Getting to Know Sesuit Harbor in East Dennis

Living in East Dennis or Dennis Village puts you a short distance from Cape Cod Bay. Life on this part of the Cape is a little quieter than the inner-town spots on Vineyard Sound and Nantucket Sound, although it still has its fair share of liveliness if that's what you seek.

One location that you'll surely have to check out after buying a home on Cape Cod is Sesuit Harbor, a venue notable because you can reach the waters of Cape Cod Bay in minutes from its slips and moorings.

Nowhere else on the Cape allows you to hit open water so quickly, which is why slips on the harbor are in such high demand.

Here's what you should know about Sesuit Harbor, which is sure to become a significant part of your new Cape Cod lifestyle.

The History of Sesuit Harbor

If you know a little something about Cape Cod's other harbors, it should come as no surprise that Sesuit Harbor isn't entirely natural.

Originally, present-day Sesuit Harbor was just Sesuit Creek, a small channel connecting Cape Cod Bay and Scargo Lake. It wasn't deep enough to accommodate boat traffic, but there was a massive demand for this service.

It wasn't until 1982 that the harbor was completed. The project involved dredging the creek to create a six-foot-deep port that is now 2,400 feet long. The channel is 100-feet wide in some spots, as well, providing more than enough space for boats.

The harbor's capacity has also increased in recent years, as it started with just a few boats, but has since expanded to have space for nearly 1,000. Overall, this project has made Sesuit Harbor a go-to spot for locals in the summer because nowhere else has such convenient access to Cape Cod Bay.

Sesuit Harbor Cafe

Sesuit Harbor isn't the same kind of hotspot as the oceanfront areas of Hyannis and Falmouth, but it does have an excellent on-site restaurant that is worth checking out.

The Sesuit Harbor Cafe is found at the Northside Marina and provides an exceptional place to stop for a quick lunch or a sunset dinner. The restaurant has a famous lobster roll that is always worth a try and features a raw bar with fresh oysters and other local delicacies.

If you arrive at the harbor early, you can get breakfast here, and there's a kids' menu for the younger members of your family.

Sesuit Harbor's Marinas

The marinas of Sesuit Harbor are astonishingly popular because, first of all, deep water inlets are almost non-existent on Cape Cod Bay. The only comparable sites on the Mid and Upper Cape are the Sandwich Marina, which starts on the Cape Cod Canal, and Barnstable Harbor.

In addition, you can reach the open sea in a matter of minutes from your slip on Sesuit Harbor, making it a convenient place to keep your boat.

The issue is that there are incredibly long waiting lists for slips in the harbor. Sesuit Municipal Marina, which has slips and moorings on the west and east sides of the marina, has a 30+-year waitlist for moorings and a 28+-year waitlist for slips. In short, you aren't getting a spot here anytime soon, but there are other options.

For starters, you can still use the boat launches on either side of the harbor to get out on the water for the day. On-site trailer parking is available for between $8 and $15 per day, depending on when you visit, and there are fuel and other provisions available on the west side of the harbor. You can grab a parking sticker for the entire year, as well.

You can also purchase a slip at the Northside Marina, which is the largest facility of this type on Cape Cod Bay. This marina usually has availability but is more expensive than the town-run facility. It has more amenities, however, so it might be worth the extra cost.

Tours and Cruises on Sesuit Harbor

Even if you don't yet own a boat, you can take advantage of Sesuit Harbor's convenience and accessibility because numerous tour operators depart from its west side.

Lobster Roll Cruises offers brunch, lunch, dinner, and cocktail cruises, so you can head out of the water any time of the day you choose. Reservations are highly recommended, as they tend to sell-out most trips, and it is possible to book the boat for a private event.

For a bit of fishing on Cape Cod Bay, Annie-B Sportfishing and the Salt Shaker are available. Both of these boats will take you into the waters of Cape Cod Bay for a day of catching bass and bluefish, or you can go on a more extended excursion into deep waters in search of tuna and sharks. If you're relocating to Cape Cod from another part of the country, this is an excellent introduction to life here.

Visiting Sesuit Harbor

Buying a home in East Dennis, Dennis Village, or South Dennis puts you minute minutes of Sesuit Harbor and its unparalleled access to Cape Cod Bay. While this harbor isn't packed with shops and restaurants like others on the Cape's Vineyard and Nantucket Sound side, it's a staple of life in Dennis and its neighboring towns because of its convenience.

Even if you don't own a boat, you can take advantage of the harbor because of its cruises and excursions. You can also make it your home base when you do purchase a watercraft.

Make Cape Cod's Sesuit Harbor part of your future plans because there's no easier way to begin your venture onto the waters of Cape Cod Bay.