Eastchester Bay
Encyclopedia
Eastchester Bay is a protected body of water between City Island and the mainland Bronx, New York
. Technically, it is a sound
, not a bay
, since it is open to larger bodies of water at both ends. The northern end connects via a narrow channel to Pelham Bay
(which is also really a sound, since it, in turn, opens onto Long Island Sound
). The Hutchinson River empties into Eastchester Bay near the northern end. The lower portion of the bay opens onto the East River
, Little Neck Bay
, and Long Island Sound
.
Eastchester Bay is designated an Essential Fish Habitat by the National Marine Fisheries Service. The Eastchester Bay salt marsh is located in Long Island Sound in the Bronx (NYC).
Many yacht club
s and marina
s line the bay on both sides, leading to a high level of recreational boating traffic. Traffic is particularly dense on weekends and Wednesday evenings in the summer, when the various clubs run sailboat races.
There is also a high volume of commercial traffic. The bay opens onto the main shipping channel into New York from Long Island Sound. This channel is used by large commercial vessels, high speed ferries, fishing boats, barges under tow, and all manner of vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver. Barge
traffic transiting the length of the bay in and out of the Hutchinson River is concentrated into a few hours a day, as is constrained to times of high tide.
The bay also sees the occasional seaplane, visiting Evers Seaplane Base.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Technically, it is a sound
Sound (geography)
In geography a sound or seaway is a large sea or ocean inlet larger than a bay, deeper than a bight and wider than a fjord; or it may be defined as a narrow sea or ocean channel between two bodies of land ....
, not a bay
Headlands and bays
Headlands and bays are two related features of the coastal environment.- Geology and geography :Headlands and bays are often found on the same coastline. A bay is surrounded by land on three sides, whereas a headland is surrounded by water on three sides. Headlands are characterized by high,...
, since it is open to larger bodies of water at both ends. The northern end connects via a narrow channel to Pelham Bay
Pelham Bay
Pelham Bay is a small bay, between City Island and Orchard Beach in the Bronx, New York.Technically, it is a sound, not a bay, since it is open to larger bodies of water at both ends. It connects to Eastchester Bay at the south, and opens onto Long Island Sound and City Island Harbor at the...
(which is also really a sound, since it, in turn, opens onto Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
). The Hutchinson River empties into Eastchester Bay near the northern end. The lower portion of the bay opens onto the East River
East River
The East River is a tidal strait in New York City. It connects Upper New York Bay on its south end to Long Island Sound on its north end. It separates Long Island from the island of Manhattan and the Bronx on the North American mainland...
, Little Neck Bay
Little Neck Bay
Little Neck Bay is an embayment in western Long Island, New York, off Long Island Sound. Little Neck Bay forms the western boundary of the Great Neck Peninsula, the eastern boundary of which is Manhasset Bay. The political boundary between Nassau County and the borough of Queens runs through the bay...
, and Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
.
Eastchester Bay is designated an Essential Fish Habitat by the National Marine Fisheries Service. The Eastchester Bay salt marsh is located in Long Island Sound in the Bronx (NYC).
Many yacht club
Yacht club
A yacht club is a sports club specifically related to sailing and yachting.-Description:Yacht Clubs are mostly located by the sea, although there are some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations...
s and marina
Marina
A marina is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships or cargo from freighters....
s line the bay on both sides, leading to a high level of recreational boating traffic. Traffic is particularly dense on weekends and Wednesday evenings in the summer, when the various clubs run sailboat races.
There is also a high volume of commercial traffic. The bay opens onto the main shipping channel into New York from Long Island Sound. This channel is used by large commercial vessels, high speed ferries, fishing boats, barges under tow, and all manner of vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver. Barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
traffic transiting the length of the bay in and out of the Hutchinson River is concentrated into a few hours a day, as is constrained to times of high tide.
The bay also sees the occasional seaplane, visiting Evers Seaplane Base.