Long Island Traditions - Climate Change and Sandy

  • Collection DOI:
    Principal Investigator:
    Nancy Solomon
  • This project looks at how Superstorm Sandy affected the seafaring community, its residents, and its maritime traditions in Long Island, New York.  The project was funded by NOAA/Preserve American Grant.

Interviewee Collection Sort descending Description Interviewer Date of Interview Location of Interview Affiliation
Jon Semlear Long Island Traditions - Climate Change and Sandy

Bayman Jon Semlear is a pound trap fisherman and bass fisherman in Sag Harbor. In this short interview he shares his knowledge of the bay, ecological changes, and close calls he's had on the water.

Nancy Solomon Sag Harbor, NY Long Island Traditions
Chuck Tekula Long Island Traditions - Climate Change and Sandy

"The traditional baymen’s position on the island has been death by a thousand paper cuts, just one law after another law after another law, until, eventually, it’s not that there’s no money to be made out there.  It’s that it’s so much stuff you have to put up with, with all the boat traffic and all the laws and the licenses you have to deal with and law enforcement agencies.  You just don’t see young people getting into it anymore."

Nancy Solomon Center Moriches, NY Long Island Traditions
Michael Combs Long Island Traditions - Climate Change and Sandy

Michael Combs of Freeport is a part time bayman and bay house owner. In this interview folklorist Nancy Solomon of Long Island Traditions examines how the bay has changed after Superstorm Sandy, Michael's experiences on the bay, how the bay has changed after the storm and other family history including rum running, market and duck hunting, eeling and other fishing activities.

Nancy Solomon Baldwin, NY Long Island Traditions
Tom Jefferies Long Island Traditions - Climate Change and Sandy

Bayman Tom Jefferies of Freeport, New York lives on the south shore of Freeport. In this interview, Jefferies discusses how the bay has changed since Superstorm Sandy, and how his life was affected by the storm.

Nancy Solomon Freeport, NY Long Island Traditions
Ken Mades Long Island Traditions - Climate Change and Sandy

Ken Mades of Hampton Bays explores his life as a bayman and environmental changes in the bays and waters of Southampton and Hampton Bays.

Nancy Solomon Hampton Bays, NY Long Island Traditions
Bill Marinaccio Long Island Traditions - Climate Change and Sandy

Retired charter boat captain Bill Marinaccio of Freeport shares some stories of working alongside his father Carmine Marinaccio on board the Dutchess.

Nancy Solomon Freeport, NY Long Island Traditions
Alison and Larry Muller Long Island Traditions - Climate Change and Sandy

"We lost everything in a matter of hours."

In this interview, Alison and Larry Muller describe the challenges they faced as fish distributors and buyers after Superstorm Sandy.  They also describe the storm's effect on their bay house and their business.

Nancy Solomon Freeport, NY Long Island Traditions
Joe Scavone Long Island Traditions - Climate Change and Sandy

"It was a living nightmare.  Something I never want to experience again because besides the waters being closed for clamming, you couldn’t even drive through town.  There were boats in the roads everywhere.  It took a couple of weeks for bulldozers to get rid of boats.  There were boats blocking people’s front doors.  Boats that knocked down fences.  it was devastation.  The more you think about it, the more you remember." -- Joe Scavone

Bayman Joe Scavone of Freeport talks about the changes on the bay and the ocean after Superstorm Sandy.

Nancy Solomon Freeport, NY Long Island Traditions