Boating and Watersports Tips

Red Brook Harbor in Buzzards Bay offers great variety to a paddler. Open calm water, island vistas, and jagged shoreline highlight your trip. Start at the boat landing at Barlow's Landing off Red Brood Road in Cataumet. Gliding in and out of a mooring field, head north towards Bassett Island. You'll see a variety of nesting birds, and might get a glimpse of a fox, coyote, or osprey. Shoreline rocks makes the paddling more challenging. Turn around at the abandoned lighthouse and head back to Red Brook Harbor. The return distance is about 2 miles.

Sea Crest Resort in Falmouth on Buzzards Bay and Red Jacket Beach Motor Inn on the warmer waters of Nantucket Sound offer kayak rentals and instruction. Ripple Creek Kayak at the Red Jacket Inn rents a variety, including recreational kayaks and touring kayaks with rudders for $15 an hour for a solo kayak, $20 for a tandem, Half-day rentals are $35 for a solo and $45 for a tandem. You can reach Ripple Creek Kayak at (508) 776-9036 and for kayak rentals at the Sea Crest Resort call (508) 540-9400.

Maritime activities on Cape Cod became a major part of the economy after the War of 1812. Sailing vessels were built at many places on the Cape, but the Shiverick Shipyard at Sesuit Harbor in East Dennis was the only one which built clipper ships. During the mid-19th century, Shiverick Shipyard built eight of these fairly fast, sleek boats. A model of the clipper ship The Bell of the West can be seen in the Maritime Room at the Josiah Dennis Manse Museum, Nobscusset Road, Dennis Village.

The waters of Barnstable Harbor in Barnstable Village offer mile upon mile of interesting shoreline to explore. A paddle of an hour or two can take you past the Sandy Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and, a bit farther on, to the entrance of Cape Cod Bay. You are bound to find a secluded spot to picnic and enjoy the unobstructed scenic views. You can access Barnstable Harbor via the town landing: Turn north at the light in the center of Barnstable Village on State Rt. 6A and the landing will be directly on your left as you enter the dock area.

The hurricane season coincides with prime boating time. Even though the local radio stations air hourly weather updates, it's not a bad idea to contact the National Hurricane Center at (900) 933-2628 for advisories. To prepare your boat for bad weather, seal hatches, portholes, windows, doors, and vents with duct tape. At a slip or tie-up, make the lines as long as possible, set extra anchors, and add extra fenders and chafe protection. Most importantly, do not stay on board during a hurricane.

A knot is a nautical measure of speed that equals 1.16 miles per hour. It is used as a reference to the speed of water, wind, and boats.

Keep our waters as clean as possible. If you come across the discharge of oil or oily waste, or notice a film or sheen upon the surface of the water, call the local harbormaster's office or the U.S. Coast Guard. In Sandwich the number is (508) 888-0020; in Woods Hole it's (508) 457-3253; and in Chatham it's (508) 945-3830.

Boating safety is no accident. To build sound knowledge, proficiency, and confidence, take a boating safety course. Be sure you know the equipment on your boat, including safety devices, and wear a personal flotation device. For more information on boating courses, contact the Boating Safety Hotline at (800) 336-2628.

Operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol became a specific federal offense effective January 13, 1988.

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