Moriches Bay Conditions?

Each year we travel northeast from the Great South Bay, which means taking the desired route inside to the Peconic or taking the Fire Island Inlet and taking the ocean route east to Shinnecock Inlet. The last couple of years the shoaling in Moriches Bay around the Coast Guard Station has made us take the Fire Island option.

We're looking to travel northeast again this year in about 2 weeks. Does anyone know the current condition Moriches Bay around buoys 16 - 30? Our draft is 3' 8".

IntoTheBlue said:

Each year we travel northeast from the Great South Bay, which means taking the desired route inside to the Peconic or taking the Fire Island Inlet and taking the ocean route east to Shinnecock Inlet. The last couple of years the shoaling in Moriches Bay around the Coast Guard Station has made us take the Fire Island option.

We're looking to travel northeast again this year in about 2 weeks. Does anyone know the current condition Moriches Bay around buoys 16 - 30? Our draft is 3' 8".

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Go out FI!


And PS-my brother lives 2 or 3 houses down (north) from Dowling. Lobster boat "DOCTARI"...

Moriches Bay

While I don’t know the current conditions (and yes it was bad last year); everytime I do go through I call the towBoat Us captain and he gives me the latest run down. He has even texted me his tracks which were very helpful.

Good luck

Ron

We won't be out that way on our shallow draft boat for a bit so while we can't directly report, this LNM still stands and 27, 28 and 29 have been discontinued if we understand correctly.

>>Severe shoaling is present in Moriches Bay along the Long Island Intracoastal Waterway in the vicinity of Moriches Bay Buoys 24, 26, 27, 28, and 29 extending the entire width of the channel at nearly all tide levels. The area from Buoys 24 to 29 is only navigable at the operator’s risk. The most severe area of shoaling can be found between buoys 26 and 28 and is less than half the charted channel depth in some areas. Mariners should be aware that the Aids to Navigation in these areas are unreliable due to shoaling and mariners are strongly advised to seek alternate routes.<<

ronbo404 said:

While I don’t know the current conditions (and yes it was bad last year); everytime I do go through I call the towBoat Us captain and he gives me the latest run down. He has even texted me his tracks which were very helpful.

Good luck

Ron

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I have called BoatUS there as well, especially back in the years when they moved the channel north and then south around the inlet. That brings up a question. I have a friend who once contacted BoatUS (in sight) on VHF and asked the captain to guide him through the shoaled area. In exchange he offered to act as if it was a tow, being a member of BoatUS, which the captain accepted. Not going into whether that's wrong or right, I wonder if that shouldn't be an option offered by BoatUS and/or SeaTow. Maybe a different rate for a precautionary guide. Just a thought.

Thanks for your reply.

Cruzer said:

We won't be out that way on our shallow draft boat for a bit so while we can't directly report, this LNM still stands and 27, 28 and 29 have been discontinued if we understand correctly.

>>Severe shoaling is present in Moriches Bay along the Long Island Intracoastal Waterway in the vicinity of Moriches Bay Buoys 24, 26, 27, 28, and 29 extending the entire width of the channel at nearly all tide levels. The area from Buoys 24 to 29 is only navigable at the operator’s risk. The most severe area of shoaling can be found between buoys 26 and 28 and is less than half the charted channel depth in some areas. Mariners should be aware that the Aids to Navigation in these areas are unreliable due to shoaling and mariners are strongly advised to seek alternate routes.<<

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Thanks, sort of what I was expecting. So Fire Island Inlet it is. We'll just pick a calm day.

Birdman said:

Go out FI!


And PS-my brother lives 2 or 3 houses down (north) from Dowling. Lobster boat "DOCTARI"...

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Yes, I am familiar with DOCTARI. Small world!

Definitely going via Fire Island Inlet. Was hoping that something may have changed. Thanks!

IntoTheBlue said:

I have called BoatUS there as well, especially back in the years when they moved the channel north and then south around the inlet. That brings up a question. I have a friend who once contacted BoatUS (in sight) on VHF and asked the captain to guide him through the shoaled area. In exchange he offered to act as if it was a tow, being a member of BoatUS, which the captain accepted. Not going into whether that's wrong or right, I wonder if that shouldn't be an option offered by BoatUS and/or SeaTow. Maybe a different rate for a precautionary guide. Just a thought.

Thanks for your reply.

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Both Seatow and BoatUS will guide you thru those trouble areas when they are out there (which during season they are both almost always sittiing in Moriches bay) as long as you are a member. It's part of the membership...

IntoTheBlue said:

Thanks, sort of what I was expecting. So Fire Island Inlet it is. We'll just pick a calm day.

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You can also go out Morriches Inlet, as that was not to bad last year (I have yet to get out there yet this year). You can sneak right out the east side jetty heading south-east on calm days or head south-west about 1/4 mile west of the west jetty if there is a swell breaking on the east side. But FI is much easier if your not comfortable with possibly punching thru a few swells on the outside bar.

