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19-655: It connects the Great South Bay with the Atlantic Ocean , passing between Robert Moses State Park (the western end of Fire Island ) on the south and Oak Beach and Captree State Park (the eastern end of Jones Beach Island ) on the north. The inlet is directly south of West Islip , the nearest town on the main part of Long Island. Fire Island Inlet has evolved over the years due to natural processes, especially longshore drift . Jones Island and Fire Island at one time were connected. The Fire Island Light

38-648: A number of ongoing public meetings discussing the future of the Inlet. All the other breaches were closed by the Army Corps of Engineers. In 2012, The Save the Great South Bay (STGSB) not-for-profit organization was formed in order to work towards better conservation of the water and its beachfronts. Save The Great South Bay has raised awareness of boat sewage dumping in The Great South Bay as

57-514: A popular 4x4 fishing area. It is also the site of extensive preserves for the area's birds. 40°37′49″N 73°18′31″W  /  40.630239°N 73.308549°W  / 40.630239; -73.308549 Great South Bay The Great South Bay is a lagoon situated between Long Island and Fire Island , in the State of New York . It is about 45 miles (72 km) long and has an average depth of 4 feet 3 inches (1.3 m) and

76-464: A serious ecological concern. 40°41′25″N 73°06′07″W  /  40.69028°N 73.10194°W  / 40.69028; -73.10194 Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness Fire Island National Seashore (FINS) is a United States National Seashore that protects a 26-mile (42 km) section of Fire Island , an approximately 30-mile (48 km) long and 0.5-mile (0.80 km) wide barrier island separated from Long Island by

95-499: Is 20 feet (6.1 m) at its deepest. It is protected from the Atlantic Ocean by Fire Island , a barrier island , as well as the eastern end of Jones Beach Island and Captree Island . The Robert Moses Causeway adjoins the Great South Bay Bridge , which leads to Robert Moses State Park . The bay is accessible from the ocean through Fire Island Inlet , which lies between the western tip of Fire Island and

114-613: Is approximately seven miles (11 km) long and located on the eastern side of Fire Island. The United States Congress designated the Otis Pike High Dune Wilderness Area in 1980. The wilderness area is named for former New York Congressman Otis G. Pike , who co-sponsored the bill which created the Fire Island National Seashore and worked hard to secure public support and the legislation's passage through Congress to establish

133-506: The Great South Bay . The island is part of New York State's Suffolk County and the Outer Barrier . There are 17 private communities within the boundaries of Fire Island National Seashore including Saltaire , Fire Island Pines , and Ocean Beach . Only two bridges lead to Fire Island and the national seashore and there are no public roads within the seashore itself. The Robert Moses Causeway leads to Robert Moses State Park on

152-612: The bay. After roughly 75 years, the bay began flushing itself out which may improve the water condition within the bay. Regulations set forth by the US Government National Wildlife Preserve, which has a seven-mile stretch of land (the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness ) prohibit any unauthorized parties from performing any kind of man-made changes, thus the inlet has remained open. There have been

171-635: The breach's formation, along with repopulation of fish and clams that had been absent from the bay for decades due to pollution. Officials moved to close two breaches which formed on either side of Moriches Inlet following Hurricane Sandy — one in Cupsogue Beach County Park and the other in Smith Point County Park. A draft plan for action was scheduled to be released in summer 2016. The National Park Service ultimately decided not to take any action and instead let

190-483: The breach. Contingency plans put in place to manage breaches within the wilderness area called for initial monitoring of the breach; as of 2014, the breach has stabilized and monitoring continues. Some residents have called for closure of the breach, due to perceived increases in flooding after the breach's opening. However, the breach has been responsible for increased water quality in Great South Bay, which had been becoming increasingly polluted by suburban runoff prior to

209-608: The eastern tip of Jones Beach Island. The bay adjoins South Oyster Bay on its western end, and Patchogue and Moriches bays at the east end. In the early 17th century, European settlers first encountered the native Montaukett Indian Nation. Among the earliest British families were the Smith, Carman and Hewlett families. Long Island's South Shore, adjacent to the bay, now includes the communities of Lindenhurst , Babylon , Islip , Oakdale , Sayville , Bayport , Blue Point , Patchogue , Bellport , Shirley , and Mastic Beach . In

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228-627: The home and estate of William Floyd , an American Revolutionary War general and a signer of the Declaration of Independence . The William Floyd House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is located in Mastic Beach, New York . The Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness , also known as Fire Island Wilderness , is a 1,380-acre (5.6 km ; 2.16 sq mi) wilderness area on Fire Island. It

247-415: The largest storm to affect the region since 1938 , made landfall with devastating impact to Fire Island seashores, including multiple breaches. The largest of these was at Old Inlet , south of Bellport. Residents were concerned it would have effects on tidal increases and potential flooding, but it has allowed the bay to relieve some of its captive water, which has improved the salinity and nitrogen levels in

266-532: The late nineteenth century Great South Bay provided many of the clams consumed throughout the region and even the country. The first oysters to be exported from the US to Europe came from Great South Bay. The Great South Bay has, at least since the end of the Ice Age, been home to many generations of horseshoe crabs. By the latter 20th century, a significant percentage of the habitat was lost. Hurricane Sandy in 2012,

285-680: The new national park. It is the only federally designated wilderness area in New York State and one of the smallest wilderness areas managed by the National Park Service . The wilderness includes pine forests, grassy wetlands, and dunes that serve as habitat for white-tailed deer, herons and migratory waterfowl. The wilderness area does not technically include the beaches that face the Atlantic Ocean. Hiking, back-country camping, and fishing access are available within

304-516: The western end of Fire Island while the William Floyd Parkway leads to the eastern end of the island. The seashore can also be accessed by private boat or by ferry from the communities of Patchogue , Sayville , and Bay Shore on Long Island. Fire Island National Seashore was established as a unit of the National Park Service on September 11, 1964. A separate unit of Fire Island National Seashore located on Long Island protects

323-460: The wilderness. Access to the Otis G. Pike Wilderness can be obtained either from Watch Hill (which is accessible seasonally by ferry or private boat) or Smith Point County Park , accessible year round by car or bus. The Wilderness Visitor Center is located on the eastern edge of the wilderness, adjacent to Smith Point County Park. Privately owned Bellport Beach is located near the central area of

342-634: The wilderness. Old Inlet, just west of Smith Point County Park in the wilderness, has been the site of breaches of Fire Island causing the Atlantic Ocean to join with the Great South Bay . The most recent breach occurred during the high tides associated with Hurricane Sandy in October 2012. The breach was 276 feet (84 m) wide on the Atlantic side a week after the storm and 856 feet (261 m) wide on April 5, 2013. National Park Service officials have been debating whether to take action to close

361-492: Was at the mouth of the inlet when built in 1825, but is now five miles (8.0 km) east of the inlet. The northwest side of the mouth of the inlet is known as the Sore Thumb, and is a man-made barrier that was created to try to combat the extensive erosion of the beaches inside the inlet. The southeast side of the mouth of the inlet is known as Democrat Point and is known as a popular surfing spot for beach goers, as well as

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