing back to life the tantalizing tale of an era long gone, but no longer forgotten.

Here are stories about Fire Islands pirates, ghosts, shipwrecks and treasure chests of buried gold and silver. One tale relates the story of the possibility of the Viking discovery of Fire Island; another describes the torture of the islands slave trade prison. There is a story of unrequited love in the smoldering aftermath of an important Revolutionary War battle and another of German submarine saboteurs of World War II. If you like horror and suspense, history and mystery, or if you simply enjoy Fire Island and the Great South Bay and want to take home a piece of it home with you, then you will love this anthology. These stories will kindle your interest in visiting new beach locations and spur your imagination with thoughts of what was, and what might well have been. Even if you have never visited the area before, these tales of universal human experience are bound to fascinate. You are certain to want to share 13 Legends of Fire Island and the Great South Bay with friends, after you can put it down, that is.

Beautiful hand painted illustrations of Long Islands' Great South Bay, childrens book/fine art book

In its heyday, the Great South Bay provided a bounty of hard clams for the nation's table, income for a crusty crew of baymen, and recreation to countless New York City visitors escaping hot summer days in the city. What does the Bay offer today, after years of taking resources from the area and dumping back unwanted materials and wastes? The authors of The Great South Bay examine the geological origins and evolution of this important coastal water body. The book details the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics that make the Bay one of the most productive bodies of water in the world. It searches history for evidence of the first assaults on the Bay by man's early Long Island industries, from duck farms through today's stress, mainly coastal housing development. The policies that have contributed to the present conflicts of uses are also examined: people's insistence on building at the shoreline, the resulting pollution, and the persistent notion that the Bay's bounty and natural beauty should persist despite development. Additionally, it presents plans for management that offer hope for the Bay's survival. The Great South Bay offers a case study of a classic bay system bounded by a barrier beach and having restricted flow through barrier island outlets. It provides an overview of how the Bay was formed; how hurricanes, tides and general weather conditions affect it; how its sea grass beds serve as protective nursery grounds for juvenile shellfish; how harvesting of oysters and clams has changed over the years and how these human exploits have affected the area's productivity and its prognosis for a healthy future.