Hither Creek is located on the western end of Nantucket Island just east of Tuckerneck Island, and behind Madaket Harbor. Hither Creek is about eight miles to the west of Nantucket Harbor and has one marina with slips available to transients. Although Hither Creek is well protected, there is a confusing entry channel with spots as shallow as four feet in places. The depths remain reliable, but a careful watch on the chart and the depth sounder are necessary to ensure success here.

Use NOAA Chart 13241.

From Nantucket Sound north of Eel Point, pick up flashing red bell buoy "2," and then set a course to the southwest toward red nun "4." Keep in mind that from flashing red bell buoy "2" to red nun "4," you will have to feel your way along the shallow part of the channel, which is shown on the chart. From red nun "4," continue southwestward to red nun "6," and then set a course south to a point just west of Eel Point, making sure to keep in the unmarked channel here.

From Eel Point, round the point to the south, and then look for red nun "8," where you will proceed south to red nun "10." Have a look at the chart, your GPS and/or your chartplotter and set a specific course from red nun "8" to red nun "10." If you set a straight line course and follow it precisely, you will stay in the deepest water. Red nun "10" leads to red nun "12" and into Hither Creek, which has six-foot depths, moorings and a marina.

Local Notices to Mariners are now exclusively available online from the U.S. Coast Guard.