Greenport, Sag Harbor and Shelter Islands

[chef2sail]

Fellow Sailnetters,

Could you help a fellow cruiser with information about the three areas, harbors. We are planning on stopping for a few days on our trip to Marthas Vineyard/ Newport/ Cuttyhunk and have never explored this area.

Anchorages, mooorings, marinas would be helpful (we have the embassy guide). We want experienced opinions what to see, where to go, what restaurants to eat in (fancy and local).

If our trip goes as planned we are leaving the Chesapeake on the 23rd of july and should be in that area from 28 to the 30th. Wew are stopping om the way up in Cape May (24), Barnegat Inlet (25th), Jersey City (26th at Liberty Landing) and either Port Jefferson or Mount Siani on the 27th) course weather days are built in as are last minute detours planned by the ADMIRALS WHIMS.

Thanks for the replys,

Dave

[BarryL]

Hello,

I have been to Greenport by car many times and by boat once. I stayed here:

Welcome to Townsend Manor Inn, Greenport New York - Greenport Hotel

It was very nice. Small, secluded, quiet, decent facilities, including a very nice pool. It is an easy walk to downtown greenport.

The town recently redid the town marina:
Greenport Village, Long Island, New York

Note that if you stay at the town marina, it will be noisy and bumpy from ferry traffic.

Things to do: Mitchel park (obviously), Preston's Chandlery, winery's (will require transportation).

Places to eat - lots of good ones, but I do not like Claudios. I LOVE this place:
Front Street Station. Great seafood.

Good luck,
Barry

[tweitz]

Shelter Island has several nice harbors. On the quiet side it is impossible to beat Coecles Harbor; a little tricky on the entrance, but beautiful. The only readily available dining in Coecles is the quaint and attractive Ram's Head Inn. I believe they have some moorings as well, it is worth a call. Dering Harbor is more crowded, opposite Greenport, but quite nice. By the way, Shelter Island fireworks are next Saturday night, opposite Conkling Point.
Sag Harbor is one of the nicest sailing destinations around, with scores of nice restaurants an easy walk from the shore. It does crowd up, and you should check the harbormaster at each of the places for local rules. Lots of terrific yachts at each one. I sail out of Three Mile harbor, in East Hampton, and it is also a great place, large and well protected. A taxi ride into town, but there are many nice restaurants right on the harbor, many with dinghy docks. I recommend East Hampton Point, the Boat House (new, located in Harbor Marina, and trendy and crowded) and Harbor Bistro, near East Hampton Point. Good luck.

[JimsCAL]

Some additions to above good info. In Greenport, there are moorings in Sterling harbor. You can also anchor across the way in Dering Harbor or get a mooring there. You can take the ferry from Dering Harbor to Greenport if you wish. Sag Harbor is busy - slips only-no anchoring . West Neck Harbor on the southern end of Shelter Island is a nice spot also.

[paulk]

In Port Jefferson we like the Setauket Yacht Club. They have showers and pleasant staff. If you anchor outside of their mooring field (which occupies the southeast quadrant of the harbor) there is a separate, private launch service that runs later than the club's. If you don't want to hit town, you can also drop a hook in the well-protected bay that branches out to the West as you enter the harbor. Depths in the sandy bottom there vary and shift. Make sure to allow for the tide - about 8 feet. The "Sandhole" in the harbor's northeast corner seems to attract beer-powered Donzi-wannabes. Also be alert for the FERRIES. Besides exerting their presence in the narrow entrance channel, they throw wakes that can topple wine glasses on boats in the mooring field. (We know!) In town there are many restaurants. Pasta Pasta stands out as refined and delicious, with good service. A 45-minute stroll from the yacht club will provide a good overview of the offerings in town. Bon voyage!

[chef2sail]

Thanks, Jims, Barry and Paulk for your comments. Is the Yacht club at Port Jeff have showers included in the mooorings...do they have recipricol agreements with say a MD Yacht Club. Might be nice to get off and get a shower where you arent rocking when we visit the town of Port jheff.

Dave

Keep you comments comming please about Sag Harbor, Greenport, 3 mile Harbor and Shelter Island. Also would love to meet any of the sailnetters in the area when we visit

[SOUNDBOUNDER]

Originally Posted by JimsCAL

Some additions to above good info. In Greenport, there are moorings in Sterling harbor. You can also anchor across the way in Dering Harbor or get a mooring there. You can take the ferry from Dering Harbor to Greenport if you wish. Sag Harbor is busy - slips only-no anchoring . West Neck Harbor on the southern end of Shelter Island is a nice spot also.

Unless something has changed since last September, the moorings in Sterling are private and not available.
The only moorings available are in Dering Harbor and farther east at the Orient YC.

I have often stayed in Dering Harbor on a mooring and taken the ferry over to Greenport for an afternoon and evening. I really enjoy that.

[paulk]

Adtl details...
Mt. Sinai is pretty and quiet, but not deep. Once in behind the beach, there's not much. Town is a ways off.
Greenport is a neat place. A real town, as opposed to a weekend retreat spot from Manhattan. The problem there is the lack of moorings: slips at marinas are what they have to offer, and they're not cheap. That said, we were welcomed (midweek) to tie up at Preston's chandlery for a couple of hours while we shopped there (lots of interesting stuff) and walked around a bit. There was an antique carousel (wooden horses, not fiberglass) and a wide range of restaurants and shops. There was also a Liberty Ship open for tours.
Deering Harbor across the way (a short barge-ferry ride) has moorings through the Shelter Island YC and by a marina, which also sells fuel. The reception we got from the SIYC still sticks in my mind as the nastiest I have ever come across in more than 40 years of sailing. Though the manager tried to patch it up afterwards by setting us up with a guest charge account (reciprocal privileges) we decided not to use it. Perhaps they've changed since. The marina, on the other hand, was courteous and efficient.
Sag Harbor is everything Greenport is not. Trendy, hip, and cool. Porsches outnumber the Chevrolets. If you don't want to go to the movies, take in a play. Sidewalk cafés of every persuasion spill out under the shade trees that line the streets. Crêpes, Italian ices, or frozen yogurt - each with its own shop - for dessert? Restaurants to rival many in New York City. Boutique hotels, art galleries, wine bars, winery outlets, antique stores, home décor emporia, it is all there. The marina can handle 200' motoryachts, and it's generally full of them. There are a few town moorings, but last I heard (last week) they were $75/night. An anchorage East of the breakwater offers reasonably good protection in most conditions. It puts you a quick ride from the yacht club, (through an opening in the breakwater near shore) where you may be able to find a spot to tie your dinghy. I believe there is a launch service - check your cruisng guide. Sag Harbor is an interesting place to visit, especially if you're from a sleepy section of Maryland.

[JimsCAL]

Originally Posted by SOUNDBOUNDER

Unless something has changed since last September, the moorings in Sterling are private and not available.

A fellow member in my yacht club has gotten a mooring there the last 2 summers. I believe the local harbormaster manages them.

[luv4sailin]

You can anchor outside of the breakwater in Sag Harbor and dingy in. In Greenport, you can get a slip at either of the two Brewer Marinas, no anchoring. In Deering Harbor you can rent a mooring from the Shelter Island YC which has a launch service. But on your way out east from Jersey City, plan on a stop before Ft. Jeff unless you are sailing a very, very fast boat and like night landfalls in unfamiliar harbors.