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2007 Nantucket Summer Beach Guide
For instance, did you know that the South Shore waters are colder than the North Shore, that with a town shellfish permit you can dig quahogs all summer long, that man of war jellyfish are now a beach hazard on Nantucket and that beach driving is nearly the norm here? Above all, respect the beach wherever you go. Pack out all your trash, do not bury your cigarette butts in the sand, clean up after your dog and always leave the beach as you found it. Remember that the graciousness of private property owners who allow public use of their beaches exists only because of the respect of this privilege afforded by beachgoers that came before you. The Beaches CISCO BEACH Now known as End of the Road Beach because the beach end of Hummock Pond Road is literally crumbling into the ocean, Cisco Beach includes the sand at the end of this road and the lifeguarded beach just to the east.+ Location: At the south end of Hummock Pond Road and the last left before the beach + Best for: Surfing, families and generally most beachgoers + Why it's cool: Learn to surf on easy waves with lifeguards close by + Conditions: Southwest winds, H2O: 65°-70°, air: 60°-85°, occasional fog, heavy surf + Facilities: Parking lot and surfing schools + Access: On foot from the parking lot or end of Hummock Pond Road + NRTA: N/A + Lifeguards: Yes + Dangers: Strong rip currents, deep water, heavy surf, man of war jellyfish
CHILDREN'S BEACH The name says it all. A perfect place to take your children right up to water's edge, if you're strapped for time, or for an afternoon of watching boats in the harbor, Children's Beach couldn't have been placed better in relation to downtown Nantucket.+ Location: Harbor View Way off South Beach Street + Dangers: Strong rip currents, deep water, heavy surf, man of war jellyfish + Local wisdom: Makes a great walk at dusk or early in the morning MIACOMET BEACH Amelding of ocean and pond beach experiences, here again is another great beach for children and their families that is close to town. Miacomet Beach has, like all South Shore beaches, great surf to play in even on calm days and access to Miacomet Pond.+ Location: At the south ends of Miacomet and West Miacomet Roads + Best for: Families and generally all beachgoers, early morning and evening fishing, sunsets and beachcombing
NEW SMITH'S POINT Ferocious winds and waves of the Patriot's Day nor'easter severed Esther Island from Nantucket this spring, forming a new Smith's Point and with it, great fishing for those in search of striped bass and bluefish. It's also an easy drive down the beach to find some privacy.+ Location: At the southwest end of Massachusetts Avenue in Madaket + Best for: Beach drivers and fishers who don't want the long drive to Great Point + Why it's cool: Seeing coastal geology in action + Conditions: Southwest winds, H2O: 65°-70°, air: 60°-85°, occasional fog, heavy surf
+ Access: On foot from the southwest end of Massachusetts Avenue, vehicles with town beach sticker after 5 p.m. + NRTA: Madaket Route; West End stop + Lifeguards: No + Dangers: Strong rip currents, deep water, heavy surf, man of war jellyfish, fatally strong current in the channel + Local wisdom: DO NOT SWIM in or near this new channel + Best for: Families with children, the lunch-hour crowd + Why it's cool: There's a park with green grass and benches facing the harbor + Conditions: Generally calm water, H2O: 70-75, air: 60°- 85°, colder when wind is north or east, occasional fog + Facilities: Concession stand, bathrooms, boat ramp, swing set, jungle gym and parking + Access: On foot from parking spaces + NRTA: Madaket Route: Easton and North Water streets stop (outbound only), Easton and South Beach streets stop (inbound only) + Lifeguards: Yes + Dangers: Busy harbor access point with vehicles and boats coming and going + Local wisdom: Eat on this beach or its park benches DIONIS BEACH It used to be nothing more than a North Shore
+ Location: Marked by a white-painted boulder with the word "Dionis" on it on the north side of Eel Point Road about 1.5 miles west from Madaket Road + Best for: Families and general beachgoers + Why it's cool: Uncrowded even in August + Conditions: Generally calm water, H2O: 70-75, air: 60°- 85°, colder when wind is north or east, occasional fog + Facilities: Bathhouse with changing rooms and toilets + Access: On foot from the parking area + NRTA: Madaket Route; Eel Point Road stop + Lifeguards: Yes, with police ATV patrols + Dangers: Speeding Jet-Skis very close to shore, + Local wisdom: Most people bypass this beach for 40th pole
