Plans are underway to transfer operations of Fire Island’s Great Gun Beach from Brookhaven Town to Suffolk County.
The ocean beach, accessible to the public by boat, features bathrooms and lifeguard protection during the summer season. Officials involved in the transfer believe it will be more efficient and less expensive to utilize county staff from the nearby Smith Point facility to run Great Gun. For years, the town ferried workers from the mainland, while under the new arrangement, they can access the beach via four-wheel drive.
Great Gun has a marina with about 50 boat slips and a boardwalk leading to the ocean. It offers barbecue areas, stunning views of the Fire Island wilderness, and a white sand ocean beach. It’s located about halfway between Smith Point and Moriches Inlet. Boaters are charged a fee to dock there based on the size of their vessel. The transfer is expected to occur in time for the 2026 season.