Lower New York Bay
Lower New York Bay is a section of
Roughly the northeastern portion of the Bay from the Narrows to Sandy Hook is known as the Lower Bay (named in relation to the neighboring Upper [New York] Bay); roughly the western portion of the Bay (including the portion at the mouth of New Jersey's Raritan River) is called Raritan Bay; and roughly the southeastern portion of the Bay (that is, the portion south and the portion southwest from Sandy Hook) is known as Sandy Hook Bay.
History and geography
Since before the time of the
The main shipping channel through Lower New York Bay is the Ambrose Channel, 2,000 feet (600 meters) wide and dredged to a depth of 40 feet (12 meters). The channel is navigable by ships with up to a 37-foot draft at low tide.[1] The entrance to the Ambrose Channel was marked for many years by the Lightship Ambrose, which was superseded by the Ambrose Light.
The bay contains popular beaches at
Lighthouses
Several
In New Jersey:
In New York:
- Coney Island Light
- New Dorp Light
- Princes Bay Light
- Staten Island Light
- Fort Wadsworth Light
Within Lower New York Bay:
Islands
There are two small artificial islands in Lower New York Bay, both located a mile offshore from South Beach, Staten Island.
- John T. Hoffman. Hoffman Island covers 11 acres (4.45 hectares).
- Swinburne Island, with an area of about 4 acres (16,000 m2), lies immediately to the south.[2] Swinburne Island was originally called Dix Island, but was renamed in honor of Dr. John Swinburne, a noted military surgeon during the Civil War.[3]
In the early 20th century, both islands were used as a quarantine station, housing immigrants found to have been carrying contagious diseases when they landed at Ellis Island.[4] At the start of World War II the United States Merchant Marine used both islands as a training station (which opened in 1938);[2] the Quonset huts built during this period still stand on Swinburne Island.
The other major use for the two islands during World War II were as anchorages for
See also
- Upper New York Bay
- Raritan Bay
- Long Island Sound
- Hudson River
- Raritan River
- Arthur Kill
- Geography of New York-New Jersey Harbor Estuary
- Port of New York and New Jersey
- New York Harbor
- New York Harbor Storm-Surge Barrier
References
- ^ United States coast pilot: Atlantic coast. From Point Judith to New York, Part 4 By U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, Herbert Cornelius Graves, p. 187. Publisher: University of Michigan Library (January 27, 2010) Language: English ASIN: B0037CEPUY
- ^ a b c Kenneth T. Jackson. The Encyclopedia of New York City. The New-York Historical Society; Yale University Press; 1995. p. 149
- ^ Poole, M. O. (February 28, 1937). "Historic Islands At New York's Front Door". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-07-28.
- ^ "Quarantine At New York". Harper's Weekly. September 6, 1879. Retrieved 2008-07-28.