Gilgo Beach

About This Spot

Gilgo Beach sits on the Jones Beach Island barrier beach in the Town of Babylon, Long Island — an Atlantic oceanfront spot best known to local kiters for waves and as a reference point for the flat-water bay launches just behind it. Wind: the prevailing summer flow is a thermal SW/WSW sea breeze (Windfinder long-term avg ~10 kt, gusting ~15), which is side/side-onshore on the ocean. The most reliable, stronger wind comes in the shoulder seasons — roughly April–May and September–November — when frontal NW/NE systems deliver punchier, more consistent days; mid-summer is often light and the spot is crowded with swimmers. Ocean side works best on NE through NW; it delivers chop to real swell and suits intermediate-to-advanced wave riders. For flatter water, kiters cross to the bay side (Tobay/Great South Bay, ~2 mi west), where protected bays and marsh canals give some of the flattest water in the region — beginner/intermediate friendly, but you must ride upwind confidently before venturing into the canal maze, as losing power leaves you stranded in the marsh. Access is the big catch: kiting is BANNED at all NY State Parks here — Jones Beach, Robert Moses and Gilgo State Park itself — so do not rig on state-park sand. The Town of Babylon ocean beach requires a resident beach permit or daily fee in summer, and a Surfing/Windsurfing 4WD access permit (~$80, $125 out-of-state) covers outer-beach driving year-round. In summer, safe bay launches are essentially closed unless you have boat access; spring and fall are far more practical. Hazards: shore break and currents on the ocean, lifeguarded swim zones and heavy beach crowds in season, offshore-component N winds, and strict, actively enforced regulations. Travel here in the shoulder seasons, bring the right permit, and treat the bay side as your flat-water plan B.