Scott (Fred) Hughes posted a note on Pete Merkel's page that is worth posting here too.  The harbor, the water, the views, boats--they played such a big part in so many lives.  So many people have talked about them.  Was it formative in some way that growing up in Wyoming or Kansas could not be?

From Scott Hughes,
Pete and I became good friends when he came to Sea Cliff High. I remember renting rowboats at Glenwood Landing for so-called "fishing" on the harbor, but were more about smoking cigars and drinking beer. One time, we actually caught a nice bluefish, which my Dad cleaned up and Mom cooked for a nice dinner. We also got a bit too far away once, and couldn't row against the tide and wind, and ended up walking the boat back to the Landing.
I remember us walking the golf course at North Shore Country Club, and one time laying down on one of the greens, looking up at the stars and contemplating parallel universes. I wonder if Pete remembers any of this.