Martha's Vineyard Kayaking

I will be vacationing on MV and will be bringing my QCC 600. Does anyone have any advise on the best places to kayak or know of any place to get information on the MV tides and currents? I plan on kayaking the salt ponds but want to try the harbors as well.

MV Paddling
I can help you. I live in Edgartown about 7 weeks a year.



Open water? Sheltered water? Afraid of big fish?


MV Paddling
I’m interested in paddling Edgartown Harbor and the Menemsha and Squibnocket Pond area. I’ll be staying at South Beach so I’ll probably be putting the boat in at the public boat launch in Katama Bay. Questions:

Are the tides and currents difficult once you reach the outer Edgartown Harbor/Eel Pond area and are there places to put in along the way or on Chappaquidick?

Are there boat launches on Edgartown and Tisbury Great Ponds and for the Menemsha area?

Where are the best places to kayak?

Any places I should avoid?

I’m planning on a combination of calm and open water paddling. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


MV
Katama is almost always a good bet. I like to put in at South Beach end and I paddle across to Nortons Point area to dig clams. The tide does move out but your kayak should slide through any shallows there.

Great Pond is my favorite spot. Fresh oysters all day long. Lots of wildlife there. Squib is much the same but you can gain access to the sound and State Beach which is a great paddle.

Menemsha is far but a good half day paddle. Great lunch at Larsons Seafood shack in the marina. Supposedly the best spot to watch sunset.

Pogue pond on Chappy is a great paddle. Put in at the Dyke Bridge(ie;Kennedy Carwash)paddle to light house or out to the gut which leads to Edgartown harbor.



Big Mac

MV
Thanks for the info. I’m sure I can find a book on MV kayaking with all the info I need on launch areas, parking, etc. for the great ponds. I have kayaked Pogue and Poucha before but never went up through the gut. Nautical charts for any open water trips wouldn’t hurt either. I’m looking forward to a dockside lunch at Larsens, great stuff clams. Is there any place to pull in for a break/lunch in Katama Bay or the harbor? Not sure if the Chappy beaches facing Edgartown are all private.

Ask Ted
http://kennedy.senate.gov/ He sails the Vineyard and knows the best spots to dump unwanted girlfriends.

Lagoon
The Lagoon & Tashmoo are both quiet water places to paddle, both have public launches and fairly gentle openings to the ocean. Both are in Vineyard Haven/Tisbury.

More MV…
The entire beach facing up the from the South Beach/Katama end is really nice and when the plovers are nesting 4x4’s are not allowed leaving the entiree beach to boaters and intrepid walkers.



I take my MSR stove and some butter to eat lunch. Nothing quite like a few quahogs on a sunny afternoon.



The Chappy shoreline is very private. There is some public beach near the ferry. Also check out Cooke St Beach in Edgartown. It is located right next to the famous reading room on the Harbor.



With regard to put ins, I usually put in at public launching areas which are bountiful. Great pond can be accessed from a dirt road called meeting House Way. You should ask a local for directions.



When are you planning on going?

Thanks Big Mac
I’ll be on the Vineyard the first week of June, before school is out and before the population gets out of hand. I’m usually there at that time and in October after everyone leaves. I found a book on MV hiking, biking and kayaking that covers most of the good paddling spots. I started going up there 15 years ago when you saw about 5 kayaks total. Now there seems to be hundreds. It must be nice to live there though if you can put up with the summer months.

MV
I spend about 2 to 3 weeks there over the summer. The rest of the year we do mostly long weekends.



The crowds are insane during the summer yet my kayak and I seem to be able to find plenty of solitude.



Enjoy your trip and give me a yell if I can give any more info.





Big Mac