Jamaica Bay, 7 miles long and 3.5 miles wide, is the homeport for thousands of boats. It is protected from the Atlantic Ocean by barrier beaches, dotted with marshy islands and shallows and has well-marked channels with 10-foot MLW depths throughout. Once a favored hunting area, much of the bay is now included in the Gateway National Recreation Area. Jamaica Bay is surrounded by noisy John F. Kennedy International Airport as well as the more serene Jamaica Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Rockaway Beach and Jacob Riis Beach.