We joined the ranks of happy kayakers last year and have been on CC Bay, Cliff Pond at Nickerson, Great Pond in Eastham, Town Cove in Orleans and Salt Pond/Nauset Bay at the Nat. Seashore. Would love some more locations in the Eastham/Orleans area and also around Wellfleet and Truro.
Thanks!

Forgot to add-
Has anyone out there kayaked in Florida?
(And am I an idiot to worry about alligators??)

Hi NGail,
I was out yesterday on the calm glasslike water on the bayside in N. Truro - we kayaked up to PTown. The Pamet River, Truro is also nice. Luitenent (sp.) Island in Wellfleet - very nice but you must watch the tides. Grey's beach in Yarmouth and the kettle ponds in Brewster also nice.
How was Capecod bay?
Good luck!

I kayaked East of Tampa with Canoe Escapes. I saw some alligators but they were small ones. You can avoid the section where the gators hang out if you like.

The day spent kayaking was a lot more fun than the theme parks and a good deal cheaper too.

We were out on Nauset Marsh yesterday afternoon until we ran out of water.....what a heavenly spot to kayak! Put in at Hemmenway and paddled to Salt pond and back. I have heard that Gull Pond in Wellfleet is interesting and the Bass river in Dennis is worth a look.

Cybor-
We paddle in the Bay when it's not too choppy and don't go too far out. We set in at Campground Beach - North Eastham. How long did the trip to PTown take you? (I'm impressed!) Where can you get onto the Pamet River and do you need a town permit to park there?
Yellowbyrd-
We did Nickerson instead of Nauset Marsh yesterday because of the tides - I think we'll do NM in a few days. We want to get as far as the inner sands of CoastGuard Beach. If you then hike over the crest to the ocean side and a bit north, there's an area where about 8-10 seals usually hang out. How were the greenflies? They've been worse than usual this year.
FauxStelMarie-
Were you with a group or on your own?
Thanks for all your replies.

The flies are gone...left with the first full moon high tide in August. We did see a white egret, greater yellow legs, great blue heron and osprey so, though it was a short trip, it was worth it! If you do get out to Nauset marsh my only advice to you is to pay attention to the way you get to the outer beach because it is a bit of a maze and it looks quite different in reverse as you paddle back. Otherwise you will find yourseslf dead-ended in marsh grass! Walked to the end of the Eastham Coastguard beach last week but did not see the seals that were there earlier in the summer. Maybe they went ot Chatham to celebrate the end of the traffic season! How did you like Nickerson?

Hi again,
We put in from our beach at Beach Point and if paddling in mild waters we probably make it up to McMillan Wharf in an hour or so, we follow the shoreline and on occasion have made it to longpoint Lighthouse - that's a full day with relaxing and a picnic. One of these times when the water is very calm and there's a group of us, I'd like to go straight across _ basically from the thumb of Truro to the finger tip of Ptown - if you can visualize. There's a town beach put in about 1/2 m. south of us to put in, if you're interested. It's just south of the rte. 6A beach point exit off rte. 6.
As for Pamet, we put in at the harbor on Depot Rd. which I believe costs $5. to park for the day. You can also park free if you park right off the rte. 6 but it will take you to the east part of the Pamet which isn't nearly as long or pretty as the harbor side. Let me know if you need more info.

yellowbyrd;
Where's hemmenway?

p.s. the flies really hit the ocean beaches hard at the beginning of August. They had to actually close the beaches for the first time due to the vicious biters. We were told that because the winds were so stong that the flies that usually live in the dunes were blown onto the beach. Fortunately, we didn't see any on the bay beaches.

Cliff Pond at Nickerson is very nice. It's much bigger than Great Pond in Eastham, and has very nice little beach pull-outs all around. When we were there the other day it was just a bit choppy (the time before it was very calm). It was also very empty - we saw 2 kayaks in the distance and passed a pair of fishermen in a small boat- and maybe a half-dozen people on-shore.
The park is free for day-visitors. Make the first main left after you get in (there are maps by the entry station) and go to the end- a small boat ramp is there for easy put-in to Cliff Pond.
By the way - was Hemenway entry very muddy? We used to wade in there for mussels at low tide and yuck!
Cybor- Hemenway Road/Landing is in Eastham off of Route 6 and is part of that whole Salt Pond/Nauset March area. We've never paddled from there - Yellowbyrd- it sounds beautiful!
Next stop Pamet!
Have fun all!

Hemmenway is a Town of Eastham landing that is also part of the Fort Hill Area. From the Orleans rotary go about 1.5 miles on 6 East. Hemmenway Road is on the right just after the blinking yellow light at the base of Fort HIll Road. Off season you can park in the lot. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day you can parallel park along the edge of the Red Maple Swamp trail which is part of the National Seashore, not the town landing. That way you will not get ticketed for not having an Eastham sticker.

A year later, and we've just hiked to the end of Coast Guard Beach - low tide.
Wow! the whole topography of Nauset Marsh over there has changed. Has anyone been kayaking out there recently? There seem to be sand bars there that I don't remember seeing before.
BTW - the seals are back for the summer on the ocean side. (we were also told that there are less of them over by Chatham since the breach last year)

Now I want to kayak on the cape this weekend!

I will be staying in Chatham or Harwich in July... can anyone recommend a place where I can rent a kayak (and even possibly get a lesson or go out with company/guide who has some experience). I have only kayaked a few times and enjoy the company.

Though it's a little out of your way, Goose Hummock on Town Cove in Orleans is a very good outfit. It does sales, rentals, lessons, trips.

Here's a link to the Goose where you can get lessons and go on a guided tour of Nauset Marsh. Also check out the National Seashore programs and the Wellfleet Wildlife Sanctuary programs. I think they both do instruction and tours for beginning kayakers. www.nps.gov/caco and http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Co...leet/index.php