DESCRIPTION:
Boatmeadow Creek in Eastham is a scenic 3 hour round trip paddle through the marsh. The creek runs East from Cape Cod Bay inland to the bike path along the Cape Cod Rail Trail
Boatmeadow Creek is a good choice on a windy day (provided you can launch from Boatmeadow beach). It is sheltered and provides a good alternative to open water on days that the wind is blowing hard. Boatmeadow Creek is also an excellent choice for an evening sunset paddle.
THE DRIVE:
At Orleans/Eastham Rotary, exit Route 6 onto Rock Harbor Rd. Head West on Rock Harbor Rd by taking an immediate left turn at the T intersection (A right turn is a dead end). Go past the Orleans court house then turn right onto Bridge Rd. Follow Bridge Rd. until the road makes a 90 degree turn to the right. Exit Bridge Rd by going straight onto Bay View Rd. Boatmeadow Beach & Town Landing is at the end of Bay View Rd.
ALTERNATE SCENIC ROUTE:
From the traffic light at Route 6A in the center of Orleans, head West on Rock Harbor Rd. until the road comes to a T intersection (Rock Harbor is on the left). Follow Rock Harbor Rd. (to the right) to Bridge Rd. Turn left onto Bridge Rd. Follow Bridge Rd. until the road makes a 90 degree turn to the right. Exit Bridge Rd by going straight onto Bay View Rd. Boatmeadow Beach & Town Landing is at the end of Bay View Rd.
LAUNCHING & PARKING
Launching is a short carry over the sandy beach to the water.
Parking in the dirt parking lot at Boatmeadow Beach is permitted during the off-season.
A Town of Eastham sticker is required during the summer (June 15 – Labor Day)
During the summer, the boat ramp at Rock Harbor in Orleans is the best access point for non-Eastham residents (see Alternate Scenic Route directions above). Parking in the large paved lot at Rock Harbor is permitted year round and there is a small paved boat ramp off the parking lot. From Rock Harbor, Boatmeadow Creek is approximately a 5 minute paddle toward the East (right).
THE PADDLE
It takes approximately 3 hours to make the round trip through the marsh. Parts of the creek run out of water at low tide so this trip should be done at high tide. By launching approximately 1 ½ hours before high tide (on the bay side) you can paddle in with the incoming tide and back out on the outgoing tide. The main creek winds through the marsh in a series of switchbacks. After leaving the beach, bear right (East) and hug the left hand (North) side of the marsh bank. This will take you on the longest and most scenic route through the marsh. Avoid a number of large rocks on the left bank directly below the first house you see on the left. These rocks are barely submerged at higher tides and it would be quite embarrassing to hit something so early in the trip. A little further on you pass the first of 2 osprey nests (on the left) as you wind through the marsh toward the Bridge Rd. bridge. There are very limited opportunities to get out of the kayak on this trip. The best place to get out and stretch is a short distance before the bridge. There is a small sandy area on the right hand shore just before the first house you come to on the right. While most of Boatmeadow Creek consists of marshy and muddy bankings that are rather steep, this area is hard-bottomed and sandy. At this location the bank of the creek slopes gradually so that the water near the shore is shallow. This makes getting in and out of the kayak easy. This is also the best place to eat snacks or lunch as the small sandy beach which makes an ideal picnic spot.
Continuing up the creek, next you will pass under the bridge at Bridge Rd. You can get under this bridge even on the highest tides (but you will have to duck). Continuing on, the second of the 2 osprey nests is on the left. At this point, the creek splits in a couple of different directions. A small branch runs off to the right (Southwest). This creek is quite narrow but passable at high tide. It winds behind some marshy high ground almost back to Bridge Rd. The second spur off the main channel is on the left just beyond the osprey nest. It runs to the North toward an old wooden bulkhead which is visible from the main creek. This creek is wider but it is best explored on the return leg of the trip. The direction of the main channel is fairly obvious. It bears to the right (East) and runs parallel to the bike trail and the high voltage electric lines. The bike trail and electric lines will be on your left as you paddle toward the end of the creek. This section gets a little narrow but it is passable up to the bulkhead at the bike trail which is the end of the trip.
If you choose to eat lunch in your kayak, this bulkhead is a good location as you can float around just below the bike trail and surprise the unsuspecting joggers and bicyclists as they pass by.
