From May through October, the atmosphere of the Chatham Fish Pier turns effervescent. In the late afternoon, commercial fishermen off-load their catches, bulky grey seals mill around waiting for a morsel, and families from all over relish the circus of sights, sounds, and smells. It’s a can’t- lose experience that’s sure to evoke memories for years to come.

As part of its community outreach efforts, the Cape Cod Hook Fishermen’s Association (CCCHFA), together with the Bilezikian Family Foundation, sponsors a Fish Pier Host program. From Wednesdays through Sundays, the group sends a fishing expert to visit the pier and answer questions about the catches, the surrounding seascape, and the fishermen’s experiences through the ages. Leo Farrenkopf, a retired fisherman and a Pier Host, compares the environment to an aquarium. Several grey seals—their huge, horse-like heads bobbing just above the water’s surface—station themselves behind a boat as the crew unloads crates of dogfish. The scene resembles a supper table with the family canine sitting patiently nearby for a scrap. When a young deckhand drops a small fish into the dark water, several seals lunge for it, but only one lucky critter gets to gobble it down.

“They’re here 24/7,” Farrenkopf says. “If they move, somebody else comes in.” He points to the largest seal, which looks close to nine feet long. “That’s Rufus.”

Farrenkopf knows the seals and he knows fishing. For three decades, starting at the age of 20, he plied the waters off of Chatham for cod, haddock, and other groundfish. If one species became off-limits because of over-fishing and government regulations, he would simply buy new gear and start fishing for a different variety. And he doesn’t regret a single day out on the water. “I got lucky,” Farrenkopf says. “I went on a boat once, and I said, ‘This is what I want to do.’ He waves his hand toward the blue water surrounding Middle Island, spilling into vastness and the horizon beyond. “You see this all the time. It’s so pretty.”

Pier visitors, numbering around 17,500 a year, ask Farrenkopf lots of questions, like what’s being caught. “Everything,” he tells them—cod, haddock, dogfish, lobster, tuna, scallops. Where is it being shipped? Boston, New York, overseas.

As Farrenkopf speaks, little children shriek each time Rufus dives underwater and pops back up. “There he is,” someone shouts. “Look, he’s doing a back flip!” Rufus rolls over, then stops, his horselike head jutting straight forward as he eyes the boat’s stern. He wants seconds.

The Chatham Fish Pier is located at 54 Barcliff Avenue Extension, off of Shore Road in Chatham. For more information on the Fish Pier Host program, visit the Cape Cod Commercial Hook Fishermen’s Association Web site at www.ccchfa.org. There is no entrance fee.

Donna Scaglione is a freelance writer and editor who lives in Hatchville.