Won’t You Let Me Take You on A Seal Cruise?

On one of our frequent “jump in the car and see where it takes you” adventures, Rich and I discovered the Monomy National Wildlife Refuge, a division of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, in Chatham. Around the corner from the Coast Guard Station, off Morris Island Road, we followed the signs for the Rip Ryder Monomoy Island Ferry. Pulling into the lot, we tucked the Miata into a parking spot and headed towards sign holding a large map of the area. It was here that we were first introduced to Captain Keith Lincoln and his crew, who operate the Rip Ryder IV, a 32 foot, twin-engine vessel that takes passengers to North and South Monomoy Islands on fishing excursions, lighthouse adventures, and our favorite, the seal cruise.

Rich, or Chatty Cathy as some of us like to refer to him, struck up a conversation with a gentleman in the parking lot selling tickets and handing out brochures for the Rip Ryder. He and his wife (we assume) man their mini-van from 8AM to 5PM daily offering a variety of trips and tours, including beach, birding, and fishing shuttles to South Beach; day trips to the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge and the historic Monomoy Lighthouse; sea duck tours in the fall; and the ever-popular seal cruise, which is the subject of this missive.

Apparently Cape Cod is a great spot to see seals, although until this encounter we were unaware of that fact. What we did discover is this: the two species of seal predominantly found along the Cape and islands’ shorelines are the harbor and grey seal. According to our informant, there are as many as 3,000 to 5,000 seals inhabiting the waters of Cape Cod year-round, but, according to him the best time to spot them is November through April.

For some reason Chatham seems to be a popular spot for these seals, especially along South Monomoy Island. Our guests have also spotted them in nearby North Beach, Tern Island, and Aunt Lydia’s Cove (which is across from the Chatham Fish Pier). They have also been know to sun themselves on the beaches in Wellfleet, Provincetown, and Woods Hole, and many of our guests have photos to prove it.

The seals begin to arrive in the waters off Cape Cod generally between September and October. The breeding season, especially for grey seals, runs from late September through early March. During this time, the pups are born on the barrier beaches or the shores of the Monomoy Islands. Most experts agree that the best time to view seals is at low tide. As the tide goes out and the sandbars are exposed, the seals hoist themselves up on the sand bars to conserve energy and soak up the heat from the sun.

Of course, if you’re not interested in spending your day sunning next to a seal, a seal cruise is your best bet. The Rip Ryder offers 90-minute tours along the west side of the Monomoy Islands with a trained naturalist onboard to offer educational information and spot the seals for you. Although they appear as bobbing heads in the surf at a distance, up close they will treat you to a cacophony of  barking and chattering as they frolic in the in sea.

Of course, if a seal cruise doesn’t interest you, you can always do what we do at the wildlife refuge. Start by packing a picnic and a couple of beach chairs (you may have to have a vehicle larger than my Miata to comfortably transport these items). Find a good parking spot in the lot, walk the nature trail along the top of the cliffs, stopping at the frequent overlooks for spectacular views of the ocean, then mosey down a set of wooden stairs to the beach below. At the bottom, take off your shoes, stroll down the beach a bit away from the stairs (which is the launching spot for the shuttle), park your chair at the edge of the water and watch the parade of boats, birds, and sea life until the sun sets (or the tide comes in, or you get hungry or thirsty and the picnic basket is empty, or nature calls). At any rate, its a helluva great way to spend the day.