bay or sound riding http://newind.org/viewtopic.php?t=142

Bayville: Great spot close to the City for NW winds as well as the occasional easterlies. Large beach allows for easy launching and access to the water. Very friendly spot although NW winds can be gusty at times and waters a bit choppy. Restricted access during summer.

Directions: STEHLI BEACH - Bayville. 495E to x41N (rte 106 N) proceed to town center Oyster Bay left on W. Main at "T", left onto Bayville AVE Watch for "Ransom Beach" just past "Steve's Pier One" Next beach is Stehli (it's unmarked; road takes sharp turn away from water at entrance; see green sign for "ICN VILLAGE OF LATTINGTON")

Sailing in Bayville is usually from the public beach (the west end is the only area from where it is allowed to launch -- but nobody checks in the fall). You can get to this site from the town of Oyster Bay through: East Main Street - West Shore Road - Bayville Ave (a total of about 5 miles). In the summer there's a 10$ parking lot fee. Parking at other beach access sites are for residents only.

The beach faces north, and has a great fetch for both NW and NE winds. These winds come with frontal passage during the fall (and spring) and can be really strong. In the summer the place is dead or maybe good for learning.

In NW and NE there is an unpleasant shore break, never dangerous but can damage sails/boards. In these conditions the site is for intermediates and up. The bottom falls out very close to the shore (even in low tide). You need to be able to waterstart. There is always chop and farther out (>1/4 mile, quite good wind induced swell). Very good for novice bump and jump sailing, doesn't get too intimidating. There are submerged rocks close to the shore eastwards from where you drive into the parking lot. You also need boots, the bottom is full of small rocks, crabs and stuff.

After a session you can have dinner in Oyster Bay or drive to the nearby Cold Spring Harbor which is a beautiful old town famous for it's ambience and an old Marine Biology lab.

Meter is located at the tip of Matinecock Point, bout a mile to the west of Stehli Beach. From the water's edge at tehli, look for the building that's ll by itself and sticks well out into the Sound. The sensor has a fantastic 270 degree fetch. So we'll get clean readings for all side-shore and on-shore winds at the Bayville beaches. The meter has such a good westerly fetch that it should also be an excellent indication for these winds at West Meadow beach. Observations from West Meadow Beach show that readings from the NW may be a bit high. It may be better to go off of the Lull readings as your averages. Also, West Meadow Beach tends to drop earlier on a NW wind than does the sensor at Bayville. Please note that while the meter may have a great fetch in all these directions, your beach may not. For example, easterly winds at Stehli are blocked by points of land upwind, whereas the meter has no such blockage. Hence, easterly readings may be much higher than the winds you'll find at Stehli or Center Island.

(submitted by Tibor Koos) *from ikitesurf.com