Cruzer said:

We won't be out that way on our shallow draft boat for a bit so while we can't directly report, this LNM still stands and 27, 28 and 29 have been discontinued if we understand correctly.

>>Severe shoaling is present in Moriches Bay along the Long Island Intracoastal Waterway in the vicinity of Moriches Bay Buoys 24, 26, 27, 28, and 29 extending the entire width of the channel at nearly all tide levels. The area from Buoys 24 to 29 is only navigable at the operator’s risk. The most severe area of shoaling can be found between buoys 26 and 28 and is less than half the charted channel depth in some areas. Mariners should be aware that the Aids to Navigation in these areas are unreliable due to shoaling and mariners are strongly advised to seek alternate routes.<<

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That has read that way for years now for the most part.

IntoTheBlue said:

Yes, I am familiar with DOCTARI. Small world!

Definitely going via Fire Island Inlet. Was hoping that something may have changed. Thanks!

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I've seen your boat a few times around town.... I'm also searching for 38 to 43' downeast boat. Legacy, Eastbay, Sabre,... might even looks a Mainship. How do you like it, and how is it powered?


I've been waffling between a full blown express style to a fast trawler, to a downright trawler.... can't make up my mind. But have always eyeballed the downeast express boats, and that is what the wife mostly wants, so I think that will be the route we take. I had a 30 Rampage I sold in the fall, "MACHRIA".

I've seen your boat a few times around town.... I'm also searching for 38 to 43' downeast boat. Legacy, Eastbay, Sabre,... might even looks a Mainship. How do you like it, and how is it powered?


I've been waffling between a full blown express style to a fast trawler, to a downright trawler.... can't make up my mind. But have always eyeballed the downeast express boats, and that is what the wife mostly wants, so I think that will be the route we take. I had a 30 Rampage I sold in the fall, "MACHRIA".[/QUOTE]

I've had a "downright Trawler" (390), a Downeast (Pilot 34) and currently in our Pilot 43. All Mainships. I really enjoyed the 390 Trawler, except we had it at the wrong time of life. We were still working and had less time for getaways. Now, we're retired, have more time and have a Downeast Trawler. So, the first part - Real Trawler vs. Fast Trawler or Express really depends on where you are and what you want to do. Trade off - fuel for the most part.

That being said, we have enjoyed our Pilot 43 immensely. Now that we're retired we take 2-3 month getaways, living on the boat, very comfortably. The large beam offers extra room all around the boat (makes it a great party boat as well). It has been reliable, cruises at 16-18 knots with twin 440 HP Yanmars. The hull is not a true Trawler displacement hull, but stable in slow speeds. I do like the Pilot version of the Mainship 43 more than the T43 Trawler version (I took that one up from St. Augustine (factory) to Bay Shore.

Mainships are great boats, with no complaints except for "fit and finish" issues that Mainship was always to lack in. If fit and finish, quality woodworking, etc. means a lot to you, a Sabre, Eastbay, etc would be the way to go. I do highly recommend Mainships. I've had 3 and was happy with each.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the great insight...

Ahhh Moriches Bay. Brings back memories. When I was a kid and just certified, my buddy and I would scuba dive there off my uncle’s clam boat. On a very very good day we had about 12 inches of visibility. However the usual distance was from the faceplate of our masks to our eyeballs [emoji102] haha

The water may have been only a few feet deep, but we had grand adventures!

Heading out in 2 weeks to Greenport from Patchogue
So what is the correct exit out of the inlet. I have a 34 trawler Mainship with a 3.4 draft...
there are so many suggestions?

SILENTKNIGHT said:

Heading out in 2 weeks to Greenport from Patchogue
So what is the correct exit out of the inlet. I have a 34 trawler Mainship with a 3.4 draft...
there are so many suggestions?

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We avoided Moriches altogether when taking our boat out to Orient about a month ago. Ended up taking the Fire Island Inlet. We're from Oakdale, so although this added just over an hour to our trip, coming from Patchogue may make this not an option. I would check with the local BoatUS or SeaTow. I do not use the Moriches Inlet anymore.

I would be interested to hear how it went.

Enjoy!

SILENTKNIGHT said:

Heading out in 2 weeks to Greenport from Patchogue
So what is the correct exit out of the inlet. I have a 34 trawler Mainship with a 3.4 draft...
there are so many suggestions?

