Cruising Long Island - South Shore
Long Island, New York extends east from New York Harbor, about 102 NM from the tip of Brooklyn at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to Montauk Point. Most of the southern coast has a coastal barrier island with a back-bay behind. There are several active inlets and extensive navigable waters inside. NOAA Chart 12352, "Shinnecock Light to East Rockaway Inlet", displays most of the this area in detail. NOAA Chart 12326 "Approaches to New York - Fire Island Light to Sea Girt", displays the connection of this area to New York Harbor. NOAA Chart 13205, "Block Island Sound", includes the eastern tip of Long Island, Montauk Point and beyond.
East Rockaway Inlet (73°45' W) lies about 9 NM east of Rockaway Inlet, a total of about 15 NM from the Verrazan Bridge, and provides the first access to sheltered cruising. A marked channel, known as the State Boat Channel, begins at this inlet and extends east to The Great Peconic Bay. Inside the inlet the Boat Channel runs through Reynolds Channel at the south of Hempstead Bay, close behind the City of Long Beach, about 9 NM to Jones Inlet.
Jones Inlet (73°34' W) lies about 8 NM east of East Rockaway Inlet. A large section of Jones Beach Island is Jones Beach, a New York State Park and public beach. Some small beach communities also dot the island. The inlet joins the State Boat Channel and continues east behind the barrier island. Multiple channels through the marshes provide connection to the mainland towns of Freeport, Seaford and Massapequa. Just before reaching Fire Island Inlet the State Boat Channel turns north to the northern end of the Great South Bay to continue east.
Fire Island Inlet (73°19' W) lies about 12 NM east of Jones Inlet. Robert Moses State Park is a public beach on the western end of Fire Island, followed by several small summer communities. Channels connect to the communities on Fire Island, but are subject to some shoaling. A channel connects to the State Boat Channel, running in the north part of the Great South Bay. Waterfront towns on the mainland include Babylon, Bayshore, Islip, and further east, Patchogue. The State Boat Channel travels the 18 NM length of the Great South Bay and Bellport Bay before again turning south to Fire Island and east to Moriches Bay and Shinnecock Bay.
Shinnecock Inlet (72°28' W) about 42 NM east of Fire Island Inlet, provides access to Shinnecock Bay and connection to the State Boat Channel. The Shinnecock Canal, at the north end of Shinnecock Bay, connects to the Great Peconic Bay providing access to Long Island's north shore without the need to go east around Montauk Point.
Montauk Point (41°04' N, 71°51' W), the eastern tip of Long Island, lies about 32 NM east of Shinnecock Inlet. Between the two lie The Hamptons - South Hampton, East Hampton, Beach Hampton, and a handful of other communities, including Montauk Beach. Rounding Montauk Point a number of harbors are found on the northern shore.