Cape Cod Seal Watching at its Best

Cape Cod hotel stays are fabulous in the fall – especially if you’ve chosen accommodations close to the water. While it may be too cold to catch some rays at the beach, you CAN catch the seals at play in the water. Cape Cod seal watching is at its best in autumn.

One of the most popular Cape Cod seal watching tours is Beachcomber Tours. You can see their yellow boats lined up in Chatham Harbor. That’s where they set off almost every day to tour the waterways between North Beach, Chatham Light and the Break – all in search of seals.

If you go, chances are you’ll spot harbor seals and grey seals. Harbor seals are the most abundant seals of the New England coastline. They are most often found near harbor entrances, basking in the sun along beaches, or lounging around the shoals of Chatham.

Grey Seals are a rare sight in other parts of the country, but off Cape Cod there have been recorded sightings near the coasts of Chatham and Nantucket – which is their southernmost breeding ground. The gray seal’s numbers are regulated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The best time to see seals is within 2 hours of low tide on a sunny midday afternoon. Because seals cannot move well on land, during high tide they position themselves over submerged jetties. When the tide goes out they are left exposed, sitting on the jetty basking in the sun.

By the way, all Beachcomber captains are U.S. Coast Guard Licensed Masters – so you know you and your family are in safe hands.

Just when you thought you’ve seen and experienced all of Cape Cod tourist attractions – don’t forget about seal watching. It’s an exciting, unforgettable family excursion perfect for any and all Cape Cod Family Vacations.