Husband and wife do a long run. First we drop our kids off at Grandpa and Seasa's house in Patchogue...from there we get picked up by our friend John H who has the NYS 4x4 beach driving pass (as of 2 days beforehand). John drives us to Robert Moses and from there on the beach as far as we can go to the west... about .75 mile short of Democrat Point. So from there we walk to the tip of Demo Pt and the water at Fire Island Inlet to begin our run.
The idea of running all of Fire Island in one go has been on my mind for over 3 years. The logistics make it a challenge with drop off and pickup, also the fact that Superstorm Sandy opened up "Old Inlet" (2 miles of Smith's Point) in 2012, which always led me to believe we would have to swim across that section during this run. I planned for such an event, carrying with me a dry bag for our shoes and hydration pack... but luckily, due to Hurricane Ian, a bunch of new sand was deposited, essentially closing Old Inlet just days before our effort.
From Demo Pt. we ran about 2.5 miles on the sand before transitioning to 2.5 miles of road along Robert Moses Causeway to the start of boardwalks at Fire Island Lighthouse, mile 5. From there, we were on a combination of boardwalks, sand/gravel paths, and beach through all of the beach communities from Kismet to Watch Hill where all harder surfacing would end. These beach villages are absolutely amazing. Special. Sarah and I grew up spending summers on Fire Island, so we knew a bit of what to expect, but something about FI is so magical, especially in October, when the crowds have lessened significantly. Each little village has its own character and feel.There isn't a more peaceful place close to home. Since this was the day before Columbus Day (IPD), the few shops we found open were selling their goods at $1/anything to clear the shelves before closing for the season. Shoutout The Pantry in Ocean Beach for the killer crumb cake...we got lunch at the Davis Park snack bar, which was grilled cheese, french fries, and Coca-Cola. We walked and ate from DP til Watch Hill where we got mixed up near the campgrounds, eventually transitioning back to the beach where we would begin the "7-mile Wilderness" to Smith's Point and then beyond.Waters were filled at Ocean Beach, Sailors Haven, Davis, Watch Hill, and Smiths Point... mostly with public water, but some bottles were purchased at shops. Aside from about 1 mile through Smith's Point campground, the last 14 miles were on the softest sand we'd run on.
Our Dads joined together to pick us up at the NW side of Moriches Inlet by boat and from there we cruised back to my parents' house in Westhampton where our kids were waiting for us. It was an epic way to end an epic day. The run was a way for us to celebrate our recent 9th wedding anniversary, and doing this together was just so good. We set it to cruise control, took it easy all day and made it fun. This is a very beatable time, but I'm hoping this publication will encourage someone else to go experience all the goods Fire Island has to offer. You will not be dissapointed.