The Trustees maintain the health of Georgica Pond by opening it to the ocean. The cut was done this past March on a beautiful Spring day. The goal of this early spring letting is to provide tidal exchange between the ocean and the pond. Increased salinity, oxygen, and the migration of fish and other organisms are all a result of this beneficial practice which dates back to pre-colonial times.
Interesting Information:
Historically, clam shells were used as tools to open the pond to the ocean by the Indigenous People of East Hampton.
Formed by a glacier, Georgica Pond is thought to have been named after the Montauk Indian Jeorgkee, who is said to have made the pond’s shores his home in 1679 and “assisted the settlers with their beach whaling,” according to a 1922 report in the Times Union newspaper.
