Category Archives: beach vacation

Old Cape Cod

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The other day I posted about Cape Cod National Seashore. One of the best parts of writing that post was having an excuse to head down to the Cape.

There are a couple of places I like to go for lunch depending on where I’m heading on the Cape. One is in Chatham where I’m sure to be going soon as the Great White Sharks are back! That’s exciting..at least to me. They snack on the seals on Monemoy Island which is at the mouth of Chatham Harbor.

 I didn’t get to see one last year but maybe this year I’ll get lucky. Just don’t go in the water!

The day I went down to get the pictures to wrap up the National Seashore post I stopped at the Seafood Shanty.

This is on the northbound side of Route 6 in Bourne. That means that if you are heading for the Sagamore Bridge to go onto the Cape that you will have to cross 2 very busy northbound lanes of traffic to get into the parking lot. The lot is not paved either but is gravel covered dirt. Because Rt 6 is 4 lanes wide right there (2 north and 2 south)  you better  not hesitate once you decide to cross.

 I confess that one of the reasons I like this place is that every time I’ve stopped there’s been a little chipmunk who scoots out looking for dropped french fries or other delicacies. I’m sure it’s a different chipmunk each year. After all  how long does one live even if it survives to chipmunk old age?

Seems like when I was growing up there were chipmunks everywhere but now I only see them occasionally. Not so for squirrels, they’re everywhere. So I stop to say hello to my little striped friend and share my lunch. As long as I’m tossing out my french fries he’s my little buddy. This trip I ordered the scallop plate. It comes with fries so I had plenty to share with my fuzzy friend. 

The Seafood Shanty has a pretty view and tables with striped umbrellas so it’s a nice place to have lunch. You can also take your lunch with you and head over to the Herring Run recreation area.

 You’ll get a better view of the Cape Cod Canal so you can watch the boats pass by or the bikers on the bike path work up a sweat. Since you would be on the right hand side of RT 6 at the Recreation area it’s easy to get back on the highway to continue on to the bridges that lead to the lower cape.

The day I was there traffic was steady enough when I finished lunch  that I got tired of waiting to cross 2 lanes of northbound traffic to get back on the southbound side. Instead I chose  to join the northbound traffic  back to the Bourne Rotary, about 2 miles up the road. I drove around the rotary and picked up  southbound RT 6 there. It meant a little back tracking but it was easier than the mad dash through speeding cars. I’m not sure if that inconvenience is a blessing or a curse for this little seafood shack. The Seafood Shanty is certainly in a visible location but getting in and out can be a bit hair-raising to say the least. Still, I had to visit my little buddy and the scallops where delicious.

I don’t have a lot  more to offer in this post so I thought I would leave you with the words to an old Patty Page song that’s been running through my mind. Maybe it will make you think of visiting Old Cape Cod.

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If you’re fond of sand dunes and salty air
Quaint little villages here and there
(You’re sure)You’re sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod
(Cape Cod, that old Cape Cod)

If you like the taste of a lobster stew
Served by a window with an ocean view
(You’re sure)You’re sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod

Winding roads that seem to beckon you
Miles of green beneath a sky of blue
Church bells chimin’ on a Sunday morn
Remind you of the town where you were born

If you spend an evening you’ll want to stay
Watching the moonlight on Cape Cod Bay
You’re sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod

(aah, aah)

If you spend an evening you’ll want to stay (on Cape Cod Bay)
Watching the moonlight on Cape Cod Bay
You’re sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod
You’re sure to fall in love
You’re sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod

The Hot Weather is Here!

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Oh happy summer! The hot weather is here and I couldn’t be happier. I love this kind of weather. Even the humidity is ok as long as I don’t have to go to work. I feel a little different on work days because as much as I love the heat I don’t like going to work feeling like I need another shower. But on a day when I am free and clear and don’t have to worry about appearances there’s nothing better than working up a nice “sheen.” Always remember, horses sweat….ladies perspire.

Now that’s not to say I never use air conditioning. I do, especially in the car on the way to work but on a day off its open windows all the way. At home  I leave the central air on 80 and use the ceiling fans. As long as the air is moving I’m comfortable.

But I’m getting off track. I wanted to mention Nantasket Beach in Hull, Ma.

When I first moved to Massachusetts back in the early 1970’s Nantasket Beach was the place to go on a hot summer day. It wasn’t just the beach either. There was a substantial amusement park with a huge roller coaster. The amusement park was known as Paragon Park. Sadly the park closed in 1984 and the roller coaster was removed along with most of the other rides but the vintage carousel is still in action. One of the things I love about the Paragon Park carousel is that it’s all about the horses.

