Description:

Stoney Beach is a hidden gem, tucked on the back side of Woods Hole Massachusetts on Cape Cod, facing towards Buzzards Bay.  Stoney is known as the place to go when the wind blows from the southwest (the prevailing wind) which makes it a great spot to know about in the shoulder seasons when you want to swim but the wind is a bit cold.

Stoney is mis-named!  It is actually very sandy, and it stays shallow for a while making it the perfect spot for small kids to swim.  There is even a swim school for toddlers here in the summer.  Older people like it too, as it’s very calm and easy on the feet as you walk in.  In the summer mornings, you will see locals swimming laps across this calm protected bay.

There is a lifeguard here in summer, plus porta-potties and an ice cream truck that visits regularly.  The view from the water is especially nice, looking back at the waterfront cottages that dot the shoreline.  In the distance, you can see the Cape Cod canal bridges, as well as the wind turbines of Falmouth.

Across the bay, on a clear day, you can see New Bedford, Dartmouth, Mattapoissett and Marion, all towns on the southern Massachusetts coastline.  Pleasure boats from these harbors sail by, and people come in the afternoon to waterski and tube here as the flat water is perfect for that sport.

Stoney Beach is an easy walk from the village of Woods Hole, less than a half mile from the Martha’s Vineyard ferry terminal.  Have some time to kill before the next ferry?  Stoney Beach is the perfect walk, about ten minutes at an easy pace and you will see the science labs and the nice summer houses of Woods Hole along the way.  It’s a great way to get a feeling for Woods Hole, one of Cape Cod’s most popular towns.