Peconic Bay
Encyclopedia
The Peconic Bay is the parent name for two bay
s between the North Fork
and South Fork
of Long Island
in the U.S. state
of New York
. It is separated from Gardiners Bay
by Shelter Island
.
Peconic Bay is divided by Robins Island
into the Great Peconic Bay on the west and Little Peconic Bay. Great Peconic is a shallow bay, less than 30 feet (9 m), while Little Peconic can have depths over 80 feet (25 m). The west end of Great Peconic Bay is also called Flanders Bay. The Shinnecock Canal
provides access from the Great Peconic Bay to Shinnecock Bay. The two Peconic Bays are often collectively referred to as "the Peconics".
The Peconics are a tidal estuary system fed at the western end by the Peconic River
. Other notable tidal estuary creeks which provide brackish water
to the system are Meeting House Creek, Brushes Creek, James Creek, and Deep Hole Creek on the North Fork. These and others bring lesser salinty to the water compared to the Atlantic Ocean. For that reason, the clams, oysters and bay scallops were numerous for generations since they require brackish water and the bountiful phyto and zooplankton
which give the system its first tier of life. Reseeding of shellfish in 2005 and 2006 and leasing of the bottom to commercial farmers for clams and oysters have given rise to hope for the ecosystem.
The winter flounder fishing usually caught in the spring has all but collapsed, but fluke (summer flounder), bluefish
, porgy (scup) and some northern weakfish
are to be found, using clams, squid and spearing for bait. Snappers (young spawned bluefish of the year) give youngsters a real thrill in late summer. August is a time of blue claw crabbing and recent catches 2006 and 2007 in the inlets and creeks have been bountiful.
A boaters' paradise for its calm waters in summer and fresh sou'westers in late afternoon for sailing has become a popular vacation spot for New Yorkers and East coasters.
Peconic Bay gives its name to the proposed Peconic County, New York
, which would comprise the eastern portion of existing Suffolk County that surrounds Peconic Bay. While this movement to split Suffolk County along economic lines (the Western portion is more suburban in character, while the Eastern portion is more rural) has a long history, it has not been active since 1998.
Bay
A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight...
s between the North Fork
North Fork, Suffolk County, New York
The North Fork is a 30-mile-long peninsula in the northeast part of Suffolk County, New York, roughly parallel with an even longer peninsula known as the South Fork...
and South Fork
South Fork, Suffolk County, New York
The South Fork of Suffolk County, New York, United States is a peninsula in the southeast part of the county on the South Shore of Long Island. The South Fork includes most of the Hamptons. The shorter, more northerly peninsula is known as the North Fork....
of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It is separated from Gardiners Bay
Gardiners Bay
Gardiners Bay is a small arm of the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 10 mi long and 8 mi wide in the U.S. state of New York between the two flukelike peninsulas at the eastern end of Long Island...
by Shelter Island
Shelter Island (town), New York
Shelter Island is a town and island at the eastern end of Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. It forms the tip of Suffolk County and is separated from the rest of the county by water. The population was 2,228 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
.
Peconic Bay is divided by Robins Island
Robins Island
Robins Island is a undeveloped island in Peconic Bay by the eastern end of Long Island off the coast of New Suffolk, New York. The island is privately owned and not accessible to the public and is within the jurisdiction of the Town of Southold in Suffolk County, New York in the USA.- History...
into the Great Peconic Bay on the west and Little Peconic Bay. Great Peconic is a shallow bay, less than 30 feet (9 m), while Little Peconic can have depths over 80 feet (25 m). The west end of Great Peconic Bay is also called Flanders Bay. The Shinnecock Canal
Shinnecock Canal
The Shinnecock Canal is a canal that cuts across the South Fork of Long Island at Hampton Bays, New York. At long, it connects Great Peconic Bay and the north fork of Long Island with Shinnecock Bay and the Atlantic Ocean...
provides access from the Great Peconic Bay to Shinnecock Bay. The two Peconic Bays are often collectively referred to as "the Peconics".
The Peconics are a tidal estuary system fed at the western end by the Peconic River
Peconic River
The Peconic River is a river in Long Island's Suffolk County, New York in the United States. The river is located in the eastern end of Long Island...
. Other notable tidal estuary creeks which provide brackish water
Brackish water
Brackish water is water that has more salinity than fresh water, but not as much as seawater. It may result from mixing of seawater with fresh water, as in estuaries, or it may occur in brackish fossil aquifers. The word comes from the Middle Dutch root "brak," meaning "salty"...
to the system are Meeting House Creek, Brushes Creek, James Creek, and Deep Hole Creek on the North Fork. These and others bring lesser salinty to the water compared to the Atlantic Ocean. For that reason, the clams, oysters and bay scallops were numerous for generations since they require brackish water and the bountiful phyto and zooplankton
Zooplankton
Zooplankton are heterotrophic plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water. The word "zooplankton" is derived from the Greek zoon , meaning "animal", and , meaning "wanderer" or "drifter"...
which give the system its first tier of life. Reseeding of shellfish in 2005 and 2006 and leasing of the bottom to commercial farmers for clams and oysters have given rise to hope for the ecosystem.
The winter flounder fishing usually caught in the spring has all but collapsed, but fluke (summer flounder), bluefish
Bluefish
The bluefish , called tailor in Australia, is a species of popular marine gamefish found in all climates. It is the sole species of the Pomatomidae family....
, porgy (scup) and some northern weakfish
Weakfish
The weakfish, Cynoscion regalis, is a marine fish of the drum family Sciaenidae.The head and back of this fish are dark brown in color with a greenish tinge. The sides have a faint silvery hue with dusky specks, and the belly is white. The origin of its name is based on the weakness of the mouth...
are to be found, using clams, squid and spearing for bait. Snappers (young spawned bluefish of the year) give youngsters a real thrill in late summer. August is a time of blue claw crabbing and recent catches 2006 and 2007 in the inlets and creeks have been bountiful.
A boaters' paradise for its calm waters in summer and fresh sou'westers in late afternoon for sailing has become a popular vacation spot for New Yorkers and East coasters.
Peconic Bay gives its name to the proposed Peconic County, New York
Peconic County, New York
Peconic County is a proposed new county in New York that would secede the five easternmost towns of Suffolk County: East Hampton, Riverhead, Shelter Island, Southampton and Southold, plus the Shinnecock Indian Reservation....
, which would comprise the eastern portion of existing Suffolk County that surrounds Peconic Bay. While this movement to split Suffolk County along economic lines (the Western portion is more suburban in character, while the Eastern portion is more rural) has a long history, it has not been active since 1998.
External links
- Peconic Bay Anglers- A fishing club dedicated to anglers of the Peconic Bays and surrounding waters.
- Images
- Nautical chart of Great Peconic Bay