+ Location: At the end of Eel Point Road at the sharp turn south + Best for: Fishing, digging quahogs, sunset watching and soaking + Why it's cool: Fish swimming within wading distance of the beach, views of Tuckernuck and Muskeget islands + Conditions: Southwest winds, H2O: 70-75°, air: 60°-85°, occasional fog, swift currents + Facilities: None + Access: On foot from the small parking area, beach vehicle with town sticker + NRTA: Madaket Route; Warren's Landing Road stop + Lifeguards: No + Dangers: Strong rip currents, deep water, man of war jellyfish, fatally strong current in the channel, mosquitoes + Local wisdom: Lather up with bug repellent if walking in; obey shorebird nesting area signs and boundaries 40TH POLE Owned by the Nantucket Islands Land Bank,
+ Location: Approximately 40 telephone poles west on Eel Point Road from Madaket Road on the north side of the road + Best for: Families with children + Why it's cool: Nantucket Sound is like a bathtub during the summer + Conditions: Generally calm water, H2O: 70-75 degrees, air: 60°-85°, colder when wind is north or east, occasional fog + Facilities: None + Access: On foot from parking area or by four-wheel-drive + NRTA: Madaket Route; Eel Point Road stop + Lifeguards: No. Frequent police ATV patrols + Dangers: Speeding Jet-Skis very close to shore, near constant beach vehicle traffic + Local wisdom: Early birds get the best spots; don't get caught without your town beach sticker
+ Location: North end of Wauwinet Road + Best for: Families, fishing, bird-watching, clambakes and sunsets + Why it's cool: Miles and miles of nearly empty beaches, Trustees' natural history tours + Conditions: Southwest winds, H2O: 65°-70°, high 70s in the harbor, air: 60°-85°, occasional fog + Facilities: Parking, port-a-potties + Access: Trustees of Reservations beach sticker and fourwheel drive vehicle + NRTA:NA + Lifeguards: No. Vigilant patrols by Trustees staff + Dangers: Strong rip currents, man-of-war jellyfish poison ivy, mosquitoes and dead sand + Local wisdom: Always deflate your tires to 12 PSI, don't speed and be at the lighthouse at 1 p.m. to get a special view JEFFERSON LANE A.k.a., the Gaza Strip, coined by the late Gerry Bissinger, a lifelong summer resident of the island, because of this beach's narrow strip of public sand between properties owned by the Galley Beach Restaurant and the Cliffside Beach Club.+ Location: At the north end of Jefferson Lane + Best for: A quick dip during your lunch hour + Why it's cool: Public access right next to + Conditions: Generally calm water, H2O: 70-75, air: 60°-85°, colder when wind is north or east, occasional fog + Facilities: None with very limited parking + Access: On foot from parking spots + NRTA: Jetties Beach Route, Jetties Beach stop + Lifeguards: No + Dangers: Not finding any beach space on this 40- foot-wide beach + Local wisdom: Bring your gold card if you plan to eat lunch at the Galley Beach Restaurant JETTIES BEACH
+ Location: At the water end of Bathing Beach Road + Best for: Island visitors without vehicles, families and general beachgoers + Why it's cool: A classic beach with all the amenities walking distance from town + Conditions: Generally calm water, H2O: 70-75, air: 60°- 85°, colder when wind is north or east, occasional fog + Facilities: Bathhouse and restaurant on the beach, bike racks, parking lot, pay phone, jungle gym, sailboat and windsurfer rentals and tennis courts + Access: On foot down boardwalk from parking lot + NRTA: Jetties Beach Route, Jetties Beach stop + Lifeguards: Yes + Dangers: Speeding boats close to shore, overcrowding on hot days and busy weekends, slippery, barnacle-covered rocks on west jetty + Local wisdom: Listen to the Boston Pops here on Aug. 11 by getting on the beach in mid-afternoon to stake your plot of sand - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - LADY'S BEACH The beach formerly known as Fat Lady's Beach where women of a particular shape used to escape from the more crowded, trendy parts of the South Shore is still off the beaten beach path and a beautiful drive or bike ride from town.+ Location: When Bartlett Farm Road ends, go left, following the dirt road all the way to the beach + Best for: Getting away from it all, fishing, sunsets + Why it's cool: A relatively uncrowded beach on the South Shore close to Bartlett's Farm + Conditions: Southwest winds, H2O: 65°-70°, air: 60°- 85°, occasional fog, heavy surf + Facilities: None + Access: On foot from parking area, vehicles with town beach sticker after 5 p.m. + NRTA: N/A + Lifeguards: No + Dangers: Strong rip currents, deep water, heavy surf, man of war jellyfish + Local wisdom: Stop at Bartlett's Farm for your lunch and Cisco Brewers for a cold one heading home MADAKET BEACH Forget Key West. We can't overstate the imperative for you to see a sunset from Madaket Beach! The sun sets into the water just seven miles from town at the end of Madaket Road. Drive, cycle or get there by bus. Bring a light beach dinner, a blanket and your camera for this quintessential Nantucket experience.