Child's River to Eel Pond
This is a nice little trip that includes lots of opportunities to see birds, a variety of beach homes, and the chance to picnic on the sandbar of Washburn Island preserve that separates Eel Pond from the Sound. You do not need a sea kayak for this trip as it is all protected water. Canoes, open kayaks, etc, are all options. You share the Way with motorboats heading out to the ocean. Stay to the side. Let them by.
This trip mainly hugs a peninsula names Seacoast Shores that has lots of little cottages and fancy houses and pretty boats and flowers on the private beaches. As you get to the end of the peninsula, there is a bay that has a sand bar that separates you from the ocean. We padded over to here to have a picnic lunch. Dogs are allowed on leash. This is Washburn Island and is a preserve that you can get permits to camp on and there is a hiking trail on it and it is also a nice place to paddle around as well. You are actually close to the Portage point to get over to Tim's Pond at he Island, but on this suggested route we continued on back on the other side of Seacoast Shores where the water traffic became very quiet and it felt like another world completely. Towards the end there was an osprey nest with an osprey in it. The perch was low and we were glad we remembered to bring our binoculars.
The return route is retracing the route back. We like how the water is very shallow and very clean in this area. We also like how we can bring our dog on this trip and that we can stop on the island along the way and get to see the ocean but still have calm and protected water to paddle on. It was not a short trip, but we do not rush, and we did really enjoy the other side of the peninsula.
Getting There
This is easy to get to as it is right on Route 28 only a few miles from the Mashpee Commons Rotary (intersection of 151 and 28) in the direction of Falmouth and Woodshole (not Hyannis). If you are coming in the opposite direction, it is very soon after Mahoney's Garden Center. It is hard to miss Edward's Boat Yard. Here there *used* to be a kayak rental place, but there is still a place to put your boats, canoes and kayaks in, and a parking lot for your cars and trailers. This is very easy. It is right on the little bridge that crosses over Child's River. This is very easy. At the time that we are writing this, you can put in at the public ramp (White's Landing) next to Edward's Boat Yard and park at the dirt lot next to it without a sticker.
Other Routes from the Same Launch Point
From the same launching point at Edwards Boatyear, you can also try the route that includes the ocean around Washburn Island and the easier part of Child's River