Visiting Islands off Marblehead

[Nancy Hill]

I can easily find information about launch areas on the North Shore, but find limited information on the islands in the Marblehead area. I can see potential landing spots on Google earth, but I have limited knowledge about what islands might be the most interesting to visit. It is also unclear whether some are private or hard to land on (Bakers?). Is there anything I should know in advance before visiting Bakers, Children's or Tinkers? I've already gone out to Misery and Little Misery. I'd appreciate some local knowledge about the area. Thanks.

-Nancy

[Gcosloy]

Baker's is private and the residents are less than hospitable. Children's which runs a summer camp has several beach areas to land and now after season should not be a problem. Eagle is all rock but the small island to the W of Eagle, Coney has a landing beach. Tinker's is all private. Not Islands but there are many landing spots on the mainland including Lynch park, West beach, Singing beach, Greaves beach, White and Black beach and Magnolia beach. Finally Kettle Island off Magnolia harbor is another option. Keep an eye out for nesting birds-if you get too close they can be unwelcoming in a surprising way. Almost forgot the Gooseberries N and S. Rocky landing but doable.

Edited September 10, 2013 by GCosloy

[bob budd]

We have rested, etc. on the beaches at Tinker's and Children's/Cat without incident many times. There's also Brown's and Gerry islands on the east facing coast that have been welcoming. Further to the north you will also find the MIsery Islands which have welcoming landings and interesting places to walk and view the harbour.

[Nancy Hill]

Thanks, Gene and Bob. That's just the information I needed.

[djlewis]

Further to the north you will also find the MIsery Islands which have welcoming landings and interesting places to walk and view the harbour.

But don't forget the landing fee on the Miseries in summer -- either show a Trustees of the Reservations (or whatever they call it now) card or pay something like $4 (anybody know the current fee?)

[Deb Millar]

It's still The Trustees of Reservations (no "the" Reservations)

Here's the link:http://www.thetrustees.org/places-to-visit/northeast-ma/misery-islands.html

$5.00 adults/$3.00 children, after Labor Day it's free.

BTW, the admission fee supports the work of the organization, which has done much to keep open space open in MA.

Deb M.

[lhunt]

Grave's Beach is private, and Singing Beach is only for swimmers in season. Lynch Park is better off season (gets a little loud in the summer), but it has picnic tables, flushies, and ice cream (!) There is also Stramski's Beach in Marblehead, the Willows, and Winter Island. As for "interesting", that's sort of in the eye of the beholder. But it's worth making a trip to Little Misery when there is a very low tide to check out the wreck there.

Here is a little island medley from over the years - well, mostly islands :-)

-Lisa

Edited September 12, 2013 by LHuntington

[bob budd]

At the extreme end(s) of Singing Beach there are landable spots, though they may not be of the soft sand variety. The point is you can land there if need be. Don't approach Lynch Park at low tide, well you can't anyways, but on the north side of the land that constitutes Lynch Park there is also a landable beach. Further up the coast you can also land (and launch) from West Beach in the off season. Further down the coast there is Tuck Point (not Tuck's Pt) where you drive part way out on the beach, this put-in is great for weekdays and I've never been there on the weekend.

[Nancy Hill]

Nice pictures, Lisa. Thanks!

-Nancy