+ Location: At the southwest end of Madaket Road + Best for: Sunsets, families and generally all beachgoers, surfing and fishing early mornings and evenings + Why it's cool: Madaket sunsets just about says it all + Conditions: Southwest winds, H2O: 65°-70°, air: 60°-85°, occasional fog, heavy surf + Facilities: Parking along Ames Avenue and end of Madaket Road, general store 100 yards before beach, port-a-potties + Access: On foot from parking areas + NRTA: Madaket Route; West End stop + Lifeguards: Yes + Dangers: Strong rip currents, deep water, heavy surf, man of war jellyfish + Local wisdom: On clear, calm evenings, look for the green flash on the horizon the second the sun sets. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - MADEQUECHAM Tlocating of the Madequecham Jam, a raucous beach version of Woodstock on Nantucket every August through early 1990s, is now an excellent out-of-the-way beach for those seeking peace on the shore in a rural setting. Although getting there can be challenging, that is why you're likely to find a nearly empty parking area.+ Location: Beach end of Madequecham Valley Road off New South Road, consult Land Bank map + Best for: First beach dates, sunsets, quiet picnics, fishing and solitude + Why it's cool: Having the beach all to yourself + Conditions: Southwest winds, H2O: 65°-70°, air: 60°-85°, occasional fog + Facilities: None + Access: On foot from Land Bank parking area + NRTA: N/A + Lifeguards: No PINE TREES Black pine, according to Nantucket tree warden Dave Champoux, was originally planted on the island by Bassett Jones on his property in Wauwinet. Japanese pitch pines were first planted on Nantucket as a windbreak at the top of Bean Hill, just past Tom Nevers Road heading east, he said. For these less than glamorous trees, Champoux said there are three causes of ongoing pine die-offs around the island. "Winter damage is one," he said. "On the black pines, they are predominately affected by the Nantucket pine tip moth that affects their terminal growth." The larvae of this insect feed on the new growth at the end of its branches, what Champoux called its candles. "The other thing is the Japanese pitch pine and black pine are infected with turpentine beetles that feed at the base of the tree and clog up the tree's vascular system," he said. The turpentine beetle's larvae girdle these pines about six to 12 inches up from the ground, burrowing into the trunk of the tree. Champoux added that the Department of Public Works commits much of its tree money each year to treating the American elm trees in the downtown area for Dutch elm disease and does not currently spend any money eradicating the pine tree menace. However, Champoux said he has the black pine trees on his property sprayed for Nantucket Tip Moths twice a year by Bartlett Tree Experts and that seems to help a great deal in keeping them alive.
In case you haven't already taken note of this anomaly of coastline usage, now is the time to ponder just how lucky you and Nantucket are in terms of beach access. Surrounded by roughly 82 miles of sandy and, in some places, gravelly beaches, a scant two to three miles of it is owned by the town or the Nantucket Islands Land Bank. Island conservation organizations own a fair chunk of the island's coastline, but much of it is largely owned by private property owners. Wading in surf or staring at the sea from your beach towel on a private beach is a rarity on the Massachusetts coastline. Were you to vacation on the Cape or Martha's Vineyard you would likely be paying top dollar just to park in the beach parking lot - if you could find a spot - and then joining the mob scene of a crowded off island beach. On Nantucket, because of the long-standing benevolent attitude of most waterfront property owners towards sharing what they cherish with the rest of us, you get a pass to beach paradise. But not without a few catches here and there. Unless posted with no-trespassing signs, all beaches are open for your use, subject to town bylaws and rules set by private beach owners. Purchase the town's beach driving permit and sticker for $100 at the Nantucket Police Station opposite the Rose & Crown on South Water Street and you will get a map showing when and where you can drive along the shore. Town beaches are off limits to vehicles from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the exception of Smith's Point and 40th Pole, which is owned and managed by the Nantucket Islands Land Bank. Together with the Nantucket Conservation Foundation and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, the Trustees of Reservations owns and manages the 1,100-acre wildlife refuge of Great Point, Coatue and Coskata. Access to these beaches is through the purchase of an annual permit and sticker for $125. Rental jeeps and other SUVs come with both town and Trustees' permits, but renters must pay an additional $20 a day to drive on Trustees' property. For those beaches whose access roads cut through the open expanses of the island's sandplain grassland, dunes and beach grass fields, stick to the established roads whether on foot or in your vehicle. Once at the beach, do not drive, walk through or spread your towel on dunes and beach grass, as both help protect the beaches from erosion. NOBADEER
