It’s one of those perfect summer days; clear blue skies, a gentle breeze and just warm enough to appreciate a dip in Edgartown’s chilly harbor. Hubby Jack and I scurry around, packing a lunch and gathering gear in preparation for a day on Katama Bay. As we load up the skiff we’re pleased to note that the harbor is at that quiet sleepy stage before boaters wake up to a bustling day.We arrive at the mooring that is home to Humor Me, a 14’ Fisher Catboat. Aptly named since Jack is a powerboater and the cat was purchased to humor my love of sailing. As it turned out, through the years, he enjoys these sails aboard the cat just as much as I. We lower the centerboard, attach the rudder and hank on the sail. In no time we’ve settled in and slip off the mooring. Catching the breeze, we head away from the mooring field south towards South Beach.
At one time, South Beach (that tiny strip of sandy beach separating Katama Bay from the Atlantic Ocean) connected Chappaquiddick with the Edgartown mainland. However, in the spring of 2007, the beach was breached – causing an increased chop in Edgartown Harbor. Generally, you won’t find many boaters venturing out in that direction. Even though the Fisher draws only 8” with the centerboard raised, we tend to keep a close eye on the water depths.
Sailing past the homes and docks of Chappaquiddick, we are careful to stay off the sand bars that run through the middle of the bay. By the time we arrive on South Beach, we find several families that have arrived at the destination via the road from the Island. This is a great place to picnic, swim, play in the sand or even cast a fishing line.The water between the beach and Chappaquiddick is calm, however as you get close to the mouth of the bay, the water can become brutal. The tides from the Atlantic produce a strong current, water depth is questionable and surf is rough.
On the return trip we slipped into Caleb Pond – keeping to starboard where we had the most depth. Aside from the sheer pleasure of being on the water, exploring the bay and pond proved to be an educational experience as well.
Out in the bay we had come upon a “buoy farm” with a nearby floating dock of what appeared to be lobster traps. Here in the pond we came across a series of floats as well as another floating dock of equipment. Along the way, we encountered a guy in a small powerboat inspecting the floats. We were able to engage in a quick conversation in which we learned that the “buoy farm” was marking a spot in the bay that was being seeded with oysters. The floats in the pond marked an area of scallop beds.
Leaving Caleb Pond, we were able to get close enough to an osprey nest to get a good picture. While the nests are abundant on the Vineyard and Cape Cod, this was the first time I had ever been able to get close enough to get a good shot of the inhabitants. This picture alone was good enough cause to declare it a great day on the water!
By the time we got back to the mooring it was late afternoon – time for a quick shower before meeting friends for cocktails and dinner. We were excited – we had pictures to share and stories to tell! ✦
