The Cuban Ledge, New York
Encyclopedia
The Cuban Ledge, New York is a reef
composed chiefly of sand
and small rocks in Eastchester Bay
, The Bronx
, in Long Island Sound
. It is located between Rodman's Neck and Country Club in Eastchester Bay
and only appears during periods of low-tide.
The reef was allegedly created when a large barge
carrying sand and gravel ran aground on a shoal
. A salvage crew was mounted there and the barge was rescued, but much of the sand and gravel it was carrying needed to be removed in order to aid the rescue. The workers dumped the sand and rock overboard to get the barge off the shoal, thus forming the reef.
The origin of the name Cuban Ledge is not truly known, however a number of theories do exist. One story stipulates that a ship by the name of the Cuban Lady ran aground on the reef. Another suggests that the ledge bears a striking resemblance to the outline of the Island nation of Cuba.
It is used by local fishermen not only for fishing, but for digging for worms at low tide.
Reef
In nautical terminology, a reef is a rock, sandbar, or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water ....
composed chiefly of sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
and small rocks in Eastchester Bay
Eastchester Bay
Eastchester Bay is a protected body of water between City Island and the mainland Bronx, New York. Technically, it is a sound, not a bay, since it is open to larger bodies of water at both ends. The northern end connects via a narrow channel to Pelham Bay...
, The Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, in Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
. It is located between Rodman's Neck and Country Club in Eastchester Bay
Eastchester Bay
Eastchester Bay is a protected body of water between City Island and the mainland Bronx, New York. Technically, it is a sound, not a bay, since it is open to larger bodies of water at both ends. The northern end connects via a narrow channel to Pelham Bay...
and only appears during periods of low-tide.
The reef was allegedly created when a large barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
carrying sand and gravel ran aground on a shoal
Shoal
Shoal, shoals or shoaling may mean:* Shoal, a sandbank or reef creating shallow water, especially where it forms a hazard to shipping* Shoal draught , of a boat with shallow draught which can pass over some shoals: see Draft...
. A salvage crew was mounted there and the barge was rescued, but much of the sand and gravel it was carrying needed to be removed in order to aid the rescue. The workers dumped the sand and rock overboard to get the barge off the shoal, thus forming the reef.
The origin of the name Cuban Ledge is not truly known, however a number of theories do exist. One story stipulates that a ship by the name of the Cuban Lady ran aground on the reef. Another suggests that the ledge bears a striking resemblance to the outline of the Island nation of Cuba.
It is used by local fishermen not only for fishing, but for digging for worms at low tide.