'Sea Goddess' Dory Float Debuts At Greenport Maritime Festival

GREENPORT, NY — When the Merry Merfolk parade wends its way through Greenport Village during the 30th Annual East End Maritime Festival Saturday, a brightly colored mermaid is likely to steal the spotlight.

Artist Caroline Waloski, who created the Merry Merfolk Parade, worked for weeks to transform a battered dory into a beautiful new float.

The Sea Goddess will make her maiden voyage in the Merry Merfolk parade on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 11 a.m.

"Come and visit her in Mitchell Park after the parade through the weekend," Waloski said.

The boat, she said, was donated by Costello Marine; the last survivor of six dories. John Costello, Waloski added, also donated warehouse space for the three weeks it took to create the dory float.

Describing her artistic vision for the colorful and fanciful creation, Waloski said her inspiration was the idea of a mermaid as "goddess and protector, ruling over an amniotic sea."

For years, Waloski has been trying to find a wooden boat that would be a perfect float for her Merry Merfolk event.

"I regard this as a gift and a perfect addition to the Greenport Maritime Festival and the Village of Greenport's maritime history. The Merfolk dory float unites the art, industry, and science that still exists in our village and surrounding waters," she said.

The East End Seaport Museum will give the Merfolk boat an exhibition space after the festival.

Creating the float did, indeed, take a village: A veritable sea of people and organizations donated funding and repair help to get the project afloat, Waloski said.

Donors include Cornell Cooperative Extension's marine program, the East End Seaport Museum, the North Fork Promotion Council, and the Greenport Business Improvement District.

"Carpentry, scraping, priming, trailer and hitch could not have been done without the help of David Abatelli from the EESM board of directors; Kelly O'Shea was a catalyst in the museum giving me the boat for the project," she said. "Barbara Poliwoda, the new museum director, has been very supportive in my creating the float boat, which will be used annually in the Merry Merfolk during Maritime Festival as well as other local parades and events."

(Courtesy Caroline Waloski)

In addition, Waloski said, advice on traditional "Dory Buff" color as part of using the traditional color scheme in her design was supplied by Pat Nelson, a local boat builder; Anders Langendal Boat Builders & Sons also supplied preservation advice, she said.

Waloski created the Merry Merfolk Parade, a highlight of the annual Maritime Festival; the event is supported by Cornell Cooperative Extension's marine program — and is something she will continue to grow, she said after closing her gallery earlier this year. "I plan on expanding on the Merry Merfolk Parade into something bigger and entertaining for all ages," she said.