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.
Since before the time of the Lenape, the Native American inhabitants of the area, the Lower Bay has sustained a rich marine ecosystem with multiple fish species and molluscs, especially oyster, clam and mussel beds. In the 20th century, due to increased population and industrial pollution, the water quality of the bay and its ability to support marine life was severely diminished. The water quality of the bay began to improve with the passage of the 1972 Clean Water Act.
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draft at low tide.[1] The entrance to the Ambrose Channel was marked for many years by the Lightship Ambrose, which was superseded by the Ambrose Light.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 Brighton Beach and Coney Island in Brooklyn. There are also beaches on Staten Island. Just outside the bay, facing the Atlantic, are the beaches of Sandy Hook and the Rockaways.
Lighthousesedit
Several lighthouses were built to aid navigation in and around Lower New York Bay, located both on land and in the bay itself. The earliest, at Sandy Hook, was built in colonial times.
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 antisubmarine nets that fenced off New York Bay from the Atlantic Ocean to keep enemy submarines out. Both islands are now part of Gateway National Recreation Area.[2]
Fort Lafayette was on a small island in the Narrows, just off the Brooklyn shore. That island was removed during construction of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. Coney Island, originally separated from the southern shore of Brooklyn by a narrow strait, has since been connected to the main part of Long Island by landfill, and is now a peninsula despite its name.
^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
lower, york, section, york, south, narrows, strait, between, staten, island, brooklyn, eastern, marked, spits, land, sandy, hook, jersey, rockaway, queens, waterway, between, spits, connects, atlantic, ocean, york, bight, traversing, floor, southeasterly, from. Lower New York Bay is a section of New York Bay south of the Narrows the strait between Staten Island and Brooklyn The eastern end of the Bay is marked by two spits of land Sandy Hook New Jersey and Rockaway Queens The waterway between the spits connects the Bay to the Atlantic Ocean at the New York Bight Traversing the floor of the Bay southeasterly from the Narrows to the Bight and beyond is Hudson Canyon A 2004 map with Lower New York Bay highlighted in pinkHudson River estuary waterways 1 Hudson River 2 East River 3 Long Island Sound 4 Newark Bay 5 Upper New York Bay 6 Lower New York Bay 7 Jamaica Bay 8 New York Bight Atlantic Ocean View over the Lower New York Bay from Wolfe s Pond Park on Staten Island New YorkView over the Raritan Bay from Sandy Hook New JerseyRoughly 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 Contents 1 History and geography 1 1 Lighthouses 1 2 Islands 2 See also 3 ReferencesHistory and geography editSince before the time of the Lenape the Native American inhabitants of the area the Lower Bay has sustained a rich marine ecosystem with multiple fish species and molluscs especially oyster clam and mussel beds In the 20th century due to increased population and industrial pollution the water quality of the bay and its ability to support marine life was severely diminished The water quality of the bay began to improve with the passage of the 1972 Clean Water Act 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 Brighton Beach and Coney Island in Brooklyn There are also beaches on Staten Island Just outside the bay facing the Atlantic are the beaches of Sandy Hook and the Rockaways Lighthouses edit Several lighthouses were built to aid navigation in and around Lower New York Bay located both on land and in the bay itself The earliest at Sandy Hook was built in colonial times In New Jersey Chapel Hill Rear Range Light Conover Beacon Great Beds Light Navesink Twin Lights Sandy Hook LightIn New York Coney Island Light New Dorp Light Princes Bay Light Staten Island Light Fort Wadsworth LightWithin Lower New York Bay Romer Shoal Light West Bank Light Old Orchard Shoal LightIslands edit There are two small artificial islands in Lower New York Bay both located a mile offshore from South Beach Staten Island Hoffman Island was created in 1873 from Orchard Shoals It was named for former New York City mayor 1866 1868 and then current New York Governor 1869 1871 John T Hoffman Hoffman Island covers 11 acres 4 45 hectares Swinburne Island with an area of about 4 acres 16 000 m 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 antisubmarine nets that fenced off New York Bay from the Atlantic Ocean to keep enemy submarines out Both islands are now part of Gateway National Recreation Area 2 Fort Lafayette was on a small island in the Narrows just off the Brooklyn shore That island was removed during construction of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge Coney Island originally separated from the southern shore of Brooklyn by a narrow strait has since been connected to the main part of Long Island by landfill and is now a peninsula despite its name See also editUpper 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 BarrierReferences edit 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 40 31 00 N 74 02 59 W 40 51667 N 74 04972 W 40 51667 74 04972 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lower New York Bay amp oldid 1174978741, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
