Know before you go: LI water safety tips

Water depths, wind speeds, wave heights and other conditions can vary throughout Long Island's waters. Find free, downloadable resources for recreational boaters, including educational videos, nautical charts, maps and more at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Coast Survey website: www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/staff/BookletChart.html.

For real-time coastal observations, interactive maps and forecasts, use nowCoast, NOAA's web mapping portal: nowcoast.noaa.gov.

Check fishing regulations and requirements such as recreational marine fishing registry enrollment, licenses, permits, open seasons and catch limits at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation website: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/fishing.html.

The NYSDEC maintains a list of boat launch sites by county, including public boat ramps and private marinas with boat ramps that are open to the public for a day use fee. Check with the managing entities for information on fees, parking and rules of ramp use: www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/7832.html.