Oyster Bay Town Supervisor Joseph Saladino, Councilwoman Vicki Walsh, Town Clerk Richard LaMarca, and Receiver of Taxes Jeffrey Pravato joined the Christeen Oyster Sloop Preservation Corporation, The Waterfront Center, and hundreds of neighbors to officially launch a replica of the historic Ida May oyster vessel into North Shore Waters. This launch is the culmination of a decades-long effort to build a full-scale replica of the Ida May, one of the first ever engine-powered oyster dredges to serve our local waters.

 

“We gather in celebration to launch the newly constructed Ida May oyster vessel for the first time,” Supervisor Saladino said. “After her retirement in 2003, the Oyster Bay community came together to ensure the legacy of the Ida May would live on for generations to come. The Christeen Oyster Sloop Preservation created a vision to preserve her history: completely rebuilding the Ida May and using the replica as a “floating classroom” to teach residents about Oyster Bay. That vision becomes reality today.”

 

Originally built in 1925, the Ida May was one of the first ever engine-powered oyster dredges of her time. She served the local waters of the North Shore for over 75 years, but was too damaged to be restored.

 

“Together, we thank the Christeen Oyster Sloop Preservation Corporation – led by President George Lindsay – for leading the effort to keep the legacy of the Ida May alive. This 44-ton replica was built almost entirely by volunteers and funded in part by a grant from the legendary Billy Joel. Now, the Waterfront Center will use this beautiful vessel as a teaching tool about our harbor and its history,” Councilwoman Vicki Walsh added.

 

For more information about the Ida May, visit http://www.idamayproject.org/.