+ Location: East end of Nobadeer Avenue + Best for: Surfing, beach driving, people watching and partying + Why it's cool: Your parents won't be there + Conditions: Southwest winds, H2O: 65°-70°, air: 60°-85°occasional fog, heavy surf + Facilities: Parking + Access: Town beach sticker for beach drivers + NRTA: Surfside Beach Route; Surfside stop + Lifeguards: No - frequent police ATV patrols + Dangers: Man of war jellyfish, rip currents, pounding surf + Local wisdom: If parking lot is full, park only on the ocean side of the avenue, don't block driveways THE NUDE BEACH Officially, there is no nude beach on Nantucket. Bare yourself at your own risk, but if you want to go where everyone at least knows naked people will be, this beach between Miacomet and Surfside beaches is just for you.+ Location: Go left at the end of South Shore Road; follow the road to the beach + Best for: You mean, you don't know? + Why it's cool: Wearing your birthday suit when it's not your birthday + Conditions: Southwest winds, H2O: 65°-70°, air: 60°-85°, occasional fog, heavy surf + Facilities: None + Access: On foot from the south end of South Shore Road or the sand parking lot, vehicles with town beach sticker after 5 p.m. + NRTA: Surfside Beach Route; South Shore Road stop + Lifeguards: No + Dangers: Peeping Toms with binoculars and other dodgy individuals, strong rip currents, deep water, heavy surf, man of war jellyfish, risk of all-body sunburn + Local wisdom: Don't go alone PEBBLE BEACH (TOM NEVERS)
+ Location: In the southwest corner of the old Navy Base in Tom Nevers; consult tackle shops + Best for: Fishing and sunsets + Why it's cool: Bluefish and striper heaven + Conditions: Southwest winds, h2o: 65°-70°, air: 60°-85°, occasional fog + Facilities: None + Access: By vehicle or on foot + NRTA: 'Sconset via Milestone Road or 'Sconset via Old South Road routes; Tom Nevers stop + Lifeguards: No + Dangers: Strong rip currents, deep water, heavy surf, man of war jellyfish + Local wisdom: Islanders love to fish here POCOMO POINT Access to Nantucket Harbor this far up is hard to come by unless you own a boat or a four-wheel-drive making this beach a gem of the upper harbor. Can't make it out to Madaket for the sunset? Try Pocomo Point+ Location: At the north end of Pocomo Road off Wauwinet Road + Best for: Fishers, sunset pilgrims and families with small children + Why it's cool: You can bask in warm harbor waters + Conditions: Calm water, H2O: 70-75, air: 60°-85°, colder when wind is blowing from any direction, occasional fog + Facilities: None + Access: On foot from the parking area + NRTA: N/A + Lifeguards: No + Dangers: Kitesurfers launch and land from the tip of the point where tidal currents are fairly strong, windsurfers launch and land on this beach, red jellyfish that sting + Local wisdom: Beautiful spot, tiny parking area QUIDNET BEACH-SESACHACHA POND
+ Location: East end of Sesachacha Road + Best for: Families, fishing, beach combing + Why it's cool: Warm pond, cool ocean and lighthouse views + Conditions: Southwest winds, ocean H2O: 65°-70°, pond H2O: 70s°- low 80°s, air: 60°-85°, occasional fog + Facilities: Parking + Access: Walk from parking lot + NRTA: 'Sconset via Polpis Route; Quidnet Road stop + Lifeguards: No + Dangers: Strong rip currents, man of war jellyfish in ocean, swarms of least terns protecting their nests + Local wisdom: Sesachacha is great for beginning kayakers and expert sailfish crews SCHNEIDY'S
+ Location: At the south end of Austin Locke Way + Best for: Surfing, sunbathing and watching the aforementioned + Why it's cool: Sometimes not having to languish so long in the line-up to catch a wave + Conditions: Southwest winds, H2O: 65°-70°, air: 60°-85°, occasional fog, heavy surf + Facilities: None + Access: On foot from parking area + NRTA: N/A + Lifeguards: No + Dangers: Strong rip currents, deep water, heavy surf, man of war jellyfish + Local wisdom: Find your own break away from this now-crowded beach 'SCONSET BEACH
+ Location: Bottom south end of Gully Road, 'Sconset + Best for: Families, weekenders, fishing, stargazing + Why it's cool: Lunch or ice cream after a long bike or bus ride followed by a cool dip in the Atlantic + Conditions: Southwest winds, H20: 65°-70°, air: 60°- 85°, fog mornings and late afternoon into evenings + Facilities: Parking, swing set, bike racks, pay phone, public restrooms, food and beverages + Access: Walk from parking lot or village + NRTA: 'Sconset via Milestone Road; Main Street rotary stop + Lifeguards: Yes + Dangers: Strong rip currents, deep water, man of war jellyfish + Local wisdom: The Summer House pool has a bar with a light lunch menu just steps to the south STEPS BEACH
