Cape Cod Kayaking and Kayak Rental on Cape Cod

Cape Cod kayaking is a terrific way for couples to spend time on the water without having to go to the expense and aggravation of owning a boat.

You know the old joke about boat owners. The two happiest days of their lives are the day they buy the boat and the day they sell it.

With a kayak you don't need to buy expensive fuel, pay expensive mooring fees, scrape the bottom for barnacles, or search for a suitable boat ramp whenever you want to put it in the water.

Cape Cod Kayaking

And with over 600 miles of coastline, 365 freshwater ponds and countless marshes, inlets and tidal rivers, the Cape is the perfect place for visiting couples to enjoy all kinds of Cape Cod kayaking experiences.

There are also a number of Cape Cod kayak tour operators and outfitters offering equipment to rent, kayaking accessories to buy, guided tours and lessons, if you need them.

If you're not a very experienced kayaker, we recommend you stick to the ponds, marshes and tidal rivers. Ocean kayaking is not for the feint of heart. The summer months, in particular are fraught with the hazards of speedboats all over the place, the wakes of which can easily swamp a low-lying kayak and the pilots of which can, in all likelyhood, not even see you (kayaks do not show up on radar).

Ocean kayaking does offer a great workout if you're in good shape, but also possibly a real problem if you get caught in an ebbing tide and don't have the strength to paddle back in.

Tides

Tides are also a consideration in the tidal rivers and salt marshes, and the most successful kayaking trips should always begin with a look at a Cape Cod tide chart to determine when the best time of day is both to set out and to begin your return journey.

Some of the tidal rivers in these parts empty out very quickly when the tide goes out (as much as two feet in less than an hour) and many novice Cape Cod kayakers have found themselves grounded on a mudflat, unable to move for several hours until the tide comes back in to lift them out of the mud.

This is called bottoming out, and it's not only very inconvenient, it's also highly embarrassing.

Another point to remember, if you have access to more than one car, is that you can spot a car at the other end of your trip and save yourself having to paddle back to your original departure point. This is particularly beneficial if paddling back means paddling against the tide.

Our Favorite Cape Cod Kayaking Haunts

Below is a list of some of our favorite places to kayak on Cape Cod. Over time, we intend to paddle every creek, every bay and every pond. As we do, we'll post reports right here. Check them out, and if you've paddled any of these (or any that aren't listed herejust yet), tell us all about it by filling out the review option at the bottom of each page.

Little Pleasant Bay, Orleans

Mashpee River, Mashpee

Nauset Marsh, Eastham

Scorton Creek, East Sandwich

Waquoit Bay, Falmouth/Mashpee

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