Elizabeth Islands, Massachusetts · Buzzards Bay · 41°25.5′N 70°55.1′W · VHF Ch 09
Cuttyhunk is the last of the Elizabeth Islands and one of the great cruising destinations of the Northeast — a tiny fishing village on a nearly treeless island, wrapped around a pond that gives near-perfect protection.
Thread the dredged channel in carefully; it's narrow with shoals close on both sides. Once inside, pick up a town mooring (Ch 09) or find a spot to anchor in the mud — holding is excellent and the surrounding land gives all-round shelter, so it stays flat even when Buzzards Bay is howling outside. The famous raw-bar boat comes around at cocktail hour; provisions and a couple of restaurants are ashore.
Climb to the lookout at the top of the island for the sunset over the whole bay, and time your exit for a fair current through the channel.
Hazards & cautions. The dredged entrance channel is narrow and shoals hard to both sides — hold the buoys and mind the range at low water. Inside, the mooring field leaves limited swinging room to anchor; the pond is small and fills fast in season.
Coast Pilot notes Cuttyhunk Pond's dredged entrance channel and well-protected inner anchorage; the pond is small with a large mooring field.
No cruiser reports yet. If you've anchored here, be the first — your note helps the next boat in.
Augusto ratings and editorial are our own synthesis of public-domain sources and cruiser reports. Always verify against current charts and local knowledge before you rely on them.