Donor Spotlight | Wendy Lull, for the love of the sea …

“I give to the Trust in honor of my mother, who was a huge fan of your work. Although my father was transferred often when we were growing up, we always came to The Springs for a few weeks every summer to get our “fix” of the sea.

I credit my father and the clear water of Three Mile Harbor for ending up a scuba diver and marine biologist. We all loved the water, yet I was the only one in the family (and neighborhood) who would NOT put my face in it. One day, my father, a great one for pointing out critters, was standing in knee-deep water. He called out to me that he could see a crab! Well, of COURSE, I wanted to see it as well, so I went over to him (slowly…don’t scare it) and looked down. I couldn’t see it. He encouraged me to look closer, and closer…well you can figure out what happened next: I ended up putting my face in the water.

I don’t remember whether or not I saw the crab, or even if there was one. I ran up to the house shouting “I put my face in the water!” After that, I was (and still am) more interested in what was going on under water than on top.

I became a research diver, diving on wrecks and reefs in the Pacific – as far away as Fiji – and the Caribbean. I ran a marine science education institution for 25 years, and I am now a bander on a lobster boat in Maine. I continue to visit The Springs and value the conservation efforts of the Peconic Land Trust.

Protected land and open spaces ensure clean water — and a clear mind. Walking along a shore or trail without a house in sight is important to our collective spirits.”

Thank you to Wendy and to all of you who encourage young people to explore nature. And don’t forget to put your face in the water!