Hampton Bays is 2 hours east of NYC and just west of Southampton.  The hamlet of Hampton Bays is surrounded by three bays, the Great Peconic Bay to the north, and Shinnecock and Tiana bays to the south. The Shinnecock Canal, a man-made canal located in the eastern part of the hamlet, connects the Great Peconic Bay with the Shinnecock Bay. Shinnecock Inlet, which leads from the Shinnecock Bay to the Atlantic Ocean, is the easternmost inlet, making it very popular for commercial fishing.