Shinnecock Canal
Entering the Peconics from the southwest through Shinnecock Canal, you are in Great Peconic as soon as you leave the Canal. On your way through, you will undoubtedly have unstopped and restepped your mast at the facilities along the east bank and checked the commercial marina facilities and the county boat basin. There are restaurants along the canal banks as well as access by taxi to the Hamptons nightspots. It's the most "civilized" part of the areas bordering the Great and Little Peconics.

Sebonac Creek
However, you're here primarily for the "big getaway" - so enter Great Peconic and leave civilization behind. If you have spent the night in Shinnecock and the southerly has not as yet arrived, explore Sebonac Creek and Bullhead Bay. The entrance, marked by privately maintained aids, N "2" and C " 1", is 2 ah miles east of the canal along the south shore past the big windmill and gabled house crowning the Hampton Hills. The channel is sufficient, although boats drawing over 4 feet should avoid entering and leaving at low tide. Inside the creek are anchorage's and docks and a series of attractive coves and creeks to explore by dinghy.

North Sea Harbor
Well inside this spacious yet shallow harbor lies Conscience Point, where the Southampton Town founders first landed in 1640. This of course has bred a good-natured rivalry between the Townships of Southold and Southampton as to which is the oldest East End Town! Dockage, fuel, pumpout and a restaurant are available here. If anchoring, beware of the shallow mudflats!

Noyac Bay
Heading back out east between Cedar Beach and Jessups there is a great snug anchorage on the South Fork just east of Jessup Necks on the south shore of Noyac Bay in Mill Creek. From here you can explore Morton Wildlife Preserve on Jessups, where in the cooler months chickadees will eat right out of your hands, or Trout Pond, a good spot for some freshwater swimming! Sandy beaches for swimming and windsurfing, excellent dining and good cruising accommodations make this a great stop-over for cruisers.

West Neck Harbor, Shelter Island
Across the way on Shelter Island is West Neck Harbor. Make sure you stay between the end of Shell Beach sandbar and Nun 2 on your way in and out! This is a favorite anchorage with well-protected good holding in the southern end of the harbor for transients, or slips and full cruising accommodations at the Island Boatyard. West Neck Harbor is a scenic spot and is also an important site for Brown Tide research as it has been known to be one of the areas the algal bloom is first sited in Brown Tide years.

Sag Harbor
Zig-zagging your way east back across the narrow Shelter Island Sound to the South Fork, you'll come to one of the East End's major cruising ports, Sag Harbor. Sag Harbor has long been a favorite village of ours, with its proud whaling heritage. We love mooring here on those rainy cruising days, as it has a profusion of inland diversions that most of the other rustic East End harbors do not - from Whaling Museums, monuments and Sea Captains' homes to unique stores, The Bay Street Theater, fine restaurants and clubs, and a movie theatre. Inside the breakwater are town moorings, a dinghy dock and slips, and the full service Sag Harbor Yacht Club and Malloy Waterfront Marina. Up in Sag Harbor Cove, just beyond the fixed 20' high bridge, are additional amenities, slips and hotels.

Majors Harbor & Northwest Harbor
Two anchorage's near Sag Harbor that are stunningly beautiful but with no amenities and no shore landing are Majors Harbor, nestled in the Mashomack Preserve on Shelter Island, and Northwest Harbor, just south of Cedar Point and East of Sag Harbor on the South Fork. These are the perfect places to get away from it all! East Enders have worked hard to preserve them with help from The Nature Conservancy (Mashomack) and the Town of East Hampton.

Coecles Harbor, Shelter Island
The eastern-most harbor on Shelter Island is another one of the Marriners' favorites, with the beauty of Mashomack Preserve, the convenience of Coecles Harbor Marina and Boatyard, and our all-time favorite restaurant and Inn, The Ram's Head Inn. Coecles Harbor Marina, impressive in the number of Hinckleys and other fine yachts that it maintains, is at the western end of the harbor and has about 25 transient moorings in seven foot depths and rental slips at six-foot depths as well as all the other amenities a cruiser could want. The owners have received a grant through the Peconic Estuary Program to transform their marina and boatyard into an ecologically sound state-of-the-art marina. Their proposal also includes an educational segment to instruct other marine-based businesses on how they can do the same! They have also partnered with the noted singer/composer Billy Joel in creating and building a 38 'classic style runabout that's selling like hotcakes. That's a pretty interesting operation, needless to say! With the exquisite Ram's Head Inn within a dinghy trip away, this Is a perfectly fabulous spot for those very special occasions - which, of course, are every day if you're on a cruise!!

Three Mile Harbor
East Hampton Village lies three miles from the head of this harbor, thus the name of this two mile long harbor which is just made for the cruiser! The eastern side is lined with marinas while the western and northern shores remain a natural paradise of marsh and beach, hills and forest. Excellent anchorage is available with 9' - 12' depth in the south end. The first Marina upon entering the harbor is the Harbor Marina of East Hampton. This is owned by the Mendelman family who are active members of PEP CAC, with father Dick and daughter Lynn acting as part of the writing team, and daughter Diane working as the graphic artist on this Guide. Transients are welcome here at this full service yard and the restaurant upstairs serves great seafood and spectacular views! Up the harbor are the Maidstone Harbor and Restaurant, East Hampton Point Marina and Restaurant, Shagwong Marina, Halsey's Marina, Gardiners Marina, and Three Mile Harbor Boatyard. As you can see this is the place to come if you're cruising the East End!

Montauk
Last (or first, depending on whether you explored the North or South Fork first!) port before heading back out to sea is the fishing capital of the East End. As a young child Gayle would beg to go Montauk to watch the fish being cleaned, and to eat at the old Montauk Yacht Club! Though crowded in mid-summer, Montauk is still divinely like being at the end of the earth in the autumn, winter and spring months! Docking and everything your heart could desire is available in this busy harbor at the new Montauk Yacht Club Resort & Marina on the east of Star Island. For a quieter stay try the Montauk Lake Club & Marina, but only if you draw 6' or less. The west side of Star Island is the hardcore fishing center where most boats sport outriggers and the like. This is most certainly a fisherman's heaven!

As you can see from this guide, the Peconic Estuary is a place sure to generate memories you will treasure for the rest of your life. We Marriners are living testimonials that the Peconics will forever inspire the mind, heal the body and exalt the souls of all who are fortunate enough to sail them. When you do discover them, please treat them with the respect they deserve. Enjoy your cruise; and when you leave, take with you only memories...and leave no traces behind.

Jeanne Marriner and Gayle Marriner-Smith

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