SMA GETS TOO CLOSE TO TERRAIN AND POPULATED AREA ON SIGHT-SEEING TRIP.

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I WAS FLYING OUT OF TOWN GUESTS ON A SIGHT-SEEING FLT HDG S ALONG THE COAST OF MASSACHUSETTS ABOUT 20 DME S OF BOSTON. FLYING ABOUT 1500-2000 FT OFF SHORE; I DSNDED TO 500-600 FT ABOVE THE OCEAN; DROPPED ABOUT 20 DEGS FLAPS AT ABOUT 60 PERCENT PWR. AS I APCHED THE MOUTH OF COHASSETT HARBOR (LAND BEING OFF MY STARBOARD SIDE) MY PAX NOTED AN UNUSUAL HOUSE ON THE POINT OF LAND AT THE EDGE OF THE LAND FALL. I TURNED W FLYING UP THE WATERWAY TOWARD THE HARBOR TO PROVIDE A BETTER VIEW AND THEN PROCEEDED TO TURN 180 DEGS TO HEAD OUT TO SEA AGAIN. AS I BEGAN THE TURN; 1 PAX COMPLAINED OF NAUSEA AND WAS CONCERNED THAT SHE MIGHT BE SICK. I TRIED TO MINIMIZE THE BANK OF THE ACFT AND UPON SCANNING; NOTED MY ALT HAD DECREASED TO ABOUT 350 FT AND I WAS UNCOMFORTABLY CLOSE TO A HOUSE ON THE OPPOSITE BANK OF THE WATERWAY AND TO 1 OR 2 SAIL BOATS IN THE WATERWAY (THE WATERWAY IS ABOUT 1/2 - 3/4 MI WIDE AT THE POINT AND THE BANKS ARE SPARSELY SETTLED). I WAS MARGINALLY CLOSE TO THE DWELLING BUT I THINK MORE THAN 500 FT. THE SAIL BOATS MAY HAVE BEEN CLOSER. AS SOON AS I OBSERVED THE SIT BEING CLOSE TO CRITICAL I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FULL PWR AND PROCEEDED TO CLB TO 1000 FT OR MORE. CORRECTIVE ACTION: TO AVOID FUTURE POSSIBILITIES OF SUCH OCCURRENCES; I WOULD FLY WITH A GREATER BUFFER IN ALT; IE; AT 800-1000 FT RATHER THAN 500-600 FT TO ALLOW FOR 100-300 FT DEVS THAT MIGHT OCCUR DUE TO DISTRS OR OTHER SHORT TERM INATTN. SIMILARLY; WHEN FLYING OVER CONGESTED AREAS; A 300-500 FT BUFFER OVER AGL MINIMUMS WILL BE ADDED. WORK TO '0' TOLERANCE FOR ALT CTL IN ALL FLYING SITS; BOTH VFR AND IFR.