Gardiners Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gardiners Bay |
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 Gardiners Bay
Location in New York
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| Location | Suffolk County, New York |
| Coordinates | 41°5′52″N 72°12′45″W / 41.09778°N 72.21250°W |
| Ocean/sea sources | Atlantic Ocean |
| Basin countries | United States |
Gardiners Bay is a beautiful part of the Atlantic Ocean in New York. It's about 10 miles (16 km) long and 8 miles (13 km) wide. You can find it at the eastern end of Long Island, nestled between two peninsulas. Gardiners Island and Promised Land are on its eastern side, connecting it to Block Island Sound.
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Exploring Gardiners Bay
Where is Gardiners Bay?
Gardiners Bay is located in Suffolk County, New York. On its western side, it's bordered by Shelter Island. It connects to Great Peconic Bay through two channels. These channels are found both north and south of Shelter Island.
Nature and Wildlife
Many smaller harbors connect to Gardiners Bay. These include Three Mile Harbor, Clearwater Beach, Acabonack Harbor, and Lazy Point's Napeague Harbor.
The bay is home to many different fish. You might find Striped Bass, Bluefish, Fluke, and Yellowtail flounder. Other fish include blackfish, weakfish, Porgy, sea Robbin, and sea skate.
The nearby estuaries, like Three Mile Harbor and Napeague, create perfect homes for shellfish. Blue claw crabs, oysters, hard shell clams, scallops, and conch are all very common in these areas.
A Bit of History
During the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, the British controlled Gardiners Bay. They used Gardiners Island to store supplies for their ships and soldiers. The British fleet even gathered in Cherry Harbor, within the bay. From there, they sailed to attack Washington, D.C.
Protecting the Bay
Gardiners Bay is part of the Peconic Estuary. An estuary is a place where freshwater from rivers mixes with saltwater from the ocean. These areas are very important for nature. In 1993, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency called the Peconic Estuary an "Estuary of National Significance." This means it's a very special and important natural area that needs to be protected.
