Safe to swim offshore east coast?
 

Been swimming here for 50 years...warm waters unlike the west coast, best beaches too, it would be a shame not to do it! Long Island beaches are awesome too, more towards the east end. If you're gushing blood probably not best to hang in the water though ;)

Wouldn't worry about Bluefish unless you jump into the middle of a boil, probably lose a couple of limbs on that one.

Evidence points to great white shark nursery off N.J.

read up on some articles, you wouldnt catch me swimming in the ocean that far from shore unless my boat sunk.

I love do it on a regular basis. Stop the boat about 1/2 mile offshore and jump in! As Indy said, be a shame not to do it, as the water can often be beautiful . Dolphin and whale sightings along NJ coast are a regular occurrence the last 5 yrs or so. Are there occasionally sharks, yes, but you are in the ocean after-all.

I would do that in the Sound on a regular basis, go out half way, jump in...usually only in the August dog-days when it's calm and like glass, otherwise not a good idea.

theres nothing in long island sound that would harm you except boat traffic and weather

and taxes !

It is the ocean...things live there...you play in their areas and just maybe, something will not be happy that you are there. Think how dangerous it is to drive your car on the beltways and highways...life is too short to worry over if it is safe to be in the water...just my $0.02

No, but I've done the same thing off Montauk plenty of times. And since '08, not much traffic anymore in LIS.

I'll second that.