Fire Island Inlet is an
inlet on the south shore of
Long Island,
New York.
It connects the
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 long and has an average depth of 4 feet 3 inches and is 20 feet at its deepest. It is protected from the Atlantic Ocean by Fire ...
with the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
, passing between
Robert Moses State Park (the western end of
Fire Island) on the south and
Oak Beach
Oak Beach is a small community and census-designated place located near the eastern end of Jones Beach Island, a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and the Great South Bay of Long Island. The community is part of the village of Babylon in ...
and
Captree State Park (the eastern end of
Jones Beach Island
Jones Beach Island is one of the outer barrier islands off the southern coast of Long Island in the U.S. state of New York.
Etymology
It is named for Major Thomas Jones, who first came to Long Island in 1692, where he proceeded to build the ...
) 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 was at the mouth of the inlet when built in 1825, but is now 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 a popular 4x4 fishing area. It is also the site of extensive preserves for the area's birds.
]
References
External links
Army profile of inlet
{{Authority control
Babylon (town), New York
Fire Island, New York
Inlets of New York (state)
Bodies of water of Suffolk County, New York