by Dirk Leisure
Heading out of the Oak Bluffs Harbor, we felt as though we were departing on an expedition. The specifically made and outfitted boat was loaded with gear and ready for the adventure our guides had planned for us. They navigated the channel into open water as though they had done this a thousand times. And for good reason; they have. Despite the general unknown of what the day would bring, we felt safe and secure in the knowledge that our guides at MV Oceansports are perhaps the most experienced and trained in the industry.
A certain peacefulness exists when a motor boat is “on plane,” meaning that it is going fast enough to ride on the surface of the water. Despite the noise of the wind and the water parting as we sped towards our adventure, the ride is quite smooth at that speed. In the early morning light, we began to see the Island and its surrounding water from a whole new perspective. It was absolutely magnificent.
First up in our day of adventures was tubing along State Beach. Tubing, for those who have never been, is like waterskiing without the need to learn anything. The skis are replaced with an inner tube that has been specifically fastened for this activity with handles. You can sit, kneel or lie flat with your torso on the tube and your feet in the water as the boat tows you at whatever speed you desire. Riding the wake of the boat you are attached to is a thrill. If you are adventurous, you can ride across the waves, jumping in the air and landing on the other side. This was a great way to start our day.
Next we were on to Chappaquiddick and the calm waters of Cape Pogue for some paddleboarding. A decidedly more relaxing activity, but one that fills the senses and calms the soul as you explore things you would never see from the shore.
The water was tranquil and untouched, disturbed only by the repetition of the red plastic paddle breaking the surface to push the 10-foot paddleboard through the waves. Manmade staircases guided the way from private beaches to million dollar homes atop the cliffs. Apart from seagulls playing overhead, we were alone. This in itself is a thrill, having started our day in the just waking-up yet already packed Oak Bluffs harbor. It is hard to imagine a more beautiful place on earth than where were right then. The image will forever be in our memories. Before we had time to reminisce about this amazing day, another activity remained on our to-do list. It was time to fully commit to the water and jump in, mask and snorkel in place.
The sea grass tickled our ankles as we plunged into the water for the final part of the tour. We glided through the water with flippers attached to our feet. The seabed glistened with antique shells, undiscovered until now. Crustaceans and sea life appeared and disappeared with every movement made above them. Crabs, large and small, scuttled out from under rocks and nestled their way into abandoned shells in a bid to take shelter from the unfamiliar shadows lingering over them.
MV Ocean Sports has a tour that offers all this wrapped into a one day adventure. It could very well be the only water tour you need. You’ll get it all: tubing along State Beach; stand up paddle boarding; snorkeling along the secluded beaches of Cape Pogue; a tour aboard a custom 20-foot Boston Whaler built specifically to deliver you an incredible day on the water. While the company has a plethora of other activities available, such as parasailing, jet skiing, flyboarding and waterskiing, MV Ocean Sports excursion tour is an experience you will never forget.
Owner, Mark Clarke, started paddle boarding a few years ago and enjoyed it so much that he wanted to share his experience with others.
“I love the Zen and the relaxation,” Clarke said. “It’s a really good core workout.”
No other water sports company on the island offers this multiple activity excursion. That was the reason behind Clarke’s decision to introduce excursion tours. “There are a variety of fun things to do in one trip” Clarke explained.
He has designed a rack to carry numerous paddle boards on a company boat. The boats can go anywhere around the island. That means the tours are not limited to a single destination. The majority of locations where the tours take place are only accessible by boat, making the SUP tour the perfect combination of exercise and sightseeing.
The four-hour long tours consist of tubing from the harbor in Oak Bluffs through the waves of State Beach, followed by standup paddle boarding and snorkeling in the waters surrounding Cape Pogue in Chappaquiddick. As the boats built in sound system blasts the customers’ choice of music, the afternoon or evening winds down with a barbeque and some drinks on the sandy shore of the Cape.
Clarke loves Cape Pogue and takes his family there often. “Pulling up on the beach is like a Caribbean destination on Martha’s Vineyard,” Clarke said.
The daily tours are open to all ages at $125 per person. They run twice a day from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. There is also a full 8 hour tour for $200 per person. The 8 hour tour departs at 8:30 and return at 4:30.
As the summer heats up, spend an afternoon on the water with Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Sports for a memorable, family friendly and action packed tour of the island.
MORE INFORMATION
Oak Bluffs Harbor
Dockside Marina
(508) 693-8476
mvoceansports.com
