Welcome to Sandy Hook, NJ

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Sandy Hook Bay, westward of Sandy Hook and eastward of Point Comfort is an excellent anchorage, the depths of water ranging from 30 feet just inside Sandy Hook to 15 feet near its southern part; the shoaling is gradual and the bottom is good holding ground. The best anchorage during easterly and southeasterly winds is in the eastern part of the bay.

Shallow-draft vessels can reportedly find satisfactory anchorage in Horseshoe Cove, on the east side of the bay. In 1999, the spit of land that forms Horseshoe Cove was reported visible only at extreme low water. Shoals extend an additional 200 yards southeastward from the end of the charted spit to about 40°26.7’N., 73°59.9’W. Mariners are cautioned not to navigate over this finger of land. Heavy fish traps extend out to a depth of 20 feet in places on the shoals on the southwest side of Sandy Hook Bay between Atlantic Highlands and Point Comfort.

Sandy Hook, the southern entrance point to New York Harbor, is low and sandy. A Coast Guard station and two radio towers are near the northern extremity of Sandy Hook. The towers and a large green standpipe to the southeast are the most prominent objects on the northern end of Sandy Hook. Southward of the standpipe are several houses and Sandy Hook Light (40°27’42″N., 74°00’07″W.), 88 feet above the water and shown from a white stone tower, 85 feet high. This light, established in 1764, is the oldest in continuous use in the United States.

Sandy Hook is a Government reservation, and landing is prohibited as far south, approximately, as the bridge over the mouth of Shrewsbury River. Vessels awaiting favorable weather for an outside run can anchor in Sandy Hook Bay south of a line bearing due west from Sandy Hook Light.

Coastal Stories See All

Measuring a 'dead zone': Scientists retrieve the CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) package of ocean sensors after profiling dissolved oxygen at a station during the Shelfwide Hypoxia Cruise in the Gulf of America. (Image credit: Courtesy of Cassandra Glaspie/LSU)

NOAA and Partners Find Smaller-than-Anticipated Hypoxic Zone in Gulf of America

8/25/2026

Coastal News

By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. NOAA-supported scientists announced today that this year’s Gulf of America hypoxic zone is approximately 1,332 square miles, making it the 2nd smallest zone on record in 40 years of measurement. Hypoxic areas, also called “dead zones,” are areas with little to no oxygen in the water, which… SEE MORE

New Satellite Tag Offers Longer Tracking of Baleen Whales

8/24/2026

Ocean Science

By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. How do you track a 40-ton ocean giant without leaving a mark? Monitoring large whales is a delicate balancing act between science and safety. Satellite tags allow researchers to follow the movements of whales beyond where they can be seen. This helps us understand how whales overlap with human… SEE MORE

Technology Week: Launching into the Future with Advanced Technologies

8/21/2026

Ocean Science

By fisheries.noaa.gov, fisheries.noaa.gov. NOAA scientists rely on cutting-edge technology to collect and analyze the data needed to manage our ocean resources and habitats. Because some ocean creatures live in remote areas and have complex life cycles, better understanding them requires unique tools. By leveraging advanced technologies, we gather critical data to… SEE MORE

Sandy Hook, NJ

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In The Zone: The Sabre 51 Salon Express

Coastal Stories See All

NOAA and Partners Find Smaller-than-Anticipated Hypoxic Zone in Gulf of America

New Satellite Tag Offers Longer Tracking of Baleen Whales

Technology Week: Launching into the Future with Advanced Technologies