Quissett Harbor

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Quissett is as picturesque a sailing destination as one might imagine along the New England coast. The inner harbor is loaded with sailboats, mainly classic and some perhaps not so classic. It's a lovely place to visit, but the inner harbor is tight, loaded with moorings, and the only really well-protected spot. We had the pleasure of visiting on a calm day when that wasn't much of an issue. We anchored between the rocks close to the entrance of the harbor and had a lovely night. We wouldn't have wanted to be there in a blow.

The entrance to Quissett Harbor is marked by two (substantial) rocks that look like sand dunes upon your approach just to the south of the two cupolas. Look for the red lighted sea buoy at the entrance. It's a winding channel, so hug the red side first, then cut across on a line from the first nun to the second can. Then swing a wide right at the second can. There's an anchorage to the right of the channel after you pass the second nun. This is where we dropped our hook. It's a good spot in a southwesterly. Navigation can be tricky so be sure you have a good set of charts (Charts #13230, #13235).

The harbor opens up after the marked channel. Moorings are available. We've heard that the moorings are lines shackled to several cable runs on the bottom. For this reason, do not anchor in the mooring area unless you'd like to lose your anchor. The inner harbor is all private moorings - 240 of them!. There is a privately maintained nun and can at the entrance to the inner harbor which you must respect, at the end of which is a pier with fresh water. If you need water after hours, the shutoff valve is underneath the hut at the head of the pier. There is at least 6 ft of depth all the way into the pier. Once inside, you can work your way towards the head of the harbor where the Quissett Harbor Boat Yard (508-548-0506) maintains a dock for short visits, as well as a dinghy tie-up area. You can radio ahead to the boat yard on Channel 9 to obtain permission to tie up at the dock (six feet MLW at the dock) or get an overnight mooring. The dinghy dock is to the left of the main pier at Quisset Harbor Boatyard, at the Northeast end of the harbor.

The Knob at Quissett Harbor.

Quissett Harbor has some of the cleanest water in these parts as documented by the Massachusetts government. Read their informative report by clicking here for the pdf file. The biggest problem appears to be runoff from the Woods Hole Golf Club, although it is fun to sit on deck and watch the golfers playing through up on the hill. If you want to stretch your legs a bit, there is also a hiking trail that winds through the woods to a stand of giant trees, and past the harbor down to a lovely beach with fabulous views (see link below). Quissett Harbor is actually part of the town of Falmouth on Buzzard's Bay. The closest provisioning is about a 40 minute walk towards Falmouth, so it's best to come well stocked.