Orient Point County Park

Location: Orient, NY

Size: 48 acres

Date of hike: Feb. 12, 2022

Orient Point County Park is a small parcel of land located at the tip of Long Island's North Fork.  My wife and I decided to check out the waterfront park during a weekend visit to the nearby village of Greenport.  While we've both been several times to Montauk Point, which is at the easternmost tip of the Long Island's South Fork, neither of us had ever ventured to the very end of the northern fork.  Well, we can both now say that we've officially touched the tip.

Before exploring, I learned more about the history and habitats of Orient Point County Park, which is where Gardiners Bay meets the Long Island Sound.  "Located at the eastern tip of the North Fork, this small park offers ample fishing and is known for its pristine views of the Long Island Sound," said the Suffolk County Parks Department's website.  It also boasts a brilliant view of the Orient Point Light, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007, and the government-owned Plum Island.  Interestingly, the narrow span of water in between Orient Point and Plum Island is called Plum Gut and is among the "most challenging cruising waters within the Northeastern U.S.," according to CoastalBoating.net.  "Waters of the Long Island Sound rush through at currents exceeding five knots creating a churning mix of white-capped waves and dangerous riptides that's a challenge for even the most experienced mariners," said the website Lighthousefriends.com.  "Oyster Pond Reef also extends one-third of the way across Plum Gut making the passage more treacherous."

The park's entrance is on the north side of NY Route 25 across from the Orient Point Ferry, and the parking lot is a patch of dirt big enough to fit four or five cars.  For hikers, there's a loop trail that's less than a mile long, according to the website AllTrails.  It starts off going north from the parking lot until it reaches a gorgeous beach along the Long Island Sound, and then it turns east and runs parallel to the shore until it hits the infamous Orient Point.  There, you'll find a pile of rocks and a fence with large letters that read "Cable Crossing."  Underwater cables have been used to provide power to Plum Island and the fence was reportedly the former site of a utility shed that was removed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2011.  Anyway, my wife and I walked out onto a sandbar until the shallow waters reached our ankles within Plum Gut.  It was an unforgettable experience.

The hike's highlight for me was seeing the 64-foot-tall Orient Point Light, which has been nicknamed by local mariners as the "Coffee Pot."  It's described as a cast-iron "sparkplug" lighthouse that guides maritime traffic with a white flash every five seconds.  In 2011, it was declared excess to the needs of the U.S. Coast Guard and was won in an auction two years later by a man named Randy Polumbo with a bid of $252,000.  Polumbo, who is the founder of an eco-construction company, has since turned part of the interior into an artist residency.  "I liked that it was doomed, and I felt that I could breathe a new life into it, partly with other artists and creatives," Polumbo told Curbed.com in 2021.  "It had this incredible energy." 

Regarding wildlife, keep an eye out for seals.  "It's normal to see a seal or seal pup on the beach alone," stated a sign.  "This behavior is known as hauling-out."  The sign also warns parkgoers not to "touch, feed, harm or disturb" the fin-footed marine mammals, adding that harassment occurs if "your behavior changes their behavior."  As for fish, there's everything from bluefish to bonitos in Plum Gut.  "Fisherman can park in the small parking area on the point and fish along the rocks or walk on the beach area to fish," the county's website said.  

In closing, I'd definitely suggest that everyone visit Orient Point County Park.  If you ask me, it's surreal to realize you're actually standing at the end of Long Island.  It's also a quick hike (meaning I had no time for my beloved iPod) and gave my wife and I the chance to check out a nearby winery.  After all, what's a visit to the North Fork without Long Island Wine Country?

No comments:

Post a Comment