Paddling Long Island and New York City: The Best Sea Kayaking from Montauk to Manhasset Bay to Manhattan

by Kevin Stiegelmaier

Overview

Paddling Long Island is the only book on the market to depict routes and destinations across the whole of Long Island and the New York City area. And it showcases 50 of the very best. It is a diverse selection, too. After all, according to skill level, weather, personal mood, and other factors, a paddler may want open, fast water one day, but a quiet, protected experience at another time, and something in-between later on. It’s all here, from New York City to the far eastern tip of Long Island’s Montauk Point.

What’s more, the book’s guidance and language are geared to wide-ranging skill levels: the novice will be enlightened and encouraged, and the seasoned kayaker or canoeist will be engaged and engrossed. That is because the author’s intimate, lifelong knowledge of the area’s waterways shines in his descriptions of natural and social histories, humorous stories, personal anecdotes, and beautiful black-and-white photographs.

In addition, the author provides contact information on local paddling clubs, outfitters, and Internet links. And a final extensive section on personal safety, boat and equipment preparedness, and related topics makes this book an invaluable tool.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780897325295
Publisher:	Menasha Ridge Press
Publication date:	05/22/2012
Pages:	266
Sales rank:	1,076,406
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Kevin Stiegelmaier enjoys a lifelong devotion to nature and the outdoors. Growing up on Long Island instilled in him a love of the ocean and led to a degree in Marine Biology. It also inspired the purchase of his first kayak and the beginning of what has been a 14-year passion with paddling. In that time Kevin has canoed and kayaked on every type of water in every state along the East Coast, although he prefers exploring the waters of his home state, New York. Kevin currently lives on the north shore of Long Island with his two children and teaches high school biology whenever he is not paddling.

Read an Excerpt

1 ACCABONAC HARBOR

OVERVIEW Ask any group of paddlers on Long Island to name their favorite place to paddle, and, if they’ve ever been there, most of them will say Accabonac Harbor. And rightly so. This small harbor has a lot that makes it such a special place. First and foremost are its miles of undeveloped shoreline. Though just a short distance from the heart of East Hampton, in a fairly populated part of town known as Springs, Accabonac somehow has managed to evade extensive development. Instead of encountering large waterfront homes replete with Adirondack chairs, barbecues, and boats tied up at docks, visitors to the harbor are greeted by an extensive salt-marsh ecosystem, complete with the usual wildlife species that call such areas home. Accabonac’s serene waters flow along low-lying grassy islands, through strands of spartina marsh, and within the mazes of channels in between. The beautiful sandy beaches separating the harbor from the bay are perfect for a short rest, a quick swim, or a long and lazy picnic lunch.

But none of the features that make the harbor so amazing would mean anything if it were inaccessible to paddlers. Thankfully, this is not the case, as two excellent launch sites exist at the end of Landing Lane and Shipyard Lane, respectively. Although neither location boasts more than a safe place to launch a kayak and parking spaces for a handful of cars, both put you on the water—in the southern portion of the harbor—primed and ready to paddle. So while not just anyone can be considered a "Bonacker," as a local is affectionately known, everyone can—and should—come and experience Accabonac Harbor for themselves.

USGS Quadrangles
Gardiners Island West (NY), Gardiners Island East (NY)

1 Description
The beauty of Accabonac Harbor is obvious, even if you're just sitting on the beach at the end of Landing Lane. From here, only a small cluster of homes is visible in the distance, with an amazingly vast salt marsh spreading out everywhere in between. Though breathtaking from the sand, this view should be enough to make you jump into your boat as quickly as possible and hit the water.

Landing Lane to Cartwright Island and Back

• Level: IB
• Distance: 8.7 miles round-trip
• Time: 4 hours
• Navigable months: Year-round
• Hazards: Open water
• Portages: None
• Rescue access: Easy
• Tidal Conditions: 3 hours before on after high tide
• Scenery: A+

Once you've launched, paddling out of the small cove and hugging the left (west) shore will bring you to a secluded stretch of water. Here you'll see a handful of homes on the southern shore and the Merrill Lake Sanctuary on the northern side. The latter, owned by The Nature Conservancy, houses one of the most beautiful sections of marsh on Long Island. It serves as an important habitat for many juvenile fish and marine invertebrates while also providing a home for ospreys, terns, and many species of waterfowl. Stay alert while paddling along its shores, and you may be lucky enough to spy willets, black-bellied plovers, or even a glossy ibis or two.

Besides observing the conservancy property, you can also check out another remarkable landmark within this small stretch of water. The home of abstract painter Jackson Pollock sits in the northeastern most corner, albeit a bit far back from the water’s edge. Heading up the small creek present there during high tides may allow you to get close enough to get a good view of the modest but historic residence.

Table of Contents

Overview Map

Overview-map Key 1

Dedication iv

Acknowledgments viii

Preface x

Run Recommendations xii

Introduction 1

Part 1 Suffolk County 17

1 Accabonac Harbor 18

2 Captree State Park 22

3 Carmans River 27

3A Yaphank Avenue to Southaven County Park 29

3B Montauk Highway to Squassux Landing 32

4 Coecles Harbor Marine Water Trail 34

5 Connetquot River 39

6 Cutchogue Harbor 42

7 Flanders Bay 47

8 Forge River 51

9 Georgica Pond 56

10 Greenport Harbor 60

11 Hallock Bay 64

12 Huntington Harbor 68

13 Lake Montauk 72

14 Lake Ronkonkoma 76

15 Lloyd Harbor 80

16 Mattituck Creek 86

17 Mecox Bay 90

18 Montauk Point 95

19 Moriches Bay 99

20 Mt. Sinai Harbor 103

21 Napeague Harbor 107

22 Nissequogue River 111

23 Northport Harbor 115

24 North Sea Harbor 121

25 Peconic River 125

26 Port Jefferson Harbor 129

27 Robins Island? 134

28 Sag Harbor 138

29 Sebonac Creek 141

30 Setauket Harbor 146

31 Shelter Island and Mashomack Preserve 151

32 Shinnecock Bay 155

33 Stony Brook Harbor 160

34 Swan River 164

35 Three Mile Harbor 168

36 West Meadow Creek 171

Part 2 Nassau County 177

37 Cold Spring Harbor 177

38 Hempstead Harbor 182

39 Jones Beach State Park 186

40 Manhasset Bay 191

41 Norman J. Levy Park, Merrick 195

42 Oyster Bay Harbor 199

Part 3 New York City 205

43 Arthur Kill 205

44 Bronx River 210

45 East River 215

46 Gowanus Canal 219

47 Jamaica Bay 222

48 Little Neck Bay 227

49 Newtown Creek 231

50 New York Upper Bay 235

Appendixes 241

Appendix A Paddling Outfitters 241

Appendix B Paddling Clubs 243

Appendix C Online Resources 244

Index 246

About the Author 252

Map Legend

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"With hundreds of miles of coastline, touring New York by water only makes sense."
—WABC-TV New York

"Stiegelmaier provides paddlers with the information they need to explore 400 miles of coastline where they can enjoy everything from the glittering Manhattan skyline to the sandy beaches, salt ponds and forests of Montauk Point." — Sea Kayaker Magazine, December 2012

Editorial Reviews

"With hundreds of miles of coastline, touring New York by water only makes sense."
—WABC-TV New York

"Stiegelmaier provides paddlers with the information they need to explore 400 miles of coastline where they can enjoy everything from the glittering Manhattan skyline to the sandy beaches, salt ponds and forests of Montauk Point." — Sea Kayaker Magazine, December 2012

From the Publisher