I have been takeing pictures around Manhasset Bay for quite some years now. Except for a few that I uploaded to Wikimedia as an Wikipedian a decade ago, most have never seen the light of the day. I dusted off a bunch of these and re-processed them. I hope they capture a glimpse of the life around the bay that fictionally separated Jay Gatsby from Daisy Buchanan.

The truth is that many people around the bay have very little idea how their towns look from the water. And those not addicted to examining satellite pictures are often unaware of expansive waterfront properties.

Most water-fronting mansions are shielded from unwanted street views. But all of them are clearly visible from the bay, for obvious reasons. After all, if you can’t see someone’s bedroom window from a kayak, then they can’t see the water either from their bedroom.

The bay comes alive in summer. Sailboats, kayaks and all sorts of watercraft abound. Yacht clubs hold races that draw sailors from all around the bay, and often beyond.

1. Great Neck and Cow Neck
2. Boats, boats everywhere
3. Port Washington town dock
4. The bay boils in September
5. Hitchhiking a water taxi ride
6. Houseboats at Manhasset Isle
7. Kayak Buddies
8. North Shore Kayak Club
9. Model Boat Regatta
10. HarborFest at Port Washington
11. Beluga whales in Manhasset Bay
12. Manhasset Bay Yacht Club
13. Sailboat races in the bay
14. Rafting up for parties
15. View of the bay from kayaks
16. View of the bay from sailboats
17. Phil’s Maritime Commuting Services

Great Neck and Cow Neck

Following is an old map of Manhasset Bay from 1917. Townships have evolved a bit since then. The tip of Great Neck is now known as Kings Point. The tip of Cow Neck is now Sands Point, while Port Washington absorbed the rest.

Following Google Earth map shows today’s towns around the bay, including Kings Point, Great Neck, Manhasset, Plandome, Port Washington, and Sands Point. You can recreated the view with this link.

Boats, boats everywhere

Following map shows the center of the bay surrounded by Kings Point, Sands Point, Manorhaven, Manhasset Isle, Baxter Estates, and Port Washington. You can recreate this view with this link.

What about the white dusts sprinkled all over the bay in that satellite image? Those are moored boats. And the whiskers sticking out from the landmass? Private marinas.

Here is a better view of boats parked at slips or moored in the bay, at Manorhaven, Manhasset Isle, and around the town dock.

Here are more boats moored at Port Washington. Summer looks like depicted. But during the winter, all of these boats are hoisted up ashore, shrink wrapped, and safely stored away.

Here’s Manhasset Bay Yacht Club, one of several yacht clubs lining the bay.

Port Washington town dock

For us common folks, the town dock at Port Washington offers a great place to enjoy our lunch, talk to town folks, and look at the sunset. I do think this East Egg side of the bay has much more to offer in terms of sunsets, compared to West Egg. Don’t you agree?

On this day the cloud decided turn into the shape of a displayed eagle.

While driving home, we often turn into the town dock for a brief moment of idleness. We find it therapeutic even when the weather fails to comply.

The bay boils in September

Every September, predatory fish chase billions of bait fish into the bay. Schools of bait fish swim in giant circles under water, as they are picked off by predators. To those of us on land, the surface of the entire bay looks like boiling water.

The following video was recorded on September 25th, 2015 at the Port Washington town dock. According to local fishermen, I witnessed bluefish decimate billions of bunkers.

Over the years, I’ve purposefully kayaked out to catch these moments on the water. I didn’t always time it right. But when I lucked out, the sight was hard to put into words. Imagine gliding through vast circles of churning water, with frantic fins breaking the surface and bunkers leaping out of the water here and there. One day I will manage to film it.

Hitchhiking a water taxi ride

You can hitchhike on the Port Washington Water Taxi for an impromptu tour of the bay. This is often plugged as a boat tour of the bay, but that is not correct. A proper boat tour should cost you upward of $60 and will take at least tow hours to visit interesting spots around he bay. This “tour” costs you only $10 per person, and lasts around 30 minutes.

The taxi leaves the town dock at the top of the hour, from spring through fall. You get into the boat, and pay $10 per person. The boat will take you around to wherever they feel like going. Their main business is taxing boaters to and from their moored boats. The “tour” is a side hustle were you hitchhike for cheap so you can breathe in some ocean air, and see a few sights in between boat stops. You never know what will happen when the taxi stops. That guy next to you with a grocery bag may get up and walk from the taxi into his boat. Or a woman may emerge from hers, carrying a small paper bag of trash back to shore.

