Things To Do In Dix Hills

North Star II Fishing & Charter Boat's crew has learned to analyze the weather, tides, and times of day to deduce when fish will come out of hiding. To supplement their instincts, the crew also gleans wisdom from a fish-detecting GPS radar and a local grizzly bear. The company's fiberglass-coated Northstar 2 meets the standards of the USCG's annual inspections, and can accommodate up to 100 passengers on each chartered trip. Extensive seating options, a sound system with Sirius radio, and a kitchen to prepare snacks make fishing trips comfortable as well as aquatically lucrative. The company's newest vessel, Nautic Star, fosters a more intimate brand of fish-storytelling on its 40-person capacity boat. Fluke, flounder, bass, and live eels are among the species hauled in from the deep, whether by fishing line, cast nets, or polite invitations to hop onboard.

A colorful creature soars high above Rocky Point's coastline. Its rainbow sail lifts, dips, and turns over sandy beaches and a blue ocean that stretches as far as the eye can see. The gliders in question belong to GMI Paragliding School, which makes its home along Rocky Point, a site insured by the United States Hang Gliding Paragliding Association. The school’s skilled instructor introduces beginners to the basics of paragliding, which include ground control, monitoring the weather, theory, and techniques to avoid attracting amorous vultures. After mastering beginner skills, new flyers can join Long Island Paragliding Club to pursue dreams of someday touching the sky’s ceiling.

During the Big Apple Beatdown, an all-day roller-derby tournament hosted by the New York Shock Exchange, spectators arrive to the rink with chairs under their arms to watch six notable MRDA teams battle for the National Champion title. Bouts begin at 10 a.m. with the Dallas Deception taking on the Magic City Misfits in a storm of skates, helmets, and trampled 10-gallon hats. Other teams battling for supremacy include the St. Louis GateKeepers, Puget Sound Derby Outcasts, and Pioneer Valley Dirty Dozen. A special women’s game will also be held featuring the Long Island Roller Rebels taking on the Jersey Shore Roller Girls. The championship bout commences at 7:30 p.m., and the day ends with a presentation of medals at 9:15 p.m., where one team is deemed the victor. Matches occur on two separate tracks, allowing smooth transitions between bouts and enough time for padded pros to finish a game of Connect the Bruises.

• For $60, you get two 90-minute group tennis lessons (a $120 value). • For $110, you get two 60-minute private tennis lessons (a $220 value).

Film fanatics flock to Cinema Arts Centre to get their fix of foreign, independent, and other hard-to-find flicks. Upcoming attractions include Mao's Last Dancer, Australian filmmaker Bruce Beresford’s inspirational story about a young ballet dancer's climb from poverty to international stardom; Get Low, inspired by the true story of Felix “Bush” Breazeale, and starring Robert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, and Bill Murray; and Mesrine: Killer Instinct and Mesrine: Public Enemy #1, a thrilling two-part snapshot of France’s most famous gangster, as well as a story about 101 freckled puppies dodging a cruel women in a fur coat. Pair your celluloid eyeball feast with some freshly popped organic popcorn doused with all-natural butter and a fountain soda infused with the fizzy essence of imported giggles.

Most pool halls evoke the smoky, timeworn atmosphere of a friend’s basement. The Big Kahuna decided to go a more upscale route. Stylish sofas flank a stone fireplace, wrought-iron lamps cast a warm glow over every table, and 11 big-screen TVs broadcast seasonal sporting events from spacious ochre walls. Alongside the hall’s billiards and ping-pong tables, a granite and brick bar furnishes icy sips of Budweiser, Corona, and other domestic brews to the pulsing soundtrack of ceramic orbs exploding apart. The hall’s kitchen stays open until the bar closes to balance libations with a menu of buffalo wings, steak-fajita wraps, and plates of chicken parmesan.