Somers Point enjoys a stunning location surrounded by swampy nature reserves perched on the northern edge of Great Egg Harbor Bay, a shallow estuary rich in fish and fowl that is lined by salty marshes, atmospheric mudflats and expansive beaches. Explore this scenic watercourse in your bay-boat or outboard-powered runabout to fish for bass, flounder and bluefish, trawl for shellfish or drop a line for crab. Alternatively, work your way through the mysterious Rainbow Islands, low-lying marshes that become submerged at high-tide, to spot ospreys and oystercatchers, herons and wrens. More ambitious boaters can fill their fuel tank and head out in their premium sportfisher and towards the Atlantic, which sits less than three miles from Downtown Somers Point, to hunt for tuna and mahi-mahi. A busy calendar of boating events, a host of full-service marinas and a vibrant yachting scene, meanwhile, only add to the allure of this welcoming waterfront town.
The biggest marina in the Somers Point area is the Harbor Cove Marina, a mammoth 420-slip facility right by the heart of the city with state-of-the-art amenities, an open-air lido, on-site eateries and a heritage feel. Mere steps away you will find Freedom Boat Club of Somers Point, a large site in an artificial cove, while also adjoining the Downtown area are Smith’s Marina, a family-operated destination with 102 slips, as well as the 80-slip Somers Point Marina. For something a little more rustic, head to Patcong Creek on the western edge of town to find four smaller, independent marinas that specialize in high-octane watersports. Visitors to this part of the world can also combine their trip to Somers Point with a visit to Ocean City, a barrier island resort town ringed by sandy beaches that sits at the other end of Stainton Memorial Causeway. A range of marinas line the waterfront here, while in nearby Longport there is the Seaview Harbor Marina, one of the area’s largest with over 300 deep-water slips.
The most popular boating activity in Somers Point has to be fishing, with the waters of Great Egg Harbor Bay some of the fish-rich and bountiful in the state. This city has a rich fishing and crabbing heritage, and still holds the annual Assault on Patcong Creek, the nation’s largest crabbing tournament, while fishing contests include The War on the Water, a hectic offshore fishing tournament in aid of charity, as well as the Brutus Fluke Tournament, an on-the-water fishing competition that has been running for almost three decades. If you prefer to take it easy then make sure to attend the annual Bayfest event, a popular street fair celebrating the city’s maritime heritage, or participate in nearby Ocean City’s Night in Venice Boat Parade, an illuminated regatta now into its 70th year.
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