New York City dwellers often bolt to the Hamptons come Memorial Day, but they might be missing out on some of Long Island’s most beautiful, yet overlooked areas. On a breezy 80-degree afternoon, I took myself and my mom out to East Moriches for a delightful paddleboarding, nature-engaging experience by the courtesy of Get Salty Adventures.
Get Salty is something like a mom-and-pop, but owners Carolyn and Michael are actually a young, energetic couple that shares a love for the water. The two have also traveled to six of the seven continents and with this, the worldly pair decided to open a business to educate people and showcase the hidden gem of the Moriches Bay.
Carolyn and Michael can provide you with a perfect East End adventure, day or night on the weekends. The two offer tranquil boat tours which journey through the area while educating visitors on the ecology of the Moriches Bay. Additionally, they’re also awesome, patient paddleboarding instructors. They don’t believe in simply tossing people in the water for a half-an-hour to an hour, for they assist customers in mastering the skill of paddleboarding, which is often daunting to many. I can say that my mother is not the most athletic nor coachable person out there, but Carolyn happily taught her how to paddle through the beautiful clear water off the shore.
They also provide sunset cruises, which take groups of six people on tours of the bay. If you’d prefer a daytime adventure, you’re just a captained boat ride away from a three-hour island escapade, with paddleboards and beach umbrellas provided. Get Salty has also teamed up with Buddha Beach Yoga to take yogis out for a 60-minute waterfront yoga class.
Not to mention, Get Salty is based out of Silly Lily’s Fishing Station and Marina, which also features the Silly Eats food truck for a perfect bite to eat before heading out on the water. That reminds me – the Get Salty boat is extremely stable – making for a smooth ride for those of you who suffer from motion sickness. Even Carolyn says she gets seasick, but never on their trusty pontoon boat.
In fact, Michael used to work at Silly Lily’s as a teenager, contributing to his wide knowledge of oceanography. As for Carolyn, she would ask local fisherman and other experts about the wildlife of the area over the last decade. Paired with independent exploration, Carolyn, too, soon had a command of the ecological facts of Moriches Bay.
Nevertheless, Carolyn is working on achieving her captain’s license, so both she and Michael will be captains. The future captain said it’s best to have more than one master on the boat, especially with the balance of having a male and female.
Interestingly, the two both work full-time jobs outside their weekend adventures with Get Salty. However, the combination of their travels and an undying desire to open a business together made Get Salty part of their plans.
As far as long-term goals, the Get Salty founders aim to continue interacting with and teaching the locals about the area and more. They prioritize spreading knowledge of how to protect and preserve our waterways, whether they are small ponds and lakes or oceans and bays.
“We would love to help educate the greater NY community about the importance of preserving our waterways,” Carolyn and Michael wrote in an email.
They also have a specific reason for jumping on the paddleboarding trend as opposed to kayaking or other popular aquatic activities.
“[Paddleboarding] engages your whole body and once you get the hang of it, it doesn’t even feel like exercise. It allows you to get into very shallow water and engage closely with the marine and bird life,” they wrote.
In terms of how their travels contribute to how they run their business, Carolyn and Michael said their trips have nuanced their abilities to interact with others and the surrounding environment.
“We always come away with a new perspective on how to interact with our environment, how to relate to people and new activities we want to share with our guests.”
The friendly couple genuinely enjoys spending time with their visitors and making sure they’re having fun by learning something new or appreciating the lesser known area.
Nonetheless, Carolyn said both the challenges and rewards of running a business are hand in hand. Daily challenges are exciting yet stressful since the responsibility of running a successful business falls entirely on the owners. Additionally, being married to your business partner allows for endless conversations regarding the well-being of your business, which can be great for development, but sometimes too much. Carolyn said she and her husband take date nights and steer the conversation away from Get Salty to give their minds a rest, recharging their creativity.
“It’s challenging every day, the buck stops with you, building a business with your spouse.”
