Paddling on the bay at Great Kills Park
Staten Island Unit Home Page | Great Kills Park Home Page
Any paddling within the Staten Island Unit of Gateway National Recreation Area is done in the open waters of Lower New York Bay, which has waves somewhere between a lake and the open ocean. The Lower Bay is connected to Upper New York Bay by a narrow channel between Staten Island and Brooklyn known as The Narrows. Water flowing through The Narrows is extremely swift, so for paddling purposes, the farther away from it the better. Because of this, the National Park Service does not recommend launching paddling trips from Fort Wadsworth because it is located at the mouth of The Narrows. When tides come in and out every six hours, the currents can be difficult to impossible to paddle against, so you could end up either far out in the bay or at Manhattan.
Miller Field is the next closest section to the mouth of The Narrows, so it may be a little better, but if you must get in your car anyway, just head down to Great Kills Park, for that is the farthest section of the Staten Island Unit from the channel. In addition, there is more parking at Great Kills Park, the beach is a lot nicer, and you also have the option of paddling in Great Kills Harbor and staying completely out of the rougher water, assuming it is a nice, calm day (of course you run the risk of getting hit by a motorboat). You can launch from any beach area you can get to, but no hand-paddled watercraft are allowed to use the boat ramp. This is for motorboats only.
Satellite view of Great Kills Harbor
Kayaking in Great Kills Harbor, Staten Island unit of Gateway National Recreation Area
From June through September park Rangers lead guided kayaking tours at various locations throughout Gateway National Recreation Area. All are free, but some require reservations. The National Park Service usually posts a schedule on its Calendar web page for the park. Type KAYAK into the By Keyword search box.
Park Ranger leads a group kayaking off the beach at Great Kills Park, Gateway National Recreation Area
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Last updated on December 29, 2024
