Pride in Port 2011 Essay Contest Co-Winner Lindsey Mingrino

A note from the Pride In Port Committee: Lindsey Mingrino is in the 6th grade at St. Peter of Alcantara School. The celebrations, fishing contests and relaxing beauty of the Town Dock make it her favorite place in Port Washington. Lindsey’s dad, Rocky, proposed to her mom, Debbie, at the Town Dock! Lindsay has lived in Port Washington with her parents and older sister since she was born. She likes writing, art and drawing. For more active pursuits, she plays basketball, soccer and volleyball.

The Town Dock by Lindsey Mingrino

Bright sunsets. Smooth sailing. Beautiful scenery. Special moments. What more can you ask for? That's right, nothing. The Town Dock is the perfect place for anything. Either it's just relaxing, or fishing on the dock, having lunch, or celebrations, it's the perfect place to be.

The Town Dock in Port Washington is so relaxing. Just seeing the sunsets cast shadows on the sailboats always makes me feel like I'm in paradise. The loud bright colors, orange, yellow, and red, mix in with the clouds, creating an African horizon over the town of Port Washington. I hear the boats rocking on the dock, the calm waves crashing on the shore, waiting for the next one to take its place. It's the most beautiful thing in the world. I always feel like I'm on cloud nine.

The Town Dock holds an annual Fluke Derby in the spring and a Snapper Derby in the fall. They have free hot dogs and drinks at breakfast time for the participators and also have a raffle contest. Almost all the kids in town come and set up their rods on the railings. Everyone is ready to fish. At the end of the day, once the contest is over and everyone is done fishing, they pull up their rods and get their tickets ready. The people who caught fish get prizes and so do the people with matching tickets. Even though not everyone has won a prize, they're still happy.

The Town Dock is also great for celebrations. It's always open to the public and is great for wedding photos, graduation photos, photography, and proposals. In fact, my dad proposed to my mom there, even in the pouring rain. It was so beautiful that my mom and dad came from Brooklyn, where they lived. The Town Dock is great for wedding photos because of the pleasant waves and the beautiful area. There are plants on the sides and benches all around. It is such a nice set up.

The Town Dock is perfect for anything. Enjoying the sunset, watching the sailboats, hearing the waves, it's all so beautiful. Always think of the Town Dock for any occasion. Its location, its sunset, its waves. Anything.

Editor's Note:  were announced on Patch on Sept 17. Patch will be running each of the winning essays this week.