Visit their site for details and a phone number to call. They are very flexible. Sometimes they’ll turn the boat around to pick you up as needed. Online reviews vary, due to the nature of such ad-hoc tours. Sometimes they take you to see mansions apparently. But I have my kayak; I can ferry myself whenever.

Houseboats at Manhasset Isle

We started exploring the shores of the bay in 2006. Following are our earliest pictures of the bay. We rented kayaks from Atlantic Outfitters and paddled north to Manhasset Isle.

We were surprised to find houseboats by Manhasset Bay Marina and Tom’s Point Marina. It never occurred to us until then that one could live in a boat the same way others live in immobile houses.

We also found it hard to believe that houses and backyards could be so close to the water.

It’s only when comparing 2007 satellite image to today’s (2025) that I noticed an entire construction area in 2007 becoming a densely-wooded block by 2025. Google Maps doesn’t indicate what this area is, and Street View shows the entire lot being fenced off. The official Manorhaven zoning map seems to designate the block as residential. And you can read the full story here.

Kayak Buddies

I met my kayak buddy in 2009. A chance encounter fostered years of friendship in shared interests. It is never safe to kayak alone. So partner up with someone or some poeple.

I had a fat recreational kayak at first. As they say of cameras, the best camera is the one you happen to be carrying. Same with kayaks. Even a slow recreational kayak will serve you well, when your other choice is not able to paddle out on a whim. Eventually I just stored my kayak on his boat rack.

North Shore Kayak Club

My kayak buddy and I joined our local kayak club. Paddlers at the club organized trips all over Long Island. But half of the times we simply kayaked within the bay. The town just installed a new kayak launch then, by the water taxi platform. This was a blast and very well received by all paddlers.

I couldn’t quite keep up with folks in the club while paddling my recreational boat. Eventually I upgraded to a touring kayak with a skeg, for better tracking and a faster ride.

For several years I paddled with the club all over the bay. We visited secret inlets when tiring of looking at mansions with multiple swimming pools. We ventured out to the Long Island Sound a few times when folks grew restless on calm water. Every September we participated in the International Coastal Cleanup Day where we picked up trash, log them, and photograph them as part of the global effort. The club conducted water-reentry drills in shallow waters, and invited paddling enthusiasts to lecture at our meetings.

Members of North Shore Kayak Club showed up to annual kayak runs on Manhasset Bay called Paddle for Port. Proceeds benefitted local charities. Hundreds of paddlers show up every year.

The club met at the local library regularly, and sometimes organized year-end parties. Someone made a kayak-shaped cake one year.

We also paddle at sunset. Known as POW, or Paddling On Wednesday, it usually launches from the town dock, and every boat must have a light installed on the deck. See the picture that follows.

Model Boat Regatta

Annual Model Boat Regatta is a tradition in this town. As a part of the annual HarborFest, hundreds of 3rd-graders from all over Port Washington bring their model sailboats to race on Baxter Pond. The event draws local kayakers to volunteer to patrol races, and to pick up boats after each race.

HarborFest at Port Washington

My model airplane club HHAMS sometimes books a booth at the annual Port Washington HarborFest to promote this hobby. I’ve set up RC flight simulators at this event a few times. Some parents found it difficult peeling their kids away from these simulators.

Beluga whales in Manhasset Bay

Yes. Beluga whales graced the bay with their presence. It did happen in 2015.

I don’t remember how I got the following two pictures on my phone. Someone from the club sent them around, I think, and I saved them. These were possibly not from news reports, as I can’t find these pictures online. Thank you, Laurent Apollon, for taking and sharing these pictures.

Manhasset Bay Yacht Club

A few yacht clubs call this bay home. Manhasset Bay Yacht Club is among them.

Sailboat races in the bay

Yacht clubs race sailboats in Manhasset Bay throughout the year. Unlike us mortals, they continue to sail in winter, in what’s known as Frostbite races.

Rafting up for parties

Boats link up often in Manhasset Bay for parties, known as a boat raft or a party raft.

View of the bay from kayaks

Enjoy some more views of the Manhasset Bay from kayaks.

View of the bay from sailboats

Phil’s Maritime Commuting Services

A colleague asked if I wanted to commute to work by boat, one of those days.

So I showed up at the departure terminal, in my very own town of Port Washington, with a dry bag to go to work.

End.