Things to Do in New Cassel

Each vessel in Island Current’s four-boat fleet ferries 21–110 passengers across the fish-filled waters of Long Island Sound and Snug Harbor. Fishing charters reel in catches such as blackfish, ling, and cod, and sightseeing tours fill eyes with up-close views of the Statue of Liberty, historic lighthouses, and other landmarks. After each schooner sets sail from City Island at Jack’s Bait & Tackle, fleet owner Captain Chris comes on deck to share his angling expertise and introduce first-time fishermen to knowledgeable local mermaids.

Creative Corner Pottery's shelves brim with stamps, stencils, nontoxic paints, pre-cut glass-fusing projects, and more than 200 different pieces of unpainted pottery, providing patrons with all the tools they need to create inspired crafts in a low-stress environment. After choosing a piece from the wall, visitors can take it to one of the dark wooden worktables and personalize it by either painting a custom design or their own genetic code. The glass-fusing kits include pre-cut shapes or easy-to-use tools, which allow customers to cut their own pieces and design a unique picture frame, bowl, or piece of jewelry. Once finished, the studio's staff will glaze and then fire the crafts in the kiln, typically having the finished works ready for pickup in 7–10 days.

Since 2004, the first-aid- and CPR-trained crew at Port Sailing School has ferried passengers over Manhasset Bay for sailing lessons, charters, camps, and certification courses aboard the school's fleet. The outfit's nine noble vessels include such seafaring specimens as the J 24 keelboat, the two-cabin Beneteau 36, and the Sonar 23, designated as the fleet’s primary lesson boat for its roomy cockpit and no-mutinies record. Aboard the Sonar 23, students learn sailing skills and marine laws through instructional courses that range from private introductory sailing lessons to state safety certifications. Based on the course topic, lessons may focus on such boating aspects as docking, mooring pickup, anchoring, or advanced racing techniques, each dictated by the desires of the student and the daily attitude of the sea.:m]]

A veritable mountain greets climbers inside The Rock Club, challenging them to scale its 40' high face without speaking a single word. After pulling their eyes away from the main wall, guests discover the gym's other rocky offerings, including 80 climbing stations, more than 200 individual routes, and muscle-testing bouldering cliffs. Experienced staff members with a passion for climbing roam the gym, eager to help veteran climbers reach new heights, introduce new climbers to the sport during beginners' classes, or describe the scent found at the top of the Himalayan Mountains.

The ASA-certified instructors of New York Sailing School have been teaching the exhilarating art since 1968. With access to a fleet of beginner-friendly Sonar 23 skiffs, they instruct courses both on land and water, venturing out into the Long Island Sound with tender-footed aquanauts and Waterworld fanboys alike. NYSS alumni and ASA-certified sailors are also welcome to rent boats for daytime jaunts across the water.