If you choose to explore the spur creek that runs toward the old wooden bulkhead, be aware of the swifter currents in this area. While the current is not particularly swift- running or strong on most of Boatmeadow Creek, it is a factor near the bulkhead. The Venturi effect of a large volume of water passing through the narrow opening in the bulkhead makes this area more difficult to paddle. Access is best near flood high tide or right after the tide has turned to go out since the current abates at this time. For this reason the return trip on the outgoing tide is the best time to access this area. Beyond the bulkhead, the reeds open up into a wide but shallow pond. The bottom is muddy in most places but there are hard-bottomed areas where you can get out of the kayak to stretch. Be sure to make note of the location of the opening in the reeds that leads back to the bulkhead so you can find it again when you are ready to leave. Don’t wait too long after the tide turns to begin the return trip. The shallow pond runs out of water rather quickly and it is much easier going back out with the current. Exploring this section of the creek and pond will add 30 – 40 minutes to the trip. For those wondering why someone would construct a bulkhead in the middle of a salt marsh, the answer to the mystery was provided by the estimable Henry Lind, the (now retired) Director of the Eastham Natural Resources Department. According to Mr. Lind, the land was owned by Sturgis Rice, who wanted to use the property as a cranberry bog. Mr. Rice constructed the bulkhead to prevent salt water intrusion from destroying his cranberries. When the Town of Eastham acquired the property as conservation land, a decision was made to return the area to its natural state and the bulkhead gate was removed to allow tidal salt water flow to restore the salt marsh.
Boatmeadow Creek is a very good place for bird watching. The 2 osprey nests are both occupied nearly every year. You can observe the osprey as they fly above the marsh looking for food. On several occasions, we have seen the birds swoop down to catch small stripers with their claws. It is not uncommon to see an osprey soaring overhead with a fish clutched tightly in its talons. We have not had as much success as the osprey when it comes to fishing on Boatmeadow Creek. We have caught a few small stripers but the large volume of seaweed, reeds and other debris carried on the incoming tide tends to foul the lines so that constant cleaning of the lures is necessary. The water is clear near the mouth of the creek but it becomes much murkier as you travel farther up the creek.
Other birds such as great blue heron, egrets and yellowlegs can also be seen on most trips. However, Boatmeadow Creek is most notable for the large colonies of willets that nest along its shores. I have seen more willets here than anywhere else on Cape Cod. These non-descript brownish birds with their long bills appear rather plain as they flock in the marsh grass along the shore. As you approach they become quite noisy. The willets become skittish and take flight quickly. When they begin to fly, the large white patches on their wings become visible. In flight, the willets are easily recognizable and quite striking.
In addition to birds, other forms of wildlife are abundant on Boatmeadow Creek as well. Over the years, we have observed deer along the shore between the creek and the bike trail. Foxes can also be seen in this area. The animals come very close to the edge of the creek and seem quite at ease in the marsh. They probably feel safer away from the human activity on the bike trail. As a result, a quiet and stealthy kayaker might be fortunate to get very near and observe them in close proximity.
One of the most fascinating parts of nature on Boatmeadow Creek is the activity of the fiddler crabs. These crabs are distinctive because of their one large claw which seems way out of proportion to the rest of their body. There are thousands of these crabs all along the marsh banks. The fiddler crabs are so numerous that, at times, the sides of the creek actually seem to be alive. As I float along with the current, I am fascinated by their actions. The crabs are quite aggressive with each other. The bigger crabs brandish their large claws menacingly to threaten the smaller fiddlers and send them scampering for the safety of their homes which are little round holes burrowed into the sides of the marsh bank.
Boatmeadow Creek is one of my favorite choices for an evening sunset paddle when tide conditions are favorable. The sun setting over Cape Cod Bay is often spectacular and Boatmeadow Creek is an excellent place to watch the sunset. Beach stickers are not required in the evening so parking is not an issue during a summer sunset cruise. However, you will have to avoid the crowds who flock to the bayside beaches in the evening for the daily sunset show. The amateurs begin to arrive 45 minutes to one hour early. The professional sunset watchers time their arrival to perfection. On a cloudless evening, they arrive 5-10 minutes before showtime and watch as the fiery red ball disappears into Cape Cod Bay. They display their appreciation with enthusiastic applause, then head to Ben & Jerry’s to be first in line for ice cream. The parking lot will empty within a few minutes after the sun sets. Then you can haul out, load your kayak and go home.
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