orient point

Our trip out to the North Fork had already taken us to Greenport, so we figured that it only made sense to keep going a few miles more to see Orient Point. Orient Point, resting at the Eastern tip of the North Fork, is not as far out into the Atlantic as Montauk is, being itself positioned at the tip of the Southern Fork. (Hence the oft-heard nickname “The End” for Montauk.) What we did find, however, was a picturesque and windswept strip of land, just what you would imagine the shore of the less populated, more rugged Fork to be.

When we visited during the height of the afternoon, the beach was mostly deserted (which we immediately loved) except for a few happy wanderers and one very happy dog. It was very hot, but with nearly no humidity and a stiff sea breeze, it was a good spot for some quick photos.

The view of the open water and the leaning sailboats was great from our vantage point, as was the view of the Orient Point lighthouse. (Excuse the graininess below; the zoom on Ye Olde iPhone was straining a bit.)

The black-and-white striped Orient Point lighthouse is a comparatively small lighthouse, closed to the public and positioned about halfway between Orient Point and Plum Island (which is owned by the federal government). Because the channel between the two landmasses is only about a mile wide, the water moves very rapidly and unpredictably through the channel and a lighthouse was, as they say, “probably a good idea.” Once again, Orient Point stands in contrast to Montauk, as Montauk is famous for its massive lighthouse that is both publicly accessible and situated on the Southern Fork itself.

Looking down, the beach was not sandy but was instead covered with stones of all shapes and sizes, worn equally smooth by the waves, and some appropriate pale grey driftwood. I particularly liked one all-white stone that Andrew found for me that was a great fit in my palm. I told him I’d hold it whenever I needed to chill out for a minute. (Read: I should put that stone on my office desk.)

All in all, to us, the beach had a strong New England vibe, made more so by the ferries that regularly shuttle cars and people from Orient Point to both New London, Connecticut and Block Island, Rhode Island.

But maybe our favorite part of Orient Point and the beach was the reminder that every visitor from CT or RI gets, or every NY local comes back to.

You’re in New York, baby! 🙂

Next time on the blog: our stop at The Old Field Vineyard, where we had a generally perfect time.