Content created by Dr. Charles Flagg with the assistance of Mark Lang
Hurricane Sandy caused significant over washes and three breaches in Fire Island in the area between the historic Old Inlet area and Moriches Inlet. Aerial video and photos were obtained Saturday, November 3rd, 5 days after the storm’s passage. A short description and photos of the breaches is available here while youtube videos are listed below.
A series of reports on the breach development are listed below.
December 14, 2012 report on the new inlet through November is available here.
On January 5, 2013 another aerial over flight took place and a photo summary of the evolving breach at Old Inlet to the present is available here.
January 14, 2013 report on the inlet that goes through December is available here.
The January 30th report on the status of the inlet is available here.
The February 27th report on the bay and inlet with new bathymetry of the inlet is here.
The March 15th report on the inlet and the impact of east-coast wide water level fluctuations is here.
The June 28th report on the inlet’s evolution. the cross-sectional area and changes in the Bay-wide salinity is here.
The 10th report on the inlet’s condition, issued Dec 12, 2013 is here.
The 11th report on the inlet’s condition, issued Oct 20, 2014 is here.
The 12th report on the inlet’s condition, issued Jan 9, 2015 is here.
The 14th report on the inlet’s condition, issued Aug 7, 2015 is here.
The 15th report on the inlet’s condition, issued March 16, 2016 is here.
The 16th report on the inlet’s condition, issued Sept 14, 2016 is here.
Below is the series of aerial photos of the New Inlet from the south looking north across Fire Island. The aerial photography has been a community effort with pilots Rich Giannotti, Don Richards, Charlie Flagg and Vinny Petruso and photographers Charlie Flagg, Mike Ferrigno, Rich Weismann, Justin Flagg, Brian Wasser, Jamie Shreeve, John Vahey, Brad Furman, Chris Gobler, Michael Busch, Art Leiz, Alejandra Sanchez-Franks and Claudia Hinrichs.
With Mark Lang’s help the series of overflights of the breach have produced detailed photo mosaics of the inlet and back bay area.
A complete collection of photos is available on Dr. Flagg’s Great South Bay Project Website
Click on an image or right-click on an image to open in a new tab to fully zoom in.
Apr 9, 2005
An image of the area from 2005, several years before Superstorm Sandy hit.
Nov 3, 2012
Aerial video and photos were obtained Saturday, November 3rd, 5 days after the storm’s passage. A short description and photos of the breaches is available here.
Nov 11, 2012
As a follow-up to the November 3rd aerial survey and after the nor’easter that occurred on November 7 and 8, a second aerial overflight of the Old Inlet area was carried out on November 11, 2012. Photos and a discussion of the results of that flight are available here. In addition, we recovered an oceanographic sensor from the Bellport marina on November 10, 2012 which had recorded the sea level, temperature and salinity variations caused by the hurricane and subsequent nor-easter.
Nov 18, 2012
Another weekly aerial survey of the inlet was carried out on Sunday November 18th which showed that the sand island connecting Pelican Island to Fire Island had been cut by a new channel to the west. A series of photos showing the evolution of the inlet is given here.
Dec 20, 2012
On Saturday December 1, 2012 there was a meeting at Bellport’s community center to discuss the breach in the Old Inlet area. A power point presentation given at that meeting shows how the dynamics of the Great South Bay and the ocean resulted in the formation of the breach and how the breach has affected the tides, wind driven storm surge and the salinity of the eastern end of the Bay.
On December 20 another flight was completed.
Jan 6, 2013
Old Inlet Breach Flyover 2015-02-28
Dr. Charles Flagg took a flight over the Breach at Old Inlet on February 28, 2015 and had the following to report: After nearly two months of snow, high winds, frozen hanger doors and recalcitrant engines, I finally got a chance for another over flight Saturday...
Great South Bay Buoy #1 2014 Reassembly
After suffering destruction from the 2013-2014 winter freeze in Great South Bay, the buoy has been restored by the Instrument Laboratory. It was reassembled on 8/27/2014. Pictures by Larry Swanson and Mark Lang
Seeds of Hope for Shinnecock Bay
SOUTHAMPTON, NY, June 18, 2014 – On Saturday, June 14, East End volunteers worked side-by-side with members of the Stony Brook University School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, (SoMAS) to help revitalize Shinnecock Bay. More than 40 residents, friends and...
SoMAS and Superstorm Sandy
Collection of SoMAS created reports, articles, images and video regarding Superstorm Sandy.
Great South Bay Buoy #1 Damage
The Great South Bay Buoy #1 was damaged by another vessel. Instrument Engineer Tom Wilson and his assistant Greg Smith worked with Dr. Charles Flagg to bring the buoy in and survey the damage.
SoMAS Covers Superstorm Sandy
A collection of news reports, links and videos regarding Hurricane and Superstorm Sandy as it affected and involved the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
Charlie Flagg and Pilot Rich Giannotti fly over Fire Island Breaches (PDF)
Video 1 | Video 2 | Video 3 | Video 4
Charlie Flagg and Pilot Rich Giannotti revisit the Fire Island Breaches Video
Charlie Flagg returns to the breach at Old Inlet on January 6, 2013 (PDF)
The Impact on Great South Bay of the Breach at Old Inlet on January 14, 2013 (PDF)
SoMAS Scientists Unravel the Complexities of the Great South Bay Ecosystem
The Great South Bay is the largest water body among the barrier island estuaries along the south shore of Long Island. It has a long history and tradition of fishing activities, since people started settling on Long Island. Great South Bay was highly productive,...
Stony Brook University Professor Leads Team that Publishes On First Genome of a Harmful Algal Blooms Species
Genome Sequence Reveals Factors Behind the Spread of “Brown Tides” in Coastal Waters STONY BROOK, N.Y., February 22, 2011—Harmful algal blooms (HABs) are caused by single-celled plants, or phytoplankton, in coastal waters and have a negative impact on coastal...
National Park Service And Stony Brook University Sign Cooperative Agreement To Study Coastal Issues
$410,000 Award Will Focus on Great South Bay and Jamaica Bay STONY BROOK, N.Y., November 5, 2003—Stony Brook and the National Park Service have entered into a long-term partnership to expand the University's role in conducting and applying research to natural and...
Brown Tide Threatens South Shore Says Marine Science Researcher
STONY BROOK, N.Y., June 29, 2000—Brown Tide, the common phrase for a —nuisance algal bloom, is menacing South Shore beaches on Long Island, creating the worst problem of its kind in years, according to leading researchers at the University at Stony Brook. This is the...