When I met my husband-to-be in the early 90’s, he gave me “the test” to see if I was Coatue worthy. If I failed, he and I would most likely part ways. If I passed, well, the rest is history. So he drove me out to his beach shack on Coatue for dinner. As we bumped along the sandy trails, I remember feeling like I was on another island, far away from civilization. As we turned off the main trail onto an even narrower path, he said, “This is the back driveway”. Now I was intrigued. We approached the tiny shack and I was speechless. The beach went on in both directions for as far as the eye could see. And there wasn’t a soul in sight. The sunset on the horizon was the most spectacular I’d ever witnessed. As we drove back, the headlights of the truck created the magical phosphorescence dancing on the water’s surface. I was hooked.
Fast forward 20 years later and Coatue is still my most favorite beach on the island. Even on the busiest August day, it is still that peaceful, isolated slice of paradise. Town is only a short boat ride away. So if we forgot a stick of butter for the lobster, we can just zip into the Grand Union, and then back, in no time. The sunsets are still unparalleled. So are the mosquitos…but that’s the price you pay.
Our daughter learned how to swim out there. She and her friends now go crabbing, collecting shells, and skipping rocks for hours. And last year she started water skiing.
Coatue is a place where we leave all our worries behind. At night we toast marshmallows and play good old fashioned games like cards and charades. The seagulls usually wake us up at dawn, alerting us that a new day awaits.