Sampawams Creek Inlet

About

Introduction:

Sampawams Creek and the town of Babylon are a very popular boating destination located about 10 zigzag miles in from Fire island Inlet. Babylon was once a wealthy resort location that played host to the wealthy of New york City, but today it is a pleasant and humble Long Island seashore town with good marine facilities.

Navigating the Water:

Use NOAA Chart 12352.

Sampawams Creek is approached from the south via Great South Bay. This portion of Great South Bay (west from the Robert Moses Causeway Bridge to Bergen Point) is fairly reliable with shallow but consistent depths of five to seven feet. If you are approaching from the west, be advised that extensive shoaling has been reported on the channel through Great South Bay between Howell and Strongs points in Lindenhurst.

If you are traveling along the State Boat Channel to the south, you can reach Sampawam Creek by cutting across Great South Bay via the Oak Island Channel, which breaks off to the north at Grass Island. This route holds six-foot depths and is well-marked all the way to Sampawams Point just south of Sampawams Creek.

From Great South Bay, flashing red “2” is the informal approach marker into Sampawams Creek, but it is also the only aid to navigation you will find here. Farther travel up the creek will require an eye on the chart and your depthsounder, but depths are very stable all the way from Sampawams Point to the creek’s inlet (five feet).

Inside Sampawams Creek are five marinas (on the west shore and at the head of the creek). Of these five marinas, three of them will accept transient guests at their slips, and one of the facilities specializes in outboard motor repairs. Anchoring here is not recommended, due to the narrow nature of the creek.

Local Notices to Mariners:

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