Sandy Pond Beach Unique Area is a 76-acre conservation area in the eastern Lake Ontario dunes at the north end of a narrow spit between North Sandy Pond and Lake Ontario. Accessible most easily by boat, it became locally known as Boaters' Beach. The Nature Conservancy acquired the fragile barrier-beach property in 1994 from two private owners who wanted it preserved, and early restoration included planting beachgrass and building boardwalks to protect dune vegetation. Later purchased by New York State, it is now managed as part of Sandy Island Beach State Park. Its importance centers on habitat protection, including a bird sanctuary for migrating shorebirds and inclusion in major regional conservation areas.