+ Location: At the west end of Lincoln Avenue, look for the chain-link fence + Best for: Everyone who loves sunsets, skinny dipping at night and climbing stairs + Why it's cool: Killer views of Nantucket Sound and the harbor at the top of 41 steps + Conditions: Generally calm water, H2O: 70-75 dgrees, air: 60°-85°, colder when wind is north or east, occasional fog + Facilities: None + Access: On foot from parking spaces + NRTA: Jetties Beach Route, Jetties Beach stop + Lifeguards: No + Dangers: Splinters from the steps, limited parking, + Local wisdom: Go swimming at night in late August through mid-September to experience the bioluminescent but harmless jellyfish flashing greenish blue that Nantucketers refer to as the "phosphorescence" SURFSIDE
+ Location: At the south end of Surfside Road and the bike path + Best for: All beachgoers, early morning and evening fishing, people watching, sunsets and beachcombing + Why it's cool: Everything you need is right there + Conditions: Southwest winds, H2O: 65°-70°, air: 60°-85°, occasional fog, heavy surf + Facilities: Bathhouse, concession stand, pay phone, bike racks and parking + Access: On foot from parking lot, vehicles with town beach sticker after 5 p.m. + NRTA: Surfside Beach Route; Surfside stop + Lifeguards: Yes, with frequent police ATV patrols + Dangers: Man of war jellyfish, rip currents, pounding surf + Local wisdom: Some say the best cheeseburger on the island is made here WATER TOWER BEACH
+ Location: At the end of Washing Pond Road. + Best for: Families and all beachgoers + Why it's cool: Within biking distance of town + Conditions: Generally calm water, H2O: 70-75 degrees, air: 60°-85°, colder when wind is north or east, occasional fog + Facilities: None + Access: On foot from the parking lot + NRTA: Madaket Route; Crooked Lane stop + Lifeguards: No + Dangers: Limited parking, deep sand in parking area and speeding Jet-Skis very close to shore + Local wisdom: Pick up lunch at Something Natural on your way. I MY FAVORITE BEACH IS ... Executive Director of the Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce Tracy Bakalar marvels at the breathtaking views off the eastern end of Miacomet Beach and revels in the paucity of those who share her love for this patch of Nantucket sugar Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Whitey Willauer goes to Miacomet Beach because he can swim in the cool waters of the ocean and warm up in the pond Nantucket Islands Land Bank Office Assistant Katie Konecko said that Water Tower Beach works great for her because she has a two-year-old daughter Visitor Services & Information Bureau Director Kate Hamilton said she pines away for a little beach somewhere south of the Miacomet Golf Course because you have to know how to get to it and because the people who go there are friendly and nice. Town Beach Manager Jeff Carlson loves to be on the beach between Clark's Cove and Hummock Pond because it's nice, quiet and secluded. Nantucket Land Council Executive Director Cormac Collier, who lives in Tom Nevers, likes the convenience of what he calls the beach at "Middle Madequecham" because it is so secluded and not many people go there. Town Biologist Keith Conant likes the out-of-way feeling of the beach just to right of Clark's Cove. Nantucket Times Editor Bill Ferrall digs Fat Ladies Beach for the people watching and because of its remote location. Town Licensing Agent Anne McAndrew, who lives in 'Sconset, prefers 'Sconset Beach because it is quiet, not too crowded and because it has widened over the last several years. Airport Operations Manager Al Peterson would not give up the name of his favorite beach, listing Nobadeer Beach as a substitute. DR. BEACH'S TOP TEN U.S. BEACHES FOR 2007 Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, who is the director of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at Florida International University in Miami, Fla., does studies of the shore and its environmental matters, and has provided expert testimony to the U.S. Congress on at least 10 occasions, according to his Web site, www.drbeach.org/.
Using his moniker, "Dr. Beach," Leatherman ranks the top 10 beaches in the U.S. each year. Below is this year's list. Dr. Beach said that, having been to Nantucket a number of times, the island has wonderful beaches, but that aside from not being able to put all beaches on the list, a major reason for his decision to omit Nantucket from his list is because of how tough it is just to get to the island. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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