e x p l o r e  n a n t u c k e t
PADDLING HITHER CREEK
with Peter B. Brace
Sunday morning's fog was like a cooling blanket that swirled in from Madaket over Hither

Creek.

Paddling in it would have been a wonderfully relaxing way to enjoy this busy thoroughfare before boat wakes and engine fumes disturb the peace. Had I been up early enough, I could have experienced the chill morning air about to give way to blazing sunshine with little or no wind.

Nope! I just couldn't get out of bed having had a late night. The best I could do was to be on the water by 11 a.m. when the heat was full-throttle. No matter. Being on the water in any weather beats looking at screen-saver photos of past paddling adventures any day of the week.

Should you find time early in the morning or at dusk during the hazier, foggier parts of the day, I highly recommend a leisurely paddle around the saltmarsh edges of Hither Creek. Although the creek is jam packed with moored boats, it's swarming with Mallard and Black ducks that don't hurry too much to get out of your way. There are also ospreys cruising overhead, ready to dive for any fish they spot and Great and Little egrets spearing fish in the shallows along the shore.

And if it's high tide, on which I always recommend that you paddle Hither Creek, you can venture well into the Madaket Ditch and at least as far east as the wide culvert beneath North Cambridge Street. You can also pick your way up to Millie's Bridge, drift under it and check out the little lagoon with the ocean and beach just over the marsh and dunes.

If you're gifted with a whole day off, maybe pack a late breakfast with plenty of liquids and venture outside the creek into Madaket Harbor for a trip over to Smith's or Eel points. On Sunday though, my time was limited by the deadline for this column and other stories, and the hot sun and lack of wind.

I find that launching my kayak at the F Street public landing, also called the Walter S. Barrett Public Pier, is the easiest and most pleasurable. Once you drop your gear and your boat, parking is easy along the north side of F Street and on Tennessee Avenue. You can launch on either side of the small pier, but I prefer the north side because it's a beach and I won't scratch my kayak as much.

Once on the water, keep an eye out for boats landing at the dock and launching from the concrete ramp on the other side of the pier. When you get out into the creek, hug either shoreline to keep out of the path of boats cruising in and out of the creek.

I like to paddle down toward Hither Creek Boatyard, now called Madaket Marine, and get into the ditch before the tide starts running out again. If you decide to do this, be sure to lather yourself with bug repellent before you get on the water. Madaket's infamous mosquito horde is born and lives in the saltmarshes you'll be paddling through. On astronomically high tides you can actually paddle under North Cambridge Street and follow the narrow ditch all the way to Second Bridge, haul your boat over the road and continue paddling in Long Pond.

That's for another a day. I only paddled in to where the creek narrowed to ditch width and then turned around. I had to. The heat was roasting me and as soon as I started paddling back, into the wind, I felt cooler.

On the way back, I stuck to the west side of the creek instead, discovering scores of ducks napping in the grass along the shore. When the creek takes a sharp right around Little Neck, a small peninsula owned by the Nantucket Conservation Foundation, you'll be able to see your way out of the creek and into the harbor.

Boats and bugs - paddling Hither Creek has its hazards, but if you're smart and give yourself enough time, it's worth all the trouble and then some.

If you're plan is to venture out into the harbor, paddle to the west side of the channel and go left (southwest) around the last point you come to, and paddle on. The boat channel outside of the creek is marked with red and green buoys on either side and should be avoided because once boaters leave the creeks they are free to hit the gas.

For my Sunday morning paddle, however, I didn't have time to go exploring, so Millie's Bridge was the turnaround spot. Instead of taking the sharp turn to the northwest, continue paddling south in the creek to the wooden bridge at the south end of the creek. You can paddle under it and poke around the little lagoon or you can land on the north side of the east end of the bridge and walk up the path, a public way, to the road, go left onto Ames Avenue and walk to Madaket Beach.

Or you can paddle and drift back to the F Street Pier, which is what I did, lamenting that I couldn't spend the entire day on the water. Having spent about an hour on the water though, my paddling desires were, for the time being, sated.

It would be easy to take a couple hours to paddle around Hither Creek and then several more going out to Smith's Point for breakfast or lunch. If I were you, I'd plan for a whole day.

Peter B. Brace is the author of "Walking Nantucket," a comprehensive walker's guide to the island, available at island bookstores and gift shops.

The Nantucket Independent assumes no responsibility for any mishaps that may befall you while out pedaling, hiking and paddling. You venture out at your own risk and should be confident enough in your abilities to perform your sport on the routes in this series.

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KAYAKING 101 Kayakers should never leave shore without a U.S. Coast Guard-approved personal flotation device. Also, have a whistle attached to your PFD, and a water pump, strobe light and compass on board. Tell someone where you plan to paddle and when you plan to return. Check the tides and weather conditions before you launch. Do not paddle alone unless you are confident in your paddling skills and know how to perform a self-rescue. Give way to boats and stay out of heavily traveled channels, except when crossing when boats are not coming or going. Wear a hat and apply sunscreen before and during the trip. As with all outdoor activities, bring ample food and water.