 Prancing steeds in all colors are just begging for a rider. Teams of spirited horses pull flying chariots if you’re prefer this kind of ride, but it’s all horses.

 There’s none of the elephants, giraffes or big cats with saddles like you see on so many other carousels. It’s just horses of all colors with flying manes and tossing heads.

 Well, at least they look like that even if they are made of wood.

 It’s wonderful what the imagination can see so of course the first stop was the carousel. I had to see it again.

 Then I headed over to the beach. The band stands are still there but I wasn’t looking for that. I wanted to see the beach. Too bad I came at high tide. Even so I waded out to about mid-calf only to get drenched by a breaking wave that hit me almost waist-high. I was amazed at how warm the water was but Nantasket Beach it shallow quite a ways out so the water has time to warm up.

To get to this little gem of a beach you follow Rt 228 as it winds through Rockland, Weymouth, Hingham and finally Hull. It’s a very scenic ride , especially the section after you cross RT 53  but be sure to wear your patience hat as it is a winding road, not a highway. As with any winding road, traffic can be a problem especially on a hot weekend day. But I was there on a mid-week afternoon so traffic wasn’t bad. There was even parking in some of the lots once I got to the beach. 

There is a small parking fee but I think as parking fees go that it’s pretty reasonable. $7.00 for the day $4.00 for seniors. I’m not sure what age they consider senior. The first lot I tried was full but retracing my route to the beginning of the beach I pulled into the first lot on the beach. Not only was there plenty of parking but there was no attendant! When no one came to take my money after a reasonable time, I pulled on into the parking lot.

Nantasket Beach was always known for its soft , gray sand. Here on the lower end of the beach the sand was courser and there were a lot of rocks. Still I saw several sand castles being built and everyone seemed to be having a great time. I spotted one of those surf paddlers…that new sport of standing on a surfboard and paddling it instead of surfing. Lots of people were in the water.

There were lines at all of the ice cream stands.

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 It looked like a perfect summer day. So many people making awesome memories. I could have stayed for hours but unfortunately for me responsibilities called and I had to drive away to meet them in the real world.

Cape Cod National Seashore

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Cape Cod National Seashore consists of forty miles of sandy beach, marshes, ponds and uplands supporting a wide variety of species. 

The views are spectacular including lighthouses, cultural landscapes and historic buildings, wild cranberry bogs and beaches for swimming. Not a swimmer, no problem there are walking and biking trails to be explored.

I lived north of Boston for so long that I didn’t begin to explore the wonders of the Cape until recent years. Even now I still have to remind myself that it’s just a short jaunt for me even with the summer  traffic. One of the rangers said he likes to tell people it’s only two hours from the heart of downtown Boston. My response…depending on traffic.

The Cape Cod National Seashore has 2 Visitor Centers. I am most familiar with the one in Eastham known as the  Salt Pond Visitor Center. It’s right off RT 6 so you really can’t miss it. This was the Visitor Center I stopped at where the ranger told me about the whales. But I have been to this one several times before. I have enjoyed the movie they offer and walked most of their trails. There is still one “spur” trail that I haven’t covered yet. I am going to have to make a point of it this summer.

At the tip of the Cape in Provincetown you will find the Province Lands Visitor Center. This center has an awesome elevated deck with ocean views. I was there once last summer with my friend JR. That was a great day.

But back to the Salt Marsh Vistior center in Eastham, the Buttonwood Trail is a short, easy walk with a boardwalk over a pond.This time of year you can’t even see the pond  because of all the Buttonwood plants growing in it. I’ve seen a lot of red wing blackbirds and ducks there.

The Nauset Marsh Trail is a bit longer but still an easy hike. That trail runs alongside a pond  until it reaches the marsh. At that point a wooden bridge leads you over the marsh.

On my most recent visit the pond was filled with white swans. I bet there was a dozen or more. As I crossed the little bridge near the pond I also spotted a little rabbit. He was hiding in the shade under the bridge. I stayed very still and pretty soon he popped back out again.

Crossing the marsh bridge the sky was beginning to cloud up and the air was getting heavy and humid. The birds seemed to sense a storm coming so there weren’t too many flying. I have watched hawks hunting and loads of other little birds flying around when I’ve walked this path before but today it was quiet.

Once you cross the bridge the trail climbs through the woods before leveling out again and opening up to overlook the marsh and the ocean in the distance. I didn’t complete the walk today but I have walked it many  times in the past.

