Sometimes you want to be somewhere other than your dock or mooring, but you just don’t feel like making a big boating production. So you seek a scenic, calm-ish spot not too far away, where you may raft up with friends, paddle to the beach, waterski, or just soak up the solitude at anchor.
Sound like your speed? We have a dozen suggestions (mostly in alphabetical order) for days like those!
Cedar Island Cove The southeast part of Coecles Harbor is one of the protected areas around Gardiners Bay. On the east side of Shelter Island, this cove is easily accessible from East Hampton, Sag Harbor, and Greenport. The land forming the cove’s beach line is part of the Mashomack Preserve.
Fort Pond Bay This destination offers a spectacular view of the bluffs and has an underwater attraction for snorkelers and divers. Located just west of Lake Montauk and east of Hither Hills State Park, the entrance to the bay is just opposite Gardiners Island in Napeaque Bay. On the east side entrance to the bay is Culloden Point, where the H.M.S. Culloden, an English frigate that sank in 1871, sits about 150 feet offshore. Be careful — the deep water drops off quickly, so pay attention to depth and don’t get too close to the shore.
Great Gun Beach, Fire Island Great Gun Beach, located just west of Moriches Inlet on the north side of Fire Island, is a popular local destination. This Town of Brookhaven beach is open to non-residents to drop anchor or find a spot in the first-come, first-served marina.
Hemlock Cove This gem is the third cove east of Tobay Beach and just west of Cedar Beach Marina. It’s accessible through the New York State Boat Channel. Most of the cove is deep, but check the depth as you get closer to land. The southeast corner fills up with anchored vessels as those aboard (humans and canines) take it easy, swim, and play.
Garbage Cove If Hemlock Cove is your destination, but you arrive to find it fully filled with boats, head west to the next cove, also accessible from the State Boat Channel. Garbage Cove is a well-protected anchorage with deep water.
Lloyd Harbor This spot on the western side of the entrance to Huntington Bay has a great view of the Huntington Lighthouse. There is a designated anchoring area as well as an area for water skiing and tubing.
Little Bay Located under the southern side of the Throgs Neck Bridge, just west of Willets Point, this cove can be easily accessed from Manhattan as well as western Long Island Sound. While this may not be the calmest place to drop anchor, the view of the bridge is quite impressive.
Pirates Cove Located on the most eastern part of the entrance to Port Jefferson, this is one of the most protected coves on the north shore. Surrounded by higher land, the cove is usually calm even if the Long Island Sound is a bit choppy.
Sand City Just south of Eaton’s Neck is an area designated as West Beach, though locals refer to it as Sand City. It’s a thin beach just off Sand City Island and south of Hobart Beach and Price Bend at the northwest entrance to Northport Bay. It’s a nice place to swim, relax, and take in the sights of Northport Bay (the curious can carefully explore the ruins of a long-closed sand mining facility).
Short Beach Tucked into the northwestern side of Jones Beach State Park, adjacent to the Short Beach Coast Guard Station, is a small basin known as Short Beach Boat Basin. Short Beach is located just between Jones Inlet and Bascule Bridge on Sloop Channel. The eastern side of the basin is a great place to drop anchor and spend the day. The Coast Guard Station is close, but it’s not open for individual tours. However, it can be fun to view the Coast Guard vessels at dock — from a secure distance!
West Harbor One of the most protected bodies of water, West Harbor is in the northwest part of Oyster Bay Harbor, to the west side of Centre Island. Drop anchor, but before you drop off for a nap, take the time to enjoy the view of mansions and mega yachts.
Zachs Bay This is an easy anchorage to reach from points east and west. Located just off the State Channel and east of Wantagh Parkway (where Sloop Channel meets the State Channel), the bay is well protected and usually very calm. However, it does fill up with other boaters seeking tranquility or the opportunity to raft up and socialize, so plan on getting there early. Jones Beach Theater is in the northeast section of the bay — it’s a landmark, not usually a free listening site.
Water and weather conditions are always changing. Consult the forecast and the local chart before setting out each time.
