Bon Voyage to Captain Jayne

By Robert Levine ~ After 55 years at the helm, longtime friend of Fire Island, Captain Mike Jayne has retired from Sayville Ferry Service. His last triangle voyage took place on Tuesday afternoon on April 28, 2020 as a group of well-wishers from Cherry Grove assembled at the dock to send him off with style.At the 3:30 p.m. arrival, he was greeted with a fire truck drive-by, a champagne toast, and signs residents made thanking him for all the years of transporting the people to Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines safely. Arts Project of Cherry Grove 2010 Homecoming Queen Beach DeBree even put in a special appearance with social distancing style!The Cherry Grove Community Association Inc. (CGCAI), organized the portside send off, facilitated by CGCAI President Dianne Romano helping spread the word via social media.Captain Jayne’s wife, two daughters, and granddaughter joined him for his last scheduled run. It was a bittersweet moment, and also a short one, for the crew had a timetable to keep – next stop Fire Island Pines, where he was paid tribute in similar fashion.“My heartfelt thanks to the Cherry Grove community for the wonderful greeting and farewell yesterday on the Grove dock,” wrote Jayne the following day. “What a wonderful memory. Thank you all. Mike Jayne. Sayville Ferry.”Captain Jayne’s departure comes during turbulent times. The send off party, albeit brief, was a great boost for community spirits. May calmer waters ahead define Captain Jayne’s next chapter as a gentleman of leisure for many years to come. Fire Island News editor Shoshanna McCollum contributed to this report.