Kayaking and clams.

One of my top 5 summer activities involves kayaking on the back side of Crane Beach, in the Essex River basin. Inaccessible by foot, and mostly too shallow for large boats, it is the home of skiffs and kayaks. The skiffs are what clammers use to access the flats during low tide, digging for the prized Ipswich and Essex soft shell. For the kayaker, the low tide presents sand bars and clam flats that become your own private beach, with ocean water as warm as you’ll find north of Boston. The much delayed, way too short summer of 09 made me appreciate these days even more. And as usual, the day would not be complete without steamers and beer at our favorite clam shack.