Paddling Long Island and New York City. Kevin Stiegelmaier
the waterfall, entering Southaven County Park. After 1.5 miles, you’ll reach a concrete dam that requires a short portage. Just as with the waterfall, there is a small landing spot on the right-hand (western) riverbank before the dam. Land your boat there and carry it over to the other side of the drop. From this point on, you’ll be paddling in the section of the river used by rental boats from the park. The water can get very crowded here, especially on summer weekends. If you stay close to the left (east) riverbank, though, you should be able to avoid most of the boat traffic.
You can end your trip at the rental-boat docks on the right-hand side of the river, in the wide portion known as Hards Lake. You can also continue farther south, paddling the Lower Carmans River to its mouth in Bellport Bay. To do so, you must portage your boat around yet another waterfall. You should be cautious if this is your plan. The current is very swift on the other side of the portage, requiring strength and care when putting your boat back in the water. A better idea is to paddle to the take-out spot in Southaven County Park and simply drive your boat to the next put-in.
To get to the take-out from I-495, take Exit 68S (William Floyd Parkway). Travel south on William Floyd Parkway 2.7 miles until you reach Victory Drive. Turn right onto Victory Drive and follow the signs to Southaven County Park and the boat launch.
GPS COORDINATES
Put-in
N40° 50.113′ W72° 54.971′
Take-out
N40° 48.351′ W72° 39.822′
B Montauk Highway to Squassux Landing
| Level | 1A | |
| Distance | 5 miles one-way | |
| Time | 2–3 hours | |
| Navigable Navigablehs | Year-round | |
| Hazards | None | |
| Portages | None | |
| Rescue Rescue | Limited | |
| Tidal Tidals | Any | |
| Scenery | A+ |
3B DESCRIPTION Unless you’re continuing a paddle from the Upper Carmans, the floating dock at the vacant kayak-rental shop on Montauk Highway is the best place to launch on the lower river. You will enter the water just south of the NY 27 (Sunrise Highway) overpass and just north of NY 27A (Montauk Highway). Once you’re on the water, the excitement of being there and the immediate beauty of your surroundings may combine to urge you south. Just a short paddle north, however, lies an interesting structure that you may not want to pass by: a fish ladder, designed to help fish like alewives swim upstream. Alewives are anadromous, meaning they spend the majority of their lives in salt water but spawn in fresh water. With a dam effectively separating the upper, freshwater portion of the Carmans from the lower, marine portion, alewives were long prohibited from returning to their spawning grounds. Thankfully, the fish ladder was installed in 2008, making the alewives’ lives much easier.
After turning south and passing under Montauk Highway (NY 27A), you’ll be paddling within the borders of Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge’s headquarters will come into view on the western bank as the river continues south. As it does, a large island will also appear in the center of the river. Both sides of the island are navigable, although the eastern shore is more protected and may give you a better chance of seeing wildlife. The island itself has a slightly barren appearance due to fire. In the spring of 2007, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service conducted a controlled burn on the island to rid it of an invasive plant known as phragmites. This plant is known to crowd out naturally occurring plants that are beneficial to local wildlife. While the burn was somewhat successful, it is amazing to see how tenaciously the phragmites has grown back in the three years since.
Past the island, the river takes on a different appearance. Gone are the red maple and birch trees that lined its shores; present in their place are huge stands of cattails and phragmites. If you keep an eye out on the western riverbank for breaks in the reeds, you may discover some side creeks to explore. The northernmost stream, Yaphank Creek, is almost 3 miles south of your put-in. Follow it and you will be led as far north as Montauk Highway. Little Neck Run, another side creek, lies 0.5 mile south of Yaphank Creek. Between these two creeks, on the opposite riverbank, is Indian Landing. This small beach, once a meeting sight for the Unkechaug Indians, is the perfect spot to beach your boat, have a snack, and stretch your legs. There is also a 0.8-mile nature trail that you can walk in less than an hour.
Many paddlers turn back around after leaving Indian Landing, paddling upstream to the put-in and their cars. The current is usually slow enough to make this easy. Another option, though, is to continue south for another 0.5 mile to the take-out at Squassux Landing. You may also decide to head 1 mile farther downstream to Long Point, the last bit of land before the river drains into the Great South Bay. You will still have to head back to Squassux Landing from there, however, as there is no take-out nearby.
SHUTTLE DIRECTIONS To get to the put-in, take NY 27 (Sunrise Highway) to Exit 58S (William Floyd Parkway). Travel south on William Floyd Parkway, turning right at the second intersection onto NY 27A (Montauk Highway). Stay on Montauk Highway 1 mile, and you will see the vacant kayak outfitter and its dock on your right.
To get to the take-out at Squassux Landing, take Sunrise Highway to Exit 57S (Old Horseblock Road). Old Horseblock Road will end at Montauk Highway, where you should turn right. Take Montauk Highway until you reach your second left turn, Yaphank Avenue. Yaphank Avenue eventually merges into Old Stump Road and leads you to Beaver Dam Road. Turn left on Beaver Dam Road, and the dock at Squassux Landing will be straight ahead.
GPS COORDINATES
Put-in
N40° 48.111′ W72° 53.107′
Take-out
N40° 46.440′ W72° 53.776′
Tide station
Smith Point Bridge, NY
N40° 44.318′ W72° 52.034′
4 COECLES HARBOR MARINE WATER TRAIL