Ruff seas: 20 dogs and their owners cruise Nassau's South Shore

Skye Blue, a 5-year-old, blue-eyed, Instagram-influencer husky, joined about 20 other northern-breed dogs for a cruise around Nassau's South Shore on Sunday. 

Skye, who has more than 40,000 followers, wandered the Freeport Water Taxi boat with the other dogs, mostly huskies, while their owners relaxed as the vessel navigated through canals, channels and bays between Freeport and their destination at Point Lookout.

As Sunday's temperatures climbed toward 90 degrees, ice cubes were passed around for the dogs to nibble, but many were too preoccupied with passing boats or new friends next to them.

The ride was an event for the Empire State Snowdog Club, which often holds organized activities. Sunday's cruise follows their first boat ride, which was held on Saturday. Another is planned for July 20. 

The water tour proved so successful, the group may turn it into a charity event next year, said co-administrator Jodi Ekberg of Plainview.

“We’ve got these beautiful dogs, why not do good things with them while we’re having fun?” she said.

The group has about 2,100 human members with a total of 2,500 dogs across the tri-state area. In the past they have donated to charities such as Toys for Tots and the Cainine Epilepsy Network, as well as various cancer-research organizations and food banks. She'd like to donate to Autism Speaks next, Ekberg said.

Skye's owner, Jeanine Chang of Holbrook, also one of the group’s co-administrators, has worked with Ekberg to organize hikes, meet-ups, charity events and other activities for their members. The dogs and their families have attended Mets games, participated in cancer walks, visited splash parks and even ridden rides at amusement parks.

“I’ve been dying to find us a boat ride,” said Ekberg who has four huskies: 5-year-old Thor, who accompanied her on the cruise, 12-year-old Cain, 2-year-old Oliver and 7-year-old Zara.

She recently contacted Rick Cohen, owner of the pet-friendly Freeport Water Taxi, to see if he’d  take a couple dozen huskies and their owners across the bay. Cohen, also a northern-breed owner, happily agreed.

“He’s the first one [tour boat owner] I’ve been able to find who can accommodate all the dogs,” Ekberg said. “Captain Rick and his crew are amazing.”

While Freeport Water Taxi is 100% pet-friendly, Cohen said a typical ride will only carry two or three dogs. He said carrying as many dogs as the snowdog club brought was a first for the company, and a learning experience for everyone. 

Marianna Dorusineck and her boyfriend Nickolas Nikolaou brought their 4-month-old husky, Akari, from the Bronx to attend her first club event.

“It’s good socialization for the dogs,” Dorusineck said. She also has a 4-year-old husky, Akiva, who has participated in the club's activities since she was a puppy.

Cohen’s crew dropped the group at Point Lookout around 11:30 a.m., where they stopped to have lunch at Point Ale House, a restaurant that agreed to accommodate them in advance, and returned to take them back to Freeport about two hours later.