young children on board, Cape Cod

[AFD]

looking for family friendly and wallet friendly trips for next summer. our girls will be 1 and 2.5 next summer.

we are going to be out of falmouth next summer at our family house on eel pond. I know all about washburn island, looking for other places.

private beaches accessible by boat only, harbors with things to entertain small children without crazy dockage or mooring fees.

thanks
Anthony

 

[swaterhouse]

Hadley Harbor - no land access (except bull island) but a great quite spot, fairly warm water for swimming
Lake Tashmoo - awesome harbor, small beach for wading/swimming, park just up from the dinghy dock and a 15 minute walk to Vineyard Haven
Cuttyhunk - just a neat place sort of a step back in time
Edgartown or Oak Bluffs - free moorings for the day, I think $50/night
Vineyard Haven - dock at harbormasters office is $10/hour

My daughter just turned two, is loving the boat and beach visits, we have the boat in New Bedford and make the run into VS a couple times a month.

 

[Jeremygavin]

Sampsons island in cotuit bay and popnenesset islands are great anchors spots for the day. They get busy but sand is great and easy to get on the beach from the boat.

 

[AFD]

those spots look great, thanks

anyone else?

 

[AFD]

anything else everybody? i'm looking for beach days with the kids and waquat bay is just too close to go out in the big boat, we take the dingy to washburn island from the other side all the time.

 

[Jeremygavin]

Tashmoo is a great spot on the vineyard. It is a cove on the west side. It would be a 10-15 cruise for you from Waquiot. Great on windy days because it is a protected anchorage. If you have a dingy with you there is a decent beach there with shallows for the little ones.
Hyannis is not a bad run as well. I was just there this weekend. Hyannis marina has transient dockage or if there is room you can tie up at Baxtors for lunch. Lewis bay is a nice spot to anchor with a good sandbar.

 

[AFD]

thanks Flipper, i'll check those out. how far in do you have to go in Tashmoo before you drop the hook? we do have a dinghy and i've heard it's great there from my grandparents neighbors who go with their grandkids all the time.

any issues with going ashore on egg island in lewis bay or at the beach south of there? i'm pretty sure its just north of those amazing resort compounds that nobody can ever afford

 

[Boston-boater]

Tarpaulin cove on Naushon island might be another one to check out. For that matter, kettle cove on the other side of Naushon. No amenities but a destination and a beach.

 

[AFD]

thanks, i'm just looking for day trips or couple hour trips so that is perfect. our youngest turns 1 next week so we are short haul boaters this year.

 

[Jeremygavin]

thanks Flipper, i'll check those out. how far in do you have to go in Tashmoo before you drop the hook? we do have a dinghy and i've heard it's great there from my grandparents neighbors who go with their grandkids all the time.

any issues with going ashore on egg island in lewis bay or at the beach south of there? i'm pretty sure its just north of those amazing resort compounds that nobody can ever afford

When you enter Tashmoo there are shallows on right and left. You have to go through the marked channel till you get to the last red can and then on the right is a anchorage. They have it marked where you can anchor to. It is only a thousand yds or so in.

We have anchored in Lewis bay and gone onto egg island beaches numerous times with no problem. It is sandy and fairly protected so it is an easy place to anchor at.
Defiantly check out Cotuit bay and west bay as it is a nice place to cruise and get on the beach. It would only be a 20-30min run for you from waquiot. You can go all the way around grand island, it is about 30-40min around and there are a ton on beautiful houses to see in there.
Pompenesett/ New Seabury is a nice bay as well. It is right before Cotuit bay. Lots of cool small canals to cruise up and down. Nice beach and anchorage there as well.

 

[swaterhouse]

Tarpaulin cove on Naushon island might be another one to check out. For that matter, kettle cove on the other side of Naushon. No amenities but a destination and a beach.

Along those lines you can add the beach on the west side of Quicks Hole - cant think of the name right now.

 

[Turkj40]

There is Basset Island as well, just keep an eye out for the shallows and the rock markers. It's my go to place, well protected once you drop anchor and you can take the dingy to the chart room if needed for lunch and mudslides.

 

[AFD]

I was thinking about bassets's too but yesterday we all started to feel sick except my wife so we did about 40minutes on the dinghy just cruising around in Eel pond and about an hour on the beach on washburn island before my head got too heavy to hold up. Didn't even take out the SeaRay because I was too sick but our neighbor said it was flat calm and perfect day. We missed out. Oh well. Still had a good family day and the wife got good news about a new job she will be starting so it was a good day all in all.

 

[Jeremygavin]

+1 on Bassets. Great spot.