Water Activities
Coast Guard Beach
Surf casting at Race Point, Provincetown
Mussels Quohogs Softshell clam
The Cape’s recreational activities are mostly water-related, naturally. Its many beaches, harbors, and inlets offer endless opportunities whether you want to swim, surf, sail, fish, water-ski, use a motorboat, or just sunbathe.
Swimming
Within the National Seashore, lifeguard services, restrooms, changing areas, and related facilities are located at these beaches operated by the National Park Service from Eastham to Provincetown: Coast Guard, Nauset Light, Marconi, Head of the Meadow, Race Point, and Herring Cove (see map on [pages 88-89]). Several towns also have public beaches; all of them charge parking fees in the summer.
The water usually is quite cold—temperatures may be in the high 50s°F even in the summer—and the surf can be rough at times, so be especially careful. Some parents with young children prefer beaches on Cape Cod Bay to those on the Atlantic coast because the water is warmer and usually calmer and because the beaches slope more gradually into the water. See rip current warning, [page 108].
Motorboating
The many inlets and harbors along the coastlines make the Cape appealing to motorboaters. Most town harbors have boat launching ramps, boat rentals, and other facilities. Marine supply stores are located in most Cape towns.
Some harbors, such as Provincetown, Wellfleet, Orleans, Chatham, Harwich Port, and Woods Hole, have docks, moorings, and other marine facilities for those visiting the Cape by powerboat. Write to the Chamber of Commerce or inquire locally for specific information.
Sailing, Surfing, and Windsurfing
Sailboats and sailboards are a familiar sight in Cape Cod waters from Buzzards Bay and Nantucket Sound to the Atlantic itself and Cape Cod Bay. In the National Seashore area, bays and harbors in Chatham, Orleans, Wellfleet, and Provincetown are excellent for those using small sailboats and sailboards. The Atlantic coast from Orleans to Provincetown is usually good for surfboarding. Special areas are designated for their use at beaches run by the National Park Service. If in doubt, inquire locally.
Fishing
Saltwater fishing is one of the most popular recreational activities on the Cape. Surf-fishermen line up on the more accessible beaches to cast their lines into the Atlantic for striped bass, bluefish, and flounder, while others seek secluded spots to try their luck.
Charter fishing boats work out of Chatham, Orleans, Wellfleet, and Provincetown. Besides the fish cited above, you might catch halibut, haddock, and mackerel.
No license is required for saltwater sport fishing, but there are size and number limits and a state license is necessary for fishing in the many freshwater ponds. Commercial fishing is not permitted within the National Seashore. Inquire at town offices or fishing supply stores about regulations and for other information.
Shellfishing
Because so many clams and other shellfish have been harvested for so many years, the supplies are dwindling and towns regulate their gathering and areas and times when shellfishing is allowed. You must obtain a town shellfish permit.
While on the Cape, you will hear about “mussels,” “steamers,” “quahogs,” and “little necks.” What are the differences?
Mussels, which are dark blue oblongs about 2½ inches long, are found in groups attached to rocks or pilings.
Quahogs are grayish hardshell clams that are commonly used in chowders. Small quahogs, known as little necks or cherrystones, are served raw. Quahogs are dug with a wide-toothed rake, or scratcher, primarily along the Cape Cod Bay shoreline at low tide and in the shallows of Nauset Bay and Pleasant Bay. From their boats, commercial shellfishermen use a heavy, long-handled rake that looks like a wire basket on the end of two long poles.
Softshells are whitish, oblong clams that are steamed or fried. They are dug with a small fine-toothed rake, or clam hoe, at low tide on sand flats facing the Atlantic, Nantucket Sound, and Cape Cod Bay. You can spot their locations by tiny holes in the sand. Sometimes they squirt water at you as you step near their holes.
Other common shellfish are bay or sea scallops. Scallop shells come in a variety of colors and have ribs or elevated ridges running from the top to the outer edges. Bay scallops usually are found in eelgrass beds.
A tip to out-of-staters: Cape Cod clam chowder is made with a milk base. Manhattan clam chowder is made with a tomato base. Do not expect the latter on the Cape. Don’t even ask for it!