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1st, ignore any of the “suggestions” from last year. I’ve been out moriches a few times the last month, so here is my observations: Forget going thru the bay route to west hampton. Is shoaled in really bad, buoys removed, don’t even attempt it. To go out the Inlet, there are 2 routes you can take. The first is the east side, just past the east jetty (and sandbar in the inlet along the jetty), turn left and head south-east straight out. This method can only be done when there is little to no swell. The 2nd way is to go out the jetty’s, and turn right (west), go about 1/4 mile west along beach and then turn left (south) and head straight out past the breakers. You will see a break in the breaking waves as you go west, where the deeper water is. Do not go too far west, as it gets shallow about 1/2 mile west of the jetty, but it’s easy to see as the waves are breaking at that spot. So your basically punching out between the inlet, and the sandbar about 1/2 mile west of the inlet. Pick the cleanest water and go.

I WOULD RECOMMEND BOTH of these are attempted at or close to high tide in order to minimize swell/waves breaking. And definitely not during outgoing tide, which can get messy.

On calm days, it’s not bad at all.

Thank Birdman for the voice of confidence!

Birdman, do you suggest i cut in @ Buoy 15 south thru Moriches bay? or continue to buoy 23 and then south around the bend from there?

SILENTKNIGHT said:

Birdman, do you suggest i cut in @ Buoy 15 south thru Moriches bay? or continue to buoy 23 and then south around the bend from there?

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At Green 15, actually even a bit before it bear right directly toward the inlet, there is a green and red about 1/2 way to the inlet from there, stay between them. As you get close to the bay side of the inlet, stay close to the rocks and enter the inlet going around the corner of rocks. Sorry, hard thing to describe properly... From 15 into the inlet, just go 5mph and you will be fine. You can probably just follow another large (25'+ boat).

Thanks birdman i will l be sure to tell you about my travel at end of month. I leave July 30 @5am out of PATCHOGUE RIVER
hope its high tide & good weather.

SILENTKNIGHT said:

I leave July 30 @5am out of PATCHOGUE RIVER
hope its high tide & good weather.

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FWIW, dead low tide on July 30 at Moriches inlet is at 6:16 am.
Keep Captain Les from Sea Tow Moriches number handy: (631) 728-1072

SILENTKNIGHT said:

Thanks birdman i will l be sure to tell you about my travel at end of month. I leave July 30 @5am out of PATCHOGUE RIVER
hope its high tide & good weather.

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Do NOT “hope” for high tide, actually PLAN on it! Check the tide tables, and I’d advise leaving the dock at Patchogue about 2 hours prior to Mor.Inlet high tide, so you are there just prior to or dead on high tide.

For about the last 10 years, every trip I take out east, I plan my departure time strictly on the Moriches tides. When you can get thru the bay (my wife prefers of course), I plan around the bays high tide. And inlet tide when we are going outside. This also goes for the RETURN trip, which everyone seems to forget.

If your going to transit the Shinnecock Canal, don’t forget to also time that for the locks being closed, you probably don’t want to run through the locks with them open, they can be worse than the inlet when the tide is running and you only have a few feet of clearance on either side of the boat. I usually call ahead and get a rough idea when they will close (they won’t tell you the exact time, as they don’t know, but they can give you a rough estimate). Then I plan on arriving prior or during the closure, and anchor up in bay outside canal to wait for it to close. Much easier to transit when the locks are closed.

Good luck!

Cruzer said:

FWIW, dead low tide on July 30 at Moriches inlet is at 6:16 am.
Keep Captain Les from Sea Tow Moriches number handy: (631) 728-1072

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If that’s the case, Silent, DO NOT try to go out at that time, unless it is dead flat calm in the ocean! That means about 11 or 12 noon will be high tide, a much better option.

I made my decision . I will head west to Democrat point and take the ocean run even though it will add more time...Leaving Patchogue @5am July 30 will be a significant low tide if i reach Moriches between 6-7 am.. So i dont believe thats a good call.My boat draws 3.4.. Its a 34 T Mainship... slow trawler 10knts. Im use to the ocean considering i took her from Annapolis in the spring... to Patchogue.

SILENTKNIGHT said:

I made my decision . I will head west to Democrat point and take the ocean run even though it will add more time...Leaving Patchogue @5am July 30 will be a significant low tide if i reach Moriches between 6-7 am.. So i dont believe thats a good call.My boat draws 3.4.. Its a 34 T Mainship... slow trawler 10knts. Im use to the ocean considering i took her from Annapolis in the spring... to Patchogue.

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Smart decision to avoid low tide in M.Inlet, and take the “safe route”. However, it’s about 50+ miles to FI inlet and back to Moriches inlet along beach. 20-25 Patch to ocean outside FI inlet, and 30 down beach FI inlet to Moriches Inlet. At 10 knots that’s at least 5 hours. The alternative to save fuel and run time, would be leave Patch at 9am and head east to Moriches, you will arrive at Moriches inlet about 11 (high tide…). If it’s a calm day, “2’ or less”, I would take that route.

Best of luck, and enjoy whichever way you go!

Hello Birdman
I'm going to take that advice, and leave at 9am.
My destination in Greenport...for 2 nights..my confidence level is alot better with this support.