While PPSD (post-pandemic stress disorder) may be a lingering issue for some, there’s a growing sense that summer 2023 promises a return to normalcy. People are eager to make a hard break from the frantic, phobic and grim zeitgeist of the past three years, to ditch the face masks, gloves and hand sanitizer and celebrate summer.

The Cape’s seasonal residents, tourists, collegiate baseball stars and other washashores will likely flock back to their traditional haunts this summer, but this promising season of change might be the perfect time to view the Cape from a different angle. Spending a few hours on, or in, the life-giving waters that surround the Cape is the best way to develop a new appreciation for the Bay State’s famous peninsula.

“I truly believe that there is no better way to see—and truly connect to Cape Cod than in a kayak,” says Cape Cod Kayak owner Kim Fernandes. “You’re eye level with your environment, quietly listening to what nature has to tell you. And it’s important to listen.”

Or, as Blue Claw Boat Tours Captain Rob Wissmann succinctly notes, “You’ve gotta get out of your car and get on a boat to see what the Cape is really about.”

So, for those interested in gaining a fresh perspective on Cape and Islands life, what follows is a modest-sized sampling of the many ways to float, fish, sail, sightsee, kayak and paddleboard around the Cape and Islands.

Catboat Charters | Edgartown, Martha’s Vineyard | catboatcharters.com

Sporting a brilliant stylized American flag as its sail, the catboat Tigress is one of the most colorful, eye-catching wooden sailboats on the Cape and Islands. ...