Great South Bay
Beach of East Patchogue on the Great South Bay
The Great South Bay is a bay between Long Iceland Fire and Iceland in the U.S. state of New York. The bay is part of the approximately 145 km long Long Iceland barrier beach system, which stretches from Coney Iceland in New York City to Southampton in the east of Long Iceland.
Location
The Great South Bay has a length of about 48 kilometers, parallel to the coast of Long Iceland, measured at the widest point about 11 km and covers an area of about 235 square kilometers, including the existing marshland. The average water depth is 1.3 meters. In the bay there is a tidal waters, which is protected from the Atlantic Ocean by the islands of Iceland Fire, Jones Beach and Captree Iceland Iceland. The bay is characterized by relatively flat areas and vast salt marshes, numerous small islands and shoals are present especially on the southern side. Eight rivers flow into the bay, which are important in the Carmans River and the Connetquot River.
The western boundary of the Great South Bay forming the Gilgo Cut Boat Channel in Babylon, adjacent is the South Oyster Bay. The eastern border is the Smith Point Bridge in Brookhaven, the Great South Bay separates from the Narrow Bay. About the Fire Iceland Inlet, the passage between Iceland Fire and Jones Beach Iceland is a direct connection to the Atlantic Ocean. The State Parks Heckscher State Park and Connetquot River State Park on Long Iceland page as well as the Gilgo State Park, Captree State Park, and Robert Moses State Park are on the barrier islands just off the Great South Bay.
About the Robert Moses Causeway leading over the Great South Bay Bridge to Fire Iceland, you come across the bay. The cities of Babylon, East Islip, East Patchogue and Brookhaven are on Long Iceland on the Great South Bay.
Physical parameters
In the estuaries almost pure fresh water occurs in the mixing areas there is brackish water with salinities 21 to 30 per thousand before. In the channels of the open ocean, the salt content be high, caused by the strong tidal currents measured. The bay has a maximum tidal range of about 1.3 meters. The water temperature can reach up to 29 ° C in summer, in winter the water can temperatures around 0 ° C, in severe winters have also to -1 ° C. The freezing point of brackish water with about 27 parts per thousand salt content is 1.5 ° C. Due to the low depth, wind can stir the water to the ground, even in summer there is no distinct temperature stratification in the bay. The average replacement time of water in the bay is 50-96 days, the relatively high nutrient load may at times lead to phytoplankton blooms in the summer.
Formation
The area is characterized by glacial runoff of glacier water. The sediment in the Great South Bay consists of sand and rubble that was her transported and deposited by the glacier flowing water here. These layers are overlain by marine sandy sediments and muddy sediments carried by the rivers into the bay. Due to currents, waves and wind the system of barrier islands, which consist primarily of sand is subjected to constant change. The Fire Iceland Inlet has changed its position to approximately seven kilometers in the years 1825-1958 and numerous channels between the ocean and the bay have emerged over the years and gone.
Gallery
View over Iceland Fire, Ocean left, Great South Bay right
Sunset over the Great South Bay