Tides wash over Fire Island in several spots

The storm surge from Hurricane Irene caused multiple washovers at Fire Island, fire, police and Islip Town officials told Newsday Sunday morning.

With high tide around 8 a.m. on the oceanfront, Irene's effects were still being felt. One of the main access roads, Burma Road, is under 18 inches of saltwater, said Vern Henriksen, Suffolk County fire coordinator for Fire Island.

At Corneille Estates, the ocean was washing over into the bay beneath houses, although no homes were in jeopardy at the present time, officials said. Dunes had been washed over at Corneille, Summer Club and Atlantique, according to reports from local fire and police, Henriksen said.

Another washover is at Point O'Woods, which lost a dune area sandbagged just two years ago where the former Point O'Woods Club used to stand.

Another washover that began Saturday night at the west end of Robert Moses State Park, at the dunes near Hawk Tower, east of Field 5, continues.

"It's not what I would call critical, but now we have no protection from other storms," said Islip director of Emergency Management, Rick Gimbl.

At Kismet on Fire Island, the ocean was pouring into the bay via a vehicle access point. There's also a confirmed report of water under houses in Davis Park with no houses in jeopardy at present, officials said shortly after 9 a.m.

A fire commissioner in Kismet reported water over the dunes at West Lighthouse Walk and Pine Walk in Kismet, said officials.

About 30 residents have remained on the barrier island, Gimbl said.