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Recreation
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Watersports are big here, and it's a great place to finally learn how to sail or windsurf or try kayaking. Whether you're an old hand or just starting out, look to the following places for equipment and advice. Force 5 Watersports Both locations offer lessons in windsurfing, kayaking, and sailing for both children and adults from May through October. You can also rent equipment, small boats, and Sunfish and hire guides. Kayaks rent for $30 an hour or $65 for three hours, and kayak lesson are available for $25 per hour. If you'd rather take up windsurfing, for $50 an hour Force 5 will have you up and sailing around the Jetties Beach area in no time. The Main Street location is open year-round, while the Jetties Beach store is open May to October. Nantucket Harbor Sail This operation rents sailboats during the season. Sea Nantucket Kayak Rentals This seasonal shop offers rentals, lessons, and guided trips. Nantucket Boat Rental If the sight of all those beautiful boats in the harbor makes you want to take one out yourself, contact Nantucket Boat Rental. They rent a good selection of well-maintained powerboats (13-foot, 17-foot, 20-foot or 22-foot) that you can rent by the day, week, or month. A 20-footer costs $450 per day plus gas and a 22-foot boat costs $550. If you are considering a weekly rental, try $2700 plus the gas for the 20-footer.
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Fishing has been a way of life for Nantucketers for generations and still provides a healthy and popular form of recreation, not to mention a delicious meal. If you want to go for bluefish or striped bass, you can pick up equipment, bait, and a guide with a four-wheel-drive and head for Great Point, Smith Point, or Surfside Beach. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is needed for access to Great Point and Smith Point, but you can walk onto Dionis, Surfside, and Pebbles beaches. These are perhaps the best-known beaches, but keep in mind that Nantucket is rimmed by beaches, so finding a fishing spot is not difficult. Of course, as any angler knows, finding fish is another matter. We highly recommend that you contact local tackle shops for current information about fishing (we suggest several, below), since obviously the location of fish and conditions at sea change from day to day. The Nantucket Anglers Club, (508) 228-2299, sponsors the Annual Billfish Tournament for offshore fishing. Open to the public, this weeklong tournament takes place around the last week in July and the first week in August. If you don't own a boat, you can go fishing in a head boat (charges by the person) or a charter boat (charges for the boat). Head boats always provide fishing equipment, and you generally do not need reservations, but it is always best to check ahead. The cost is in the vicinity of $25 per person. There are not many big-game fish charters out of Nantucket. We recommend the Priscilla J, (508) 228-4225, and Monomoy Charters, (508) 228-6867, for serious anglers. If your kids want to do a little bottom fishing off the wharves, they might catch some scup or flounder, but most people head to the beaches. Nine to 11-foot spinning rods are prevalent for surf fishing. According to Bill Pew at Bill Fisher Tackle, 90 percent of fishing here is done with artificial lures rather than live bait, and he sees growing interest in fly fishing. Barry Thurston Fishing Tackle With two decades of experience, this fishing shop outfits for deep-sea fishing, surfcasting, freshwater fishing and shellfishing. It's a licensed Orvis dealer and sells equipment and clothing, offers daily or weekly equipment rentals, and does repairs. Bill Fisher Tackle Open year-round, this shop has a full line of conventional freshwater and saltwater tackle, spinning tackle and fly fishing tackle. It also offers freshwater bait, rental equipment, referrals for guide service, and maintenance and repairs.
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Miacomet Golf Club Owned by the Nantucket Land Bank since 1985, this is the island's only publicly owned course. It has nine holes, a par of 37, a driving range, pro shop, and both pull and electric carts. Reservations for tee times are required at least a week in advance; the course turns away about 100 people a day in summer. Rates are $29 for 9 holes and $55 for 18. Sankaty Head Golf Club This year-round private course is open to the public only from October 1 until the first Friday in June, excluding Memorial Day weekend when, as in summer, it's reserved for members. The 18-hole, par 72 course, developed in 1920 and still recognized as one of the country's finest links courses, enjoys water views from just about every hole. Carts are available, and an on-site pro shop offers everything a golfer may need. Greens fees are $100 a day; it's $35 for a cart, and reservations are required.
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Tristram's Landing Tennis Center This center has five hard-surface courts available for play at the hourly rate of $30 for either singles or doubles. Jetties Beach Public Tennis Courts These courts are free and open to the public, and available on a first-come, first-served basis. Brant Point Racquet Club This club has nine clay courts open to the public. You can pay hourly for court time or opt for instruction to improve your game. The hourly rate is $34 whether you play singles or doubles. The club offers both private lessons with the assistant pro for $55 and professional lessons with the head pro for $75. It also has a fully equipped pro shop, rental racquets, and equipment.
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