When I used to go up there I went in and out just at slack high tide, as Larry suggests. There was a definite line to follow. The red nun upstream of the basin was the key. A sand bar works out from the east, and a rockpile is just to the west and north of the nun. Years ago there was a can in that area as well but it was removed by the coastie as it presented a serious maintenance problem for them. The line used to be head right for the nun and as we passed, put the helm sharply to starboard and go as close to the rock pile as you dared, as that was where the water was deepest. We typically saw around 6 feet or so back then but who knows what it is now. I had a Pearson 39 back then and she drew about 5 ft and we never came close to touching anywhere in the channel. From there the transit up to the pond was simple. Again years ago there were government buoys all the way up to the final day marks at the south end of the channel opening up to the pond. All but the day marks were all removed as well. However, there was always plenty of water 9-10 ft in the channel right up to the point on the starboard side which guards the entrance to the pond, where there was another sand bar this time working out from the west. However then and now there is a large number of local boats moored in 'Quitsa and the Menemsha pond proper, and those boats go in and out all the time. They are mostly power boats, some good size ones, with a few shallow draft sailboats. The locals cleverly marked the channel with innocuous lobster floats after the gov't buoys were removed, so once we got by the nun you could clearly see the "marked" channel. Having gone up there in my inflatable in 2010 I believe the floats are still in place. Personally, I wouldn't hesitate to carry 3-4 ft up there at high, and perhaps more after reconnoitering how the line is now. I have not gone up there since around 1992 or so, and I'm sure things are different now. But back then the pond was my very favorite stop on the Vineyard. It is so peaceful and quiet, great swimming and great dinghy sailing. I even rode out a near miss hurricane in there I believe 1992. Have to check the log. The basin moorings are nice as well as Tom chronicled and that's where I go now when we stop there. I would never ever lie to one of those moorings outside overnite. They're ok to stop and run in to buy fish but it gets very lively out there from channel wash and the Vineyard sound seas.