Fire Island Inlet

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Map of Fire Island Inlet Fire Isl-inlet Map.jpg
Map of Fire Island Inlet

Fire Island Inlet is an inlet on the south shore of Long Island, New York.

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. [1] Jones Island and Fire Island at one time were connected.[ citation needed ]

The Fire Island Light was at the mouth of the inlet when built in 1825, but is now five miles (8.0 km) east of the inlet. [1]

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.

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The Fire Island Inlet Bridge, an integral part of the Robert Moses Causeway, is a two-lane, steel tied arch span with a concrete deck that carries the parkway over Fire Island Inlet.

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Jones Inlet is located at the westernmost end of the 17-mile (27 km) long Jones Beach barrier island that runs along Long Island's south shore. The inlet separates Jones Beach State Park's West End from the community of Point Lookout and connects South Oyster Bay with the Atlantic Ocean. In 2006, the inlet handled approximately 10,000 tons of commercial tonnage.

Captree is a census-designated place (CDP) in the towns of Islip and Babylon in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It occupies Captree Island in Great South Bay, as well as the east end of Jones Beach Island to the south, comprising Captree State Park. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census. Prior to that it was part of the Oak Beach–Captree CDP.

References

  1. 1 2 "Robert Moses State Park/Fire Island National Seashore". Geology of National Parks. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved November 22, 2015.

40°37′49″N73°18′31″W / 40.630239°N 73.308549°W / 40.630239; -73.308549