Me and my riding buddy discovered Old Harbor this last summer as a
great destination/break-spot for some of our all-day pwc'ing cruises
starting in Riverhead. I'd been into New Harbor a few times with my
wife and there's that nice restaurant The Oar to stop at and a nice
short walk to a little town area from there for some ice cream, but the
half-hour no-wake trek through the harbor to get to the docks is a
deterrent... We found that around the other side of the island is a
terrific, short extra little ride to make, the water was glassy on the
east side of the island the two times we went, and when you turn into
old Harbor it's just a few seconds to idle over to the beach on the
left where all the other pwc's pull up to hang out for the afternoon
(but they were all just over from Rhode Island, we were the only ones
who had come from across the ocean from Long Island!), and then you're
right there at that beautiful beach and restaurant/bar on the beach
with a hoppin' afternoon party scene, band playing right there, sushi
and seafood at the restaurant just inside to take back out to the
outside bar (my friend and I don't drink when we're riding BTW)...and
then still a short walk into town. From my perspective it was a way
better, easier, cooler destination than New Harbor but I know we have a
different perspective and some different considerations from our
bigger-boat brethren.

richforman