Fire Island Pines Thoughts II: Low Tea

For those of you who've been to Fire Island Pines for more than a day or two, or those who go regularly, you know very well the fun and sheer gayness that is the Low Tea. The mere mention of those combined words just brightens my mood. The back of my mouth can almost taste the sea air, my head can hear the thump-thump of the music that leaks out from the enclosed dance area, and my hand instinctively curves to hold some invisible libation. Now, that's just me thinking about Low Tea, can you imagine how joyfully content I must be when I'm actually there?

Low Tea is special, because it's something that gay men and their friends have been doing at Fire Island Pines since the days when the police would come out from the mainland and arrest guys willy-nilly, even for just dancing with other guys at the Low Tea. The gays got around this by having the bar pay a girl to go out on the dance floor with them, because as long as there was at least one girl out there dancing with all the guys, things were okay. However, the law also made sure the guys couldn't actually be facing each other when they danced... darn! Oh, but times have changed!

The Low Tea takes place at the Blue Whale, an indoor/outdoor restaurant where the tables miraculously disappear in the afternoon to make room for all the guys coming to the Tea Dance. During the height of the season, on a Saturday or Sunday, the guys are wall-to-wall, many of them shirtless, and ready to party, dance, and get together with their friends. Again, most of this takes place on the Blue Whale's expansive deck, and the sun is still bright and hot, so when you get there, the first thing you have to do is head over to the outdoor bar for a nice cold cosmopolitan (hopefully, the first of many).

I like to climb the stairs of the Hotel Ciel (formerly the Boatel), which is right next to the Blue Whale. This affords me a birds-eye view of the ocean of men, cruising each other, setting up rendezvous with other cute hotties, or maybe just chatting about their evening plans, which probably include dinner, then the High Tea (which we'll discuss in a future Fire Islands Thoughts update).

After your third or fourth beer or cocktail, it's time to dance. So you head into the semi-enclosed dance area, where renowned DJ's keep the guys dancing. Picture it, hot, shirtless boys all glistening with sweat, and dancing up a storm. Sometimes, the music's so great, the guys outside start dancing, as well. Omigosh, I'm having to fan myself as I write!

Another thing I like about Low Tea, and The Pines in general, is the sense of camaraderie we share when there, and the underlying feeling that not only do we play for the same team, but we share in that same team spirit. Often, when walking to the beach, just passing someone is all that's needed for a mutual smile and quick hello.

I recall, not too long after I came out, and being at Low Tea for maybe the second or third time, seeing a miraculous event take place (though one that happens regularly). It was an early Sunday evening, and the guys were soaking up the sun, partying, and having a great time. I took a perch up on the hotel stairs so I could see the whole party below. The music was so hot that the guys outside were dancing to it, too. Suddenly, on its way back to the mainland, and only about 60 feet from the party, the ferry started to glide by packed with guys returning home. Suddenly, the couple hundred guys on the ferry started waving at those at the Low Tea. Now, it takes a lot for a gay man to allow his dancing to be interrupted, but almost in unison, the guys who were still at the Low Tea stopped dancing, turned, and waved back. It lasted all of fifteen seconds, but it left me very moved, and made an impression that today I will never forget.

You see, most of these guys, both at the Low Tea and on the ferry, were really not waving at anyone in particular, but they were pretty sure of one thing, the guys they were waving to played for their team, and shared that same team spirit.

(Many thanks to the Modern Monk, another Fire Island fan, for use of the photos above. Visit the Modern Monk's blog by clicking here!)