A reminder to the public using land bank properties during this time to practice social distancing, maintaining a minimum of six feet when in proximity of others, particularly at trailheads, parking areas, and when passing others on the trail.
In addition, please make an extra effort to HAVE YOUR DOG ON A LEASH AT ALL TIMES to limit the potential of close contact with others.
The Land Bank has issued beach use guidelines for its properties that have bathing beaches. These include:
- Moshup Beach (Part of Aquinnah Headlands)
- Great Rock Bight
- Chilmark Pond Preserve (Atlantic Ocean Beach)
- Chappy Point
- Edgartown Great Pond Beach (Atlantic Ocean Beach)
- Hillman’s Point
- Wilfred’s Pond Preserve
- Tashmoo Preserve
- Tisbury Great Pond Beach (Atlantic Ocean Beach)
Notice: Ice House Pond is closed to swimming.
To ensure community health and safety, Ice House Pond swimming access is closed for the season. Manaquayak Preserve hiking trails remain open. Please use the Lambert’s Cove Road Trailhead for hiking trail access. The Wintergreen Lane Trailhead is currently gated.
Land Bank beach use guidelines:
- Practice social distancing and maintain a minimum of 6 feet from others on trails, at trailhead parking, and on beach access pathways.
- Face coverings should be used where social distancing is not possible.
- No groups larger than 10 people are allowed to gather.
- Maintain a minimum of 12 feet distance between beach groups.
- Organized ball games are not allowed on the beach.
- Loading and unloading times for people and personal items should be limited as much as possible.
Note: Land Bank staff regularly tests water quality as per state DPH at these bathing beaches.
Land Bank boat user guidelines for Sepiessa Point Reservation boat launch:
- All boat ramp and canoe launch users shall practice social distancing. Users should allow appropriate space for users of the boat ramp or launch and clear the ramp immediately when their launch is complete.
- Users should ensure they are ready to depart quickly from the ramp or dock as soon as their boat is put into the water. Users not actively launching their boat should clear the launch area.
- Upon return to ramp, users should load their boat as quickly as safely possible and then clear the launch area.
- Use of ramps for organized fishing tournaments, derbies, or any other type of gathering is prohibited.
- Loitering on ramps or use of ramps for any activity other than launching boats is prohibited.
- Parking at ramps for activities other than launching boats is prohibited.
- Masks or face-coverings should be worn in public in accordance with the Department of Public Health’s advisory when social distancing is not possible.
- Only persons from the same household should be together on a boat at one time.
- No gathering or groups of persons from multiple households will be permitted on boat ramps and all users shall practice strict social distancing.
- All recreational crafts shall remain a safe distance apart. Tying boats or other crafts together is prohibited.
- All recreational boating is subject to the discretion of local officials, harbormasters, and law enforcement.
