From the first Native Americans until the late nineteenth century, uncertainty and transience dominated the behavior of visitors to the Great South Bay. Over the last century, this beach "community" has evolved into a varied and complex mix of people and ideas that interact with each other and the natural beach environment. Spanning 150 years of Fire Island history, this documentary tells the story of this unique Island only forty miles from New York City. From shipwrecks to gay parades, Fire Island has been a hideaway for generations of people.