The Sand Hole is a water-filled sand pit on Lloydd's Neck at the entrance
to Oyster Bay, Long Island, NY. Inside the Sand Hole there is plenty of
water -- as much as 25 feet at low tide -- so lonmg as one is careful
where one anchors. But the entrance to the place is through two narrow
channels whose sides slope sharply and through which the ebb or flood
flows at as much as five knots. Average tide is about seven feet. The
phrase "local knowledge" was invented for this place. Until recently a
careful sailboat drawing 5 feet or more could get in and out at dead low
tide, some times more easily than at a higher stage of the tide because
you could see where the water was and where it wasn't. But not now. The
two choke points have shoaled. Passage at less than half tide is now
problematical at best.

On a recent Saturday we watched several sailboats try to get out at low
tide. They all got stuck as we watched and made nastry remarks about
strangers messing up. To add insult to injury, the Coast Guard came
along. No doubt the big Beneteau thought they were going to help him.
They did not. They boarded him and left him looking very irate. They then
circled the pond, hassled a coulole of other motor boats and one was
heard to say to the others as they passed us "I think they (us) are OK."

The boats got over the inner bar but could not clear the outer one and
eventually anchored until there was enough water to get out.

We left the next morning at dead low tide. We never had a problem before.
But this time we were stuck, first on the inner bar then the outer one.
We spent three hours trying to get out, which had never happened before.

So, if you are going there, beware. And don't even try to enter on an
ebbing tide. You could end up with an excellent opportunity to clear the
barnacles off your prop and shaft. Been there, done that.