Wide and deep throughout most of its length, well-protected Port Bay Harbor is both a popular getaway and harbor of refuge for boaters traveling along the southern Lake Ontario shoreline between Rochester and Oswego. The inlet to Port Bay Harbor is seven miles east of Sodus Bay and eight miles west of Little Sodus Bay.

Use NOAA Chart 14804.

When approaching from the north via Lake Ontario, you will first want to set a course for flashing green buoy “1” on the east side of the narrow inlet. Once you have picked this up, proceed south through the channel to quick flashing red “2,” flashing green buoy “3,” a private unnumbered flashing white light and flashing green buoy “5.” Depths in the inlet can be quite shallow (four feet or less), but once you clear the narrow entrance, the channel deepens quickly to at least 20-foot depths.

There are two primary Marinas in Port Bay, and both of them accept transient guests at their slips. The first is located on the west shore behind Tompkins Point about half way down the bay. This marina has transient slips, gas, haul-out and repairs. The second is situated on the east shore about a half-mile past Tompkins Point. Here you will find transient slips, gas and outboard repairs.

Local Notices to Mariners are now exclusively available online from the U.S. Coast Guard.