10 Ways to Enjoy West Meadow Beach this Summer

The official start of summer was at 1:16 p.m. on Tuesday, and West Meadow Beach is ready for the usual throngs of summer visitors. That's according to Eileen Gerle, the Town of Brookhaven's naturalist for West Meadow Beach, who weighed in on some of the best ways to enjoy the beach this summer.

Take a Dip
The obvious way to enjoy the beach is to go for a swim or splash your feet in the surf to cool down on a hot day. Make sure to pay attention to the lifeguards' hours on duty.

Play in the Sand...
But kids shouldn't use their bare hands, Gerle advised. "Rather than digging with their hands, make sure they use a shovel and a little sieve so that the sand goes through and all the things they could cut themselves on stay behind," she said.

Stroll Down Trustees Road...
...or take your bike or roller blades down the mile-long pathway, which runs almost all the way to Stony Brook Harbor.

Go Fish
Yes, fishing is permitted at West Meadow Beach. "Don’t do it in the bathing area," Gerle said. "Go down to the end of the beach."

Bask in the Sun...
...but don't forget your sunscreen. Check out consumersearch.com for reviews of different brands before you head for the shore.

Enjoy a Beach Program or Take a Nature Walk
Gerle runs a number of fun and educational activities all year long, including full moon hikes, bird walks, children's crafts, a junior beach ranger program for kids ages 9 to 12, and touch tanks where kids can see and hold creatures like snails and sea stars. It's also a great place to observe different animal and plant species. "Right now the cactus is in bloom, so that's pretty," Gerle said.

Have a Picnic
The beach is an especially popular spot for a sunset dinner, but make sure to dispose of your trash properly.

Search for Shells and Pretty Rocks
Shells are pretty much a given at the beach, but the rocky shores of the Long Island Sound are great places to hunt for beautiful or unusual-looking stones, too.

Enjoy a Water Sport
You can kayak at West Meadow Beach. You can also kiteboarding and wind surf, too. "That’s a biggie," Gerle said. "This is a good beach for that because it’s so windy all the time."

Check Out the New Playground
The Town of Brookhaven spent a week installing a new nautical-themed playground, which opened the weekend of June 11. Check back with Three Village Patch soon for more details on the new play area.

What Not to Do at West Meadow Beach
Gerle offered a few big no-no's, like littering, jet-skiing too close to shore, and mistreating the animals. Even though it might seem like fun, feeding the birds is another one. "It habituates them to people," Gerle said. "I’ve seen them go into people’s bags and steal food. It really creates pests and it’s not healthy for the animals." Jet-skiing and feeding the gulls are both prohibited in the town code, so it's actually possible to get a ticket for those actions.