Chatham Harbor & Seal Tour

Leave the crowds behind and experience a different perspective of Cape Cod’s world famous coastline.  Our Chatham Harbor & Seal Tour provides a wonderful introduction to the area’s shifting sandbars, historic fishing camps and magnificent waterfront homes.  Highlights include:

  • The windswept dunes of the Cape Cod National Seashore and North Beach Island, one of the most beautiful barrier beaches in the world.
  • The local colony of grey and harbor seals, numbering into the thousands.
  • The Chatham Fish Pier and Chatham Lighthouse, both supporting one of the largest commercial fishing fleets on the east coast.
  • The charming waterfront scenery of Pleasant Bay and coastal Chatham, Harwich and Orleans.

Offered as a group charter with daily departures as well as a private charter (booked for you and your group only).  This is one of our most popular tours – suitable for the entire family!    

Notes:

  • Please refer to our online calendar for exact departure times and live availability.
  • All charters include the services of a licensed captain and complimentary bottled water.  Please be sure to read through the FAQ’s located at the bottom of this page.

Our Vessels

Down Cape Charters uses several vessels for its Chatham Harbor & Seal Tours.  Private groups of 7-12 passengers will generally default to one of our 24′ Morgans (pictured with large writing on the sides below).  We operate two of these 12 passenger boats.  This style vessel will generally be used for all scheduled Group Harbor & Seal Tours as well.

Groups of 13-18 passengers will cruise aboard Bellamy – our 32′ inspected vessel pictured below in white (with orange rafts on top).

Groups of 1-6 may be on any available boat including our center console, Malabar.

Requests for specific boats cannot be guaranteed.  The final decision will come down to boat availability, number of passengers and other business needs.

Group

Chatham Harbor & Seal Tour

GROUP CHARTER RATES:

$65.00 per adult

$50 per child (12 and younger)

$25 per infant (2 and younger)

Duration:  1.5 hours

Private

Chatham Harbor & Seal Tour

PRIVATE CHARTER RATES:

1-6 Passengers    $575.00

 7-12 Passengers  $775.00

13-18 Passengers  $950.00

Duration:  1.5 hours

Frequently Asked Questions

What is your cancellation policy?

For a full refund, a minimum of 7 days notice is required.

Cancellations made less than 7 days in advance – but more than 48 hrs before departure time – will be charged 50%.

No-shows and cancellations made 48 hrs or less before departure time will be charged full price.

What if there is bad weather?

Safety is ultimately our top priority.  We will not operate in hazardous weather conditions such as heavy rain, thick fog, high winds or thunder and lightning.  If severe weather cancels your reservation we will make every effort to reschedule for another day.  Otherwise, a full refund will be issued.

However, no guarantees can be made that every part of every day will be perfectly sunny.  So we will operate as usual in overcast conditions, light fog and in intermittent sprinkles.  Guests should dress appropriately for changeable weather and bring a positive attitude!

The final decision on weather related cancellations rests with the captain and reservations should be considered upheld unless we contact you directly.  

How early should I show up for my reservation?

To leave enough time for our check-­in procedure, we recommend your party arrive 20 minutes before your scheduled departure time.  Leave yourself some margin for traffic or parking related delays, pre-departure bathroom stops, etc.

For Private Charters:

There will be no refunds or credits for customers arriving late.  Trips are scheduled multiple times per day and to ensure that all of our reservations are honored, your tour will still have to return at its regularly scheduled time.

For Group Charters:

Group tours will leave at the regularly scheduled departure time – no exceptions.  There will be no refunds or credits for customers arriving after the boat has departed.

What should I wear? What should I bring?

WHAT TO BRING:

  • A valid form of ID (only necessary for the person who has made the reservation).
  • If your tour/rental has not been prepaid, you will need to bring a form of payment.  We accept all major credit cards and/or cash.  Guests of the Wequassett Resort can also charge to their room account if they prefer.
  • An additional layer of clothing.  Even if its t-shirt weather in your driveway, always assume it will be cooler on the water.  For shorter tours, a sweatshirt or a light jacket is often enough.  For offshore trips, a water-resistant jacket plus a sweatshirt is ideal.  Temperatures can drop 20 degrees when heading offshore and clothing can quickly get wet if fog is present.
  • Please wear boat shoes, non-scuffing white-soled sneakers or relax and go barefoot.
  • Snacks/beverages.  Please see additional FAQ’s for restrictions.
  • Sunscreen (non-spray only).
  • Polarized sunglasses.
  • Camera

