Scarborough Marsh

Preserved by the Wetlands Protection Act of 1972, Scarborough Marsh is a 3,100-acre estuary of fresh, brackish, and salt water filled with birds, mammals, insects, and crustaceans. Native Americans of the area called marshes owascoag, which means “land of many grasses,” and indeed there are endless acres of cordgrass, cattails, rushes, and sedges—and many other aquatic plants. Paddling against both the tide and the wind can be quite tiring, and it is almost inevitable that this combination will confront you on windy days, because the serpentine rivers double back on themselves every few hundred feet. This will not be a problem for strong paddlers, but families with children should be aware. We strongly recommend that all paddlers wear PFDs at all times in Scarborough Marsh.