quote:
Originally posted by WALSHIE
Youze guys are gonna have to help me plan my trip this summer....expecting 3 boats, 30-35' range so hopefully we have no problems getting a slip.
Plan is to go to Watch Hill from Croton Point on the Hudson, I figure we can do that in one day, maybe 6 hours?
From there through the Shinnecock canal, stop at Greenpoint. Next stop is Mystic seaport. Any other suggestions?
6 hours is about right if all goes well and you run the Ocean to Fire Island Inlet. Once inside, you have to stay between the buoys or you’ll run out of water, especially approaching Watch Hill.
If ocean is snotty you can duck in East Rockaway Inlet which is only about 8 miles from Breezy Point, or go another 12 miles beyond that to Jones Inlet. Ducking in either will add time to your trip because of 5 mph zones though. But both are IMHO pretty straightforward. Fire Island Inlet is not.
I’ve got no experience in the bays East of Watch Hill but know of several who have had problems because of very shallow spots in Moriches Bay. I’ve heard that Shinnecock Bay isn’t much better.
If I were unfamiliar with the very shallow bays on the south shore but really wanted to spend a little time on Fire Island I would run the ocean to Fire Island Inlet and stay at Atlantique. I understand non residents have no problems getting in there on weekdays, and when you’ve had your fill of the beach you can take Water Taxis from there to towns with restaurants. It’s very close to the inlet and probably a lot less bugs than Watch Hill as the sun goes down.
I stopped going to Watch Hill years ago because the cabin on my old boat was like a cave for a family of four huddled in there trying to avoid getting eaten alive at dinner time.
This boat is much bigger, and the kids are older now and don’t do many trips with us anymore so we may go back. Now we have satellite TV and a more comfortable cabin so we probably won’t mind hiding from the bugs for a few hours.
When your done with FI you could go back out the same inlet and run the ocean to Shinnecock to avoid Moriches.
If the ocean is really good when you head east you could run around Montauk Pt. and come back to Greenport and have no worries about running aground.