Quiksilver Pro Long Beach, NY

Residents of Long Beach NY have been watching the preparations taking place for the Quiksilver Pro New York - Long Beach - Sept 1-15 Surfing Tournament for well over a month.These giant wrap around decals advertising the event now cover all the towns ticket booths at the beach entrances.

The town is still showing the effects of Hurricane Irene's recent visit.

This decking at one of the beach ramps was torn up by the storm.

All the sand washed into the streets from the storm surge has to be cleaned up.

Chris Morrissey of the Beach Maintenance Department helping in the clean up effort.

The foundation of the Lifeguard station on National Blvd. prepared to reseat the structure. The station was washed off the foundation and came to rest against the boardwalk.

This is the crane which was going to be used to hoist the station back onto its foundation.

I think this is the newscasters booth.

One of the structures erected for the event on National Blvd. beach. The Allegria Hotel is in the background.

The structure for the contest to pick the next Roxy Girl.

Cleanup underway on National Blvd. and Broadway.The Allegria Hotel ( on right ) where many of the surfing community are staying during the event.

A beach mummy buried in the sand amusing himself with building sand pyramids till the surfing conditions pick up.

Our Maryland Weekend And A New Mummy

My wife Diane and I visited Maryland this weekend to help celebrate my niece Lauren getting her BA.

Maryland was a nice change from New York! The people seem to be more laid back than New Yorkers.

Even when driving. I think I heard a car horn blown three times the whole weekend. And I didn't see one middle finger salute given!

Unfortunately Edgar Allan Poe's house was closed during our visit. Likewise the Maryland Science Center.

We did get to see the Maryland National Aquarium which was cool! They had an exhibit you could walk through with waterfalls and exotic birds flying overhead.

This photo is Diane and I outside with part of the aquarium in the background.

Docked nearby was the USS Constellation

Since getting home here to Long Island it has been nothing but heavy winds and rain. So much for fishing on the last couple days of our vacation!

I had finished this mummy before I left but hadn't had the opportunity to upload pictures of it. I figured I'd share some photos of it now.

It measures 15" high with a foam rubber/cotton wrapped body with head and hands sculpted of Apoxie clay. It is covered in gauze and mounted on a sand covered wood base.