Location: Arey’s pond is reached from Arey’s Lane off Route 28 in South Orleans.
Access: A public town landing that can be traversed by foot is located at the end of the paved portion of Arey’s Lane. This has a few cement steps from the road down to the water and is only suitable for carrying a canoe, kayak or paddleboard. Two unmarked parking spaces are available adjacent to the landing. The Arey’s Pond Boat Yard operates a private ramp for use by its clients on its property bordering the pond.
The Town of Orleans owns two conservation properties which have walking trails to the edge of Namequoit river and provide views of Arey’s pond. The Peck Property conservation land has a 1-mile trail to the North side of Namequoit River, while the John Kenrick Woods conservation land is on the South side.
Description: Arey’s pond is a tidal, drowned kettle pond with salt water flowing through the Namequoit River from Pleasant Bay and the Atlantic. The river is navigable and marked seasonally, though areas of shoaling are present and rocks are under the surface near the channel. The pond is also fed by groundwater on its South side. In winter the fresh water floating on top of the salt often freezes in a thin, unsafe layer of ice. The pond is approximately 18 acres in area and 12 feet deep at the center during high tide.
Commercial activity: Arey’s Pond Boat Yard maintains a mooring field in the pond and produces finely crafted cat boats. Maintenance of sail and power vessels is conducted at the boat yard that also acts as a dealer for electric and gas outboard motors. The Arey’s Pond Sailing School offers lessons on its fleet of cat boats and provides launch service to the boat yard’s moorings.
Fishing and shell fishing: Before 2000, soft-shell clams were harvested from Arey’s pond and the Namequoit River. Eel grass grew nearly the entire length of the river. At present, the bottom of the pond is thick, black mud and little oxygen is present at the lower depths of the pond. In the past, schooling striped bass and small blue fish visited the pond. This activity has greatly diminished as water quality has deteriorated due to impacts of septic systems and lawn fertilizers. Great Blue herons prowl the shallows for small fish and crabs while Osprey regularly feed on the fish in the pond.
Recreational activities: Canoeing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, sailing, and power boating are popular.
Interesting facts: The land around the pond was populated by native Americans as evidenced by the arrowheads and stones used to produce them found on land bordering the water. In 1626, the sailing ship Sparrow Hawk carrying tradesmen from England to Virginia foundered on a sand bar off Nauset beach. The survivors were initially rescued by the Nauset Indians. Two survivors traveled to Plymouth. Governor Bradford organized a party of Pilgrims to attempt to repair the Sparrow Hawk and set out in a shallop with tools and materials. Landing at Namskaket Creek, the Pilgrims portaged the shallop two miles across Orleans and likely relaunched it at Areys Pond to attempt repair of the Sparrow Hawk. A second storm further damaged the Sparrow Hawk beyond repair. In the mid 1860s the timbers of the Sparrow Hawk emerged from the sand and were recovered. They are now located at the Pilgrim Hall Museum in Plymouth. The Sparrow Hawk is the oldest recorded shipwreck in New England.
From 1925 – 1934, a girl’s summer camp, Camp Chéri, was located on the west shore of Arey’s Pond. This was founded by Mrs. Alice L. Murdoch for the purpose of helping young women become more fluent in French. French was used as much as possible in the daily activities of tennis, swimming, riding and sailing. Camp Chéri was one of the many summer camps in Orleans, which was one of the pioneers in establishing summer children’s camps.