DO NOT BRING:

  • Spray sunscreen.
  • Marking shoes or sandals.
  • Hard alcohol.
  • Cigarettes/cigars/vapes (no smoking allowed).
  • Drugs of any kids.
  • Beer bottles or glass containers.  (Wine bottles are fine.  Beer in cans is also fine).
  • Red Wine.
  • Anything that can easily blow away.
  • Large coolers.  Each of our vessels already has a large cooler onboard.  Feel free to bring a small cooler and small bags.
  • Large meals.  It just doesn’t work well on an open, moving boat.  Keep food/snacks simple!

May food and drinks be brought on board?

All of our trips include complimentary bottled water.  Additionally, customers are welcome to bring their own snacks and beverages.

Please remember that you will be eating/drinking on a boat that is moving, open to the wind and may or may not have a table or cup holders (we operate several vessels and each is equipped differently).  Our advice is to KEEP IT SIMPLE and don’t bring anything that you aren’t prepared to eat in your lap.  Smaller snacks and finger foods are easiest and less likely to stain your clothing and our upholstery.

For adults over 21, reasonable amounts of beer and wine are also allowed.

RESTRICTIONS:

  • Leave the red wine at home.  On a moving boat it will stain clothing and upholstery.
  • No hard alcohol.
  • Please opt for cans and minimize glass containers in general.  Wine bottles are allowed but no beer bottles.  We will provide plastic cups if needed.

Any excessive use of alcohol will result in the immediate termination of the trip with no recourse.

What happens if my group size changes after booking?

For Private Charters:

The group size you specify at booking will slot you into a specific boat size.  As long as you stay within the specified range (1-6 passengers, 7-12 passengers or 13-18 passengers), nothing more needs to be done.

If your group size grows into the next range of passengers, please contact us to see if a larger boat is available at your requested time.

If your group size shrinks into a smaller range of passengers, please contact us to see if a smaller boat is available at your requested time.

For Group Charters:

Please contact us directly to add/remove seats.  We have a limited amount of space on our group charters and each seat you initially reserve must be paid for unless you cancel ahead of time.  Cancellations/adjustments are subject to our cancellation policy (please see additional FAQ’s).

Do children and infants count towards the passenger capacity?

Yes.  Each of our vessels is rated for a certain capacity by the United States Coast Guard and the USCG does not differentiate between children and adults.  A 12 person capacity means twelve human beings, for example – regardless of age.

Will I get seasick?

Tours that stay within the protected waters of Pleasant Bay carry virtually zero risk of seasickness.  The swell and chop that you might encounter on the open Atlantic Ocean or Nantucket Sound is simply not present within the bay.

Nevertheless, concerned passengers are welcome to experiment with over-the-counter remedies containing ginger, which has been shown to calm an upset stomach.  Consult your physician if you have any further questions or concerns.

Are there any age restrictions or physical restrictions?

Our Pleasant Bay scenic tours are appropriate for all ages and have no age restrictions.

Those with mobility issues must be able to walk down the resort dock (pictured on our About Us page) and step up into the vessel.  Rarely is this an issue, but it should be mentioned.

Are dogs allowed on your vessels?

On a case by case basis we may allow dogs on our Scenic Boat Tours.  A few caveats:

  • Dogs are restricted to private charters only.  No group tours.
  • Dogs are restricted to certain vessels only.  Please specify in your booking notes that you will be bringing a dog and we will slot you into the appropriate boat.  Failure to notify us may mean that your dog will not be able to board certain vessels.  No refunds or credits will be offered if your group is unable to bring a dog aboard if you fail to notify us in advance!
  • No more than one medium/large dog per party, or two lap dogs (20lbs or less).
  • Guests are responsible for any damage caused by their dog (scratches, stains, ripped upholstery, etc).
  • Dogs must remain leashed at all times while walking through resort property and on any local beaches your tour may include.
  • We do not stock life jackets for dogs.  Please bring your own if necessary.

Do you provide life jackets for children?

Yes, we have life jackets for all shapes and sizes (even infants).  While we recommend that everybody wear a life jacket on our boats, by law only those 12 and younger have to wear one at all times.  Your boat will have enough life jackets on board for everybody in your group.  Younger children are welcome to bring their own life jacket if they are more comfortable, provided it is Coast Guard approved (no arm floaties, please!).

Book online now!