The Harlem Y.C. Visit to the City Island Nautical Museum

Three winters ago I was inspired to organize an expedition of Harlemites to a temporary exhibition mounted in the NY Public Library, by the staff of its Map Room, where I volunteer. The subject was 400 Years of Charting New York's Harbors. This was to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's visit here on the Half Moon in 1608. The show had many charts and other materials, beautifully displayed and clearly explained in the main exhibition hall of the magnificent library, at 42nd Street and 5th Avenue in Manhattan. Many were of particular interest to those of us who sail here. Admission to the Library's exhibits is always free and after touring the show with two different trained docents and carefully scrutinizing the charts, I appointed myself docent and pointed out what i found most interesting to about 30 folks who learned and had a good time. Then a luncheon, a la carte, was enjoyed at a local eatery. The group seemed to enjoy it.

I realized that there are many other nautically themed places in the New York area that can be of interest to us. We can't actually be sailing in these parts in January and the clubhouse is closed; so we have organize other maritime-related ways to socialize. But during the last two winters, Lene and I were in the Caribbean aboard ILENE. This year our expedition stayed much closer to home and avoided traveling into the city, tolls, parking, etc.

We went to a small museum created less than half a mile from our clubhouse in the landmark-statused original school house that New York City built on City Island.  During the plebiscite in 1898, New York had promised that if the residents voted to join The Bronx, and hence New York City, rather than Westchester County, the City would build them a school.  City Island Nautical Museum.  Many of us have for many years considered the Island, with our boats moored there, as our second home, and yet had never visited the museum.

It was bitterly cold and snow had fallen which may have deterred some of us from venturing out, but there were twelve hardy souls who assembled in one of the old classrooms, now a library with open space suitable for meetings, lined with all things related to the Island. Here we were drenched with information by the Museum's Administrator, Barbara Dolensek, a fountain of knowledge about the history of the Island, and hence about sailing. Because the Island has always had a sailing connection since its discovery by Adrian Block on his way through Long Island Sound to discover Block Island for the Dutch. Barbara, an Island resident, answered all questions and we realized that we had only scratched the surface of her knowledge of her subject.

Then we explored the other rooms of the museum which contains objects and photographs, a good portion of which relate to The Harlem Yacht Club. We have been on the Island for more than the last 100 of the 400 years of its recorded history. A photo of one of our celebrated deceased members, and a model of his boat with the Club's burgee are on display. We saw photos showing where the four remaining clubs on the Island were situated in 1930. A fifth, The Metropolitan YC,  no longer exists; and two had not actually moved onto on the Island until after 1930.

City Island was home to the shipyards where a long chain of Americas Cup yachts were built -- back in the days when Bronx-built wooden racing yachts won that regatta every time. And many other boats were built on the Island, power and sail, civilian and military. A great London Sailmaker, Ratsey & Lapthorn,  had set up the largest sail-making loft in the US on the Island, now a set of condos. Early movies were shot here. Sparkman and Stevens' office was here, as was the office and home of the Rosenfelds, famous black and white photographers of racing yachts.

After filling our minds, we tended to our stomachs; lunch was served at Artie's Italian Seafood Restaurant, around the corner from our Club, where many of us go on days when the Club's kitchen is closed.  This year I arranged a fixed price menu of four entre options to make collecting and paying for the event much easier.

For next year? Several ideas were mentioned. Except for the small turnout, I have to declare that the Harlem's Second Sorta-annual Winter Museum-like Expedition was a success.