2023 Map of Bay Shore West OE S

About this map

Great South Beach and the western tip of Fire Island define the narrow coastal barrier between the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the southern shore of Long Island. This 2023 survey by the U.S. Geological Survey documents the shifting sands of the South Shore, where Democrat Point marks the westward-advancing tip of the island. The map captures the limited infrastructure along this dynamic coastline, primarily concentrated around the Robert Moses State Pkwy, which provides access to these isolated beachfronts. Further west, the area around Gilgo illustrates the thin, vulnerable nature of the barrier islands that protect the mainland. The lack of extensive development on the island itself highlights the area's role as a natural buffer and a site for public recreation and conservation at the edge of the Atlantic.