It was announced at a Kismet Community Association that a new water taxi schedule has been set up, limiting access to Kismet and Saltaire to once every two hours.

This severely reduces our access to other towns as well as access to our community.  Whether you use the water taxi regularly or not, this issue may affect you at some point, as friends and relatives from other towns will have difficulty accessing the west end.  Everyone knows someone who has gotten on the wrong boat and needed to take the water taxi to Kismet. Often times these people have had bags, kids, groceries, etc.. Now imagine them stranded, for two HOURS, while their children grow restless and their groceries remain off refrigeration needlessly. 

It's time to take a stand.  We need to make our voices heard.  I urge you to contact the Suffolk County Transportation Board, the water taxi, and their parent company, Fire Island Ferries and let them know that we're tired of the consistent negligence of our community. Remind them that this is no longer the Kismet of years past. In addition to new sidewalks, we now have a brand new restaurant to compliment The Kismet Inn as well as the market and liquor store, and significant amounts of home improvements. We'll also have a new pizzeria soon. Added water taxi service is in everyone's best interest to ensure that our local businesses do well.  Please forward this to all of your Fire Island contacts, then call the numbers below and let your voice be heard: 

n Suffolk County Transportation Board: 631-852-4880

n Fire Island Water Taxi: 631-665-8885

n Fire Island Ferries: 631-665-3600

Thank you in advance for your help!

Peter Schmidt

Kismet

A long overdue thank you to Kevin Gillespie for all his effort and hard work (every year) coordinating the year-round residents winter pot luck dinner in Saltaire. The turn out is always great, the food surprisingly good and everyone seems to have a fun evening. I'm sure many others share our sentiments. Thanks Kev!

The Kaufmans

Seaview

Wishing you the continued wave of success “The Out” has experienced for the last 34 summers. We are very pleased that under new ownership the essence of what makes “The Out” so special will endure for Kismet  and Fire Island in the years to come.

To our good neighbors, Kismet Inn, Kismet Market, The Boatel, Fire Island Ferries and so many others...  You have always been there through thick and thin.

To our guests and friends, thank-you for your warm thoughts of celebration. We will always cherish “The Out’s” poignant moments, humorous times and sometimes outrageous events. It’s been a great ride!  Take care of “The Out.”

Warren and Lee Lem

Arriving in Ocean Beach on an ordinary drizzly day, and helping a friend with a temporary cane, I elected to carry the lunches and my stuff. Half way home I discovered that I didn't have my house key as my purse was  left in my tote on the ferry. It was like my life flashed before me...no keys for here,  no keys for there,  no bus pass,  no train tickets, no ferry tickets, no dimes or nickels and no phone.

 Thank you Fire Island Ferry Co. and it's crew for returning my purse and my tote.

 Aslo with much anticipation, I look forward to seeing what the team of Tara Schoen Fishman and Gwen Silver have programmed for us at the O. B. Community Arts Center. 

Phyllis Unroch

Ocean Beach