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Oyster Bay Long Island
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 Not for Navigation Purposes |
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One of the best harbors on Long Island sound, Oyster Bay is both beautiful and large. Providing access to Cold Spring Harbor, the village of Oyster Bay and Bayville, Oyster Bay provides a host of places to see and things to do but be prepared to either rent a mooring or anchor because there are relatively no transient berths available. Moorings are available from Sagamore Yacht Club (631 922 055) or Oyster Bay Marine Center (631 922 6331). There are lots of places to anchor in West Harbor but you will need a dinghy because there will be no launch service. West harbor however is great for swimming and usually has quite a few cruisers anchored out over weekends. Beware however that if you take your dinghy to shore, do not leave it because it will likely "walk away" like mine did late in the summer of 1995. That baby just disappeared and I never saw it again and it was not a light dinghy. The home of Teddy Roosevelt and the infamous Typhoid Mary and Captain Kid, Oyster Bay has a colorful past. Originally inhabited by the Matinecock Indians, Oyster Bay was settled by the Dutch in 1615. During the revolution, Oyster Bay contained a large number of Tories (loyalists) and housed the British Army during its occupation of New York. It was also the center for one of the largest spy rings (which included Nathan Hale) spying on the British. Let by Robert Townsend (whose home Raynham Hall) they uncovered the plot by Benedict Arnold to turn over West Point to the British. As noted above the most famous resident, and the only President from Long Island, Theodore Roosevelt, resided at Sagamore Hill in Cove Neck. During his two-term presidency, which began in 1901, Sagamore Hill served as the summer White House. Both Sagamore Hill and Raynham Hall are now opened to the public. The waterfront of Oyster Bay is actually rather disappointing. Unlike other harbors further east on LI Sound, such as Huntington, Northport and Port Jefferson, Oyster Bay has very few services and facilities on the waterfront. As noted above you can moor but there is no dock space. You can take a launch in to shore but then you must hike into town through an area that seems shabby, rundown and just plain ugly. At night it is dark a little scary. Once in the village however it is rather quaint with shops and restaurants. Some restaurants to try are Uwe's 631 922-5044, Canterbury Ales (mostly burgers but lots of beers) (631) 922-3614 and Laura's at 631 624 7100. Getting into Oyster Bay Harbor is quite easy as it is so large. Just follow the green and red navigational buoys and you should be ok. Do not try to cut corners by following local boats because there are some hidden obstructions that can get you in trouble. Most notably is Morris Rock, a little east of Lloyd Point. Some locals will cut inside of it to save on time and currents. My advice is to stay outside and go to gong 15 (if coming from the East) before turning South. On the northwest of Lloyd Point you will note masts rising above the shoreline. This is a local gunkhole called the Sandpit and it is great for anchoring and swimming. The only problem is that it is not very well marked and very confusing to get into. My advice is that you should hail someone before entering to find out if they are local and know the way, then follow them. You have to go in between the shore and a stretch of rocks, then make a sharp turn to port around the point. It is very shallow here and you might not make it at low tide if you draw more than 4 feet. For more information on Oyster Bay visit the Oyster Bay website at http://www.oysterbayli.com/.
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Huntington Northport Port Jefferson Marinas and Boatyards
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