Moriches Bay and Inlet

D

destination unknown

Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2004
RO Number
12619
Messages
201
Planning a trip east and going through Moriches Bay. Does anyone have the actual coordinates for buoys 24, 25, 26,27,28 and 29. Also what Buoy do you head south east into the west Inlet cut and what Buoy do you head north from towards 24.

Any help would be great thanks,
 
I made the trip back in Mayand am going to do the reverse run on Tuesday. Head southeast just before buoy 15, follow the barrels around the west cut and into the east cut. When you come out of the east cut, just head north. You'll see buoys 23 and 24 diectly in front of you. Turn right around buoy 24 and head east It's a straight run east all the way to 34. I found the buoy markings on the chart to be quite accurate, so just follow your chart. Hy
 
DU,
Check back here in a few days or so, one of my friends and customer just did this trip, he is on A dock in the AYC, 39 carver MY "Yes Dear" , his name is John. He was still out yesterday, will post what he saw.
 
I made the trip west on Tuesday, through the east and west cuts. The only worrisome part was getting by all the boats fishing in the channel. I had to worry about not hitting any of them or becoming entangled in their fishing lines. The buoys are green and numbered, but the numbers don't matter. Just follow them around, keeping them on your right as you head west. Once you come out of the cut, head north till you see a buoy and then make a left. I went from Eastport to Amytiville in about three hours, including a number of stops to check location on my chart and cheat sheet. Since I was selling the boat, I didn't take the time to plot the course back to Amytiville on the GPS, I had it plotted only back to Bluepoint. I made a list of buoys and turns so I could quickly make my moves. I did have the course plotted on the paper charts and highlighted, which made the viewing easier. What was interesting was the difference in the bays. Moriches was like a lake, a very shallow one. GSB was like a storm brewing, with waves splashing over the bow. (There was a headwind.) West of the Captree bridge sent me back to a lake again, calm and smooth. So now, "Lady M" is in Amytiville, awaiting a buyer and "Family Affair" is in Eastport, awaiting a cleaning and some fun. Enjoy your trip and the season. Hy
 
Entagled in fishing line?
Though I don't want them on my prop or shafts, if your line is in the channel when I come through, I am cutting it with my props!

Hate fishing people in the channels.
 
Fishing line around the props of an I/O can cause a lower seal leak - definitely not something I would want. I just gave each boat as wide an area of clearance as I safely could. I probably was being overly cautious, but why take any chances? I have nothing against fishermen; I try to be one myself. I was just nervous about the number of boats drifting in an area with which I wasn't very familiar. My posting was just to give "destination unknown" and other boaters a "heads up" on the east and west cuts, not to pick on any specific group of boaters. Hy
 
Can anyone post a diagram of this? Im making the trip out to westhampton from copaigue in a week and i'm very confused. Last year i went straight east through the dredged part and everything was fine. Is this not the case anymore?
 
Dcwjd, I just made the trip from babylon yesterday. I attempted to go straight through as u said. Didn't work! I was touching the bottom just off of Tuthill pt. I had to back track and follow the route that is posted by bookworm and currentSea. Its not marked on the chart but there are four green cans on the inside of the inlet. Two on the west cut and two more on the east cut. You'll see them. Keep the cans on your port side and then continue into the recommended route on your GPS and you'll be fine. Trust these guys. They know. I learned.
 
dcwjd: Now that I've made the trip in each direction, I'm more comforatble with it. Don't try to head straight east near the Coast Guard Station; it's impossible. Just head south right before buoy 15 and follow the route around. It's clearly marked, even if it is a little scary because you'll be going right by the inlet and can see clearly into the ocean as you go around! Once you're out of the east cut continue north to buoys 23 and 24, turn right and follow your chart. The channel is clearly marked all the way to Westhampton. We went out there last Saturday. Just remember to stay in the channel; the sides become very shallow. Last Saturday, I was teaching my wife how to handle our boat. We were coming back, westward, and she swung too wide on a left turn just west of the bridge. We grounded hard. I lifted the drive and tried to back out. No luck. A policeman on a jetski came by, saw our dilemma, and called for assistance. A boat towed us back into the channel. I drove the rest of the way home. It happens often in Moriches Bay. Hy
 
Guys, I made the trip through Moriches Bay on Saturday. I draw 44". The directions above are correct. I went through right at high tide. When going east turn southeast about 100 yards before bouy 15. You will find plenty of water (10-20') between here and bouy 11E. AFter turning before bouy 15 head straight for the west jetty of the inlet. You'll see red bouy 6W and 4W. Keep them on your PORT side (I know counter to other red bouys in the bay). Once you get to the inlet turn Northeast towards green bouy 3E and follow past green bouys 5E, 7E, 9E and 11E, all on your PORT side. Once you get to 11E head straight towards the USCG station and you'll see red bouy 24. Turn sharp right east at 24, with the bouy to your starboard side; this is probably a 135 degree turn. You'll be back on the normal track through Moriches from here east. I went through all of that on plane at about 23 knots. One note; there is a low spot between 26 and 27. I went through there at idle and at high tide saw a low of 2'9" under my sounder, which gives my running gear 15" clearance. Not a lot of room. Other than the 1/4 mile of visibility (thank you radar) and the tons of foshing boats in the channel (many without radar) it was pretty straight forward, though still stressful. Good luck to all who transit.
 
I did the trip East yesterday. I kept the red 6w and 4w to my starboard side. Then the greens in the east cut to my port side basically splitting the distance between buoy and beach. It was very deep inside the east and west cuts. Problem was between 26 and 27. I saw less then 3 feet on the depth finder. I went through about 1.5 hrs before high tide.
 
Glad you guys made it. That area by 24-29 is shallow, period. It's a bit nerve-wracking until you clear 29. After that it's deep, relatively speaking, through the channel. I wonder is they're going to do any dredging of the east/west channel so boaters don't have to take the round-about trip. Somehow, I doubt it, until someone important gets stuck on a sand bar there; but I'm not cynical! Hy
 
Since I started the thread I should give my trip report, Heading east at high tide all was good, entering the west side entrance into the inlet is not too well marked but the shoals are very visible. heading north on the east side of the inlet is very well marked with green cans stay between the green cans and the beach. Hard right at Red 24 and then follow the channel markers east through the bay. When I returned from my trip I transitioned at dead low going west bound. Still had plenty of water, the shoals are very visible, only real issue is even on a monday, about 20-30 small boats in the west entrance in the very tight channel fishing. Other then that no real problem with Moriches.

Good luck to all that go through it.
 
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