You don’t need your own boat — or even a friend with a boat — to enjoy an afternoon on the waters of the North Fork. There are more than a handful of charter services that offer a wide range of boating options. From historic lighthouse tours to sunset cruises to fully customized experiences, these charters have something for everyone. *All area codes are 631 unless otherwise noted.
East End Charters
82 Sterling St., Greenport
477-6993 or [email protected]
East End Charters specializes in private two-hour, half-day, full-day or even longer adventures on the water. Offerings range from simple harbor tours to fully customized luxury experiences. There are two kinds of charters: those that accommodate up to six guests and others for large groups of up to 30. The tours are great for special occasions, catered dinner parties, lighthouse trips or even weddings. The captains are legal wedding officiants.
Peconic Cruise Line
103 Third St., Greenport
901-7899 or [email protected]
peconiccruiseline.com
Come aboard the Peconic Star II to visit one of the North Fork’s most iconic offshore lighthouses. The family-friendly Bug Light Cruise & Tour takes passengers to Long Beach Bar “Bug” Lighthouse and allows passengers to go inside to learn about its history from an expert guide. The cruise runs Sundays from noon to 2 p.m. through Oct. 28.
Peconic Cruise Line also offers a Lighthouse & Seal Watching Cruise. This tour takes passengers to Bug Light, Orient Point Lighthouse and “The Ruins” on Gardiners Island to spot harbor seals in their natural habitat. The Lighthouse & Seal Watching Cruise runs weekends through Sept. 30, with a few exceptions.
Cross Sound Ferry
41270 Main Road, Orient
(860) 444-4620
Departing from Orient Point, Cross Sound Ferry’s Long Island Lights & Sights cruise offers views of eight lighthouses and historically significant sites in the waters of Plum Gut, Gardiners Bay, Long Island Sound, New London Harbor and Fishers Island Sound. Cruises run through the end of October. Reservations are recommended.
East End Seaport Museum
Third Street at the ferry dock, Greenport
477-2100 or [email protected]
The East End Seaport Museum offers tours of Bug Lighthouse as well as a variety of cruises to lighthouses in New York and Connecticut. An expert guides the family-friendly Bug Light Cruise & Tour experience, sharing information about its history. There is also time to explore inside the lighthouse. The tour runs Saturdays until Oct. 28.
Glory
Preston’s Dock, 102 Main St., Greenport, NY
477-2515, [email protected] or [email protected]
Glory is the only cruise vessel in New York that produces zero emissions, is virtually silent and leaves behind nothing harmful to the environment. The electric-powered boat is certified by the United States Coast Guard and offers harbor tours on Peconic Bay on weekends through Columbus Day.
Sea Dog Cruising
112 Main St., Greenport
(917) 991-1730 or [email protected]
Whether you’re looking for a breakfast, lunch or dinner charter, a sunset cruise or a meeting place for a corporate function, Sea Dog Cruising offers a number of private charter options to fill the need. Charters from one Fork to another run through October with a dock-and-dine option. The company also offers a three-hour sunset cruise to cap off your day. Reservations are required.
Sail Deliverance
102 Main St., Greenport
680-6199
Enjoy the scenery of Peconic and Gardiners bays aboard Deliverance of Greenport with Greenport’s original windjammer, Captain Dan, who has been sailing these waters since 1972. The sailboat tours accommodate small groups and there is an option for an exclusive two-hour tour with a maximum of six passengers. Reservations are required.
Nautical Dreamers Sailing Charters
500 Beach Road, Greenport
767-0149 or [email protected]
Join Captain Ron aboard the Beneteau 50 sailing yacht Nautical Dreamer II. The boat operates from Brewer Yacht Yard in Greenport Harbor offering many sailing cruise choices, including a full day, half day, sunset cruise, lighthouse cruise, overnight or custom charter. Sit back and relax as the Nautical Dreamer II takes you around the North Fork to Shelter Island, the Hamptons, Montauk, New England, Block Island and beyond. Reservations are required.
Fish North Fork
Southold
204-8150 or [email protected]
Let Captain Mark Melnick take you and your guests for a leisurely private three-hour tour that circumnavigates scenic Shelter Island aboard the Emily Rose, a semi-custom Judge Yachts 27 Chesapeake. There is also a plan-your-own option for a customized excursion, from a family sightseeing tour of the North Fork to a bachelorette party. Reservations are required.
Peconic Star Express
103 Third St., Greenport
875-2631
Peconic Star Express charters offer tours of the nine lighthouses around the North Forth. The 85-foot, 150-passenger Peconic Star Express sails from the Railroad Dock at the foot of Third Street, adjacent to the North Ferry to Shelter Island. Reservations are required.
Easterly Sailing
500 Beach Road, Greenport
495-0216 or [email protected]
Easterly Sailing offers a three-hour charter for up to four people. Sailing out of Brewer Yacht Yard on a 27-foot racing sloop, you’ll explore Greenport Harbor, Orient Harbor, Pipe Coves and Southold Bay. The tour takes passengers past historic Greenport village and seaside homes of Shelter Island with certified instructor Paul Kreiling. Reservations are required.
Polar Charters
525 Orchard Street, New Suffolk
631-734-7840 or [email protected]
Captain Bob Goodale takes guests aboard his 32-foot Catalina for breathtaking tours of the Peconic Bay. There are two-hour, three-hour, four-hour (half day) and eight-hour (full day) sails that depart from New Suffolk. Depending on the length of tour, weather and wind, guests can enjoy a cruise around Robins Island, to Riverhead or down bay to historic Greenport. Guests are welcome to bring their own food and beverage. Up to 6 guests per sail.
