East End Journey: Timing the Barriers to Long Island’s Top Destinations

Sailing from the populous western end of the Long Island Sound to The East End is a long haul that ends with a potentially dramatic passage through fast-moving currents off the tip of Long Island’s North Fork.

0
Sailing from the populous western end of the Long Island Sound to The East End is a long haul that ends with a potentially dramatic passage through fast-moving currents off the tip of Long Island’s North Fork. (Image/ Apple Maps)

The East End of New York’s Long Island shelters within its North and South “forks” popular cruising destinations including Greenport, Shelter Island, Sag Harbor, and Montauk. What keeps many sailors hailing from the populous western end of the Long Island Sound (The Sound) from ever reaching these destinations is the sheer length of this tidal estuary, at nearly 80 nautical miles. Then there’s the psychological and very real nautical challenge of passing through Plum Gut or The Race.

To continue reading this article or issue you must be a paid member.

Join Practical Sailor

Get full access to Practical-Sailor.com – more than 4,000 articles – for just $34.
Join today and save 42% off our full price.
Already a member?
| Forgot your password? | Activate Web Access
Doug Henschen
Doug Henschen has been sailing in and around the waters of the lower Hudson River, New York Harbor, and the Long Island Sound since the 1980s. A career editor and journalist, Doug served as associate editor and managing editor of The Waterway Guide from 1984 until 1987 and as executive editor of Boating Industry magazine from 1990 to 1996. Doug is a member of Sail America and is American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) certified on Marine Systems, Marine Electrical, Corrosion Mitigation, Disaster Avoidance, Outboard Repowering Considerations, and Boatyard Basics.