Those are just 2 of the many trails that wind through the National Seashore. I believe there are 12 “self-guided” trails that are open year round. Buttonbush and Nauset Marsh that I just mentioned; Fort Hill, Red Maple Swamp and Doane trails are all in Eastham.

In Wellfleet which is farther south heading toward the lower cape you can walk the Atlantic White Cedar Swamp and Great Island Trails.

In the Truro- Pamet Area you’ll find Bearberry Hill Overlook, Small’s Swamp, Highlands Woods Walk, and Pilgrim Spring trails.

Not to be left out is Provincetown on the tip of Cape Cod. Here you’ll find the Beech Forest Trail.

This year is special for the Seashore because Cape Cod National Seashore’s 50th anniversary celebration is underway. There will be special programs along with commemorative items at the park bookstores and visitor centers. The special logo was designed by Eastham’s own Joe Fish a 2010 graduate of Nauset Regional High School.

I love the cape..not just the National Seashore but the whole area. There’s always something new to discover. I am really hoping to get to try some of the bike trails as well as more hiking trails before the season ends. There just never seems to be enough time.

From swimming and sunbathing to fishing and whaling, clams and cranberries, artists colonies and galleries, Pilgrims and Native Americans, glass blowing and jam making, even a great white shark or two looking for a quick-lunch on the seals off Monomoy Island there’s certainly something for everyone to do and see.

Just watch out for traffic jams in the summer months! I’m sure I’ll be making many more visits here and will share all my experiences with you.

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Fort Rodmen, New Bedford MA

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Fort Rodmen~ Fort Tabor…you say tomato I say….well you get the idea. Whatever you want to call it, it’s the same place, at the end of Rodney French Blvd.  I first heard of the old fort from a co-worker who grew up in New Bedford. I told Jay he should be working for the Chamber of Commerce because he knows all the neat places in New Bedford and sings their praises all of the time.

Anyway, let me address the name confusion first. Construction of the fort began during the late 1850’s . The local citizens of New Bedford called it Fort Tabor after the mayor of New Bedford during that time. The army renamed the fort after Lieutenant Colonel Logan Rodman of the 38th Massachusetts Infantry, a New Bedford native. He was killed in the assault on Fort Hudson, Louisiana in the Civil War.

There really were 2 forts on this location. A placard identifies the location of the earthen works fort that was used while the stone fort was under construction. It’s amazing how small that structure was based on the outline of the foundation that has been laid out with the paving stones .

Originally this area of New Bedford was known as Clark’s Point and Clark’s Point lighthouse was built there in 1797. As the Stone Fort grew in heght it obscured the lighthouse so a 2nd lighthouse was built in the Fort itself.

When the coast guard made a move to decommission the original lighthouse in the channel, once again the town rallied together and petitioned to keep Clark’s Point Light. The town won. 🙂

In memorial to more modern wars, there  is a World War II Exercise Tiger Tank on display in the park to honor the service men killed in an exercise in preparation for D-Day.

 

Landing exercises were being executed in Lyme Bay, England. The area was chosen for its similarity to Utah Beach. On April 28, 1944 as a mock beach landing was being attempted 9 German E-Boats attacked the convoy which was only protected at 50% strength. It is estimated that 946 American Servicemen died in the operation. 308 from friendly fire. To this day there is only limited information available which has sparked charges of a coverup. It’s doubtful we will ever know how everyone died but here at Fort Rodman Military Reservation they will be remembered.

There is also a beautiful memorial to the Vietnam Veterans. It is filled with symbolism that is explained with a great deal of sensitivity on the descriptive placard.

One last item of interest is the Military Museum which is also on site. I confess, I didn’t take the time to go through there this time. I was interested in some of the nonmilitary aspects of the grounds.

One of the first things I noticed was a play ground that was getting lots of use as I walked by.  The land around the fort right up to the retaining walls was seeded with grass and well maintained. The paths were paved and there were benches along the paths so you could stop and stare out to sea.

As you continue around the property you come to the side with the channel and there’s the old Clark Point Light house.

 There were tables and benches and a long concrete wharf lined with streetlights. There were a couple of concrete benches on the wharf .

 The first one wasn’t bad but the one at the end was pretty disgusting. I’m not sure if the seagulls had lunch there or if human fisherman had cleaned their catch on it but it was covered with dried fish guts and blood. That was the only discordant touch in the lovely park.

There were several beaches and they were far from packed. It could have been because it was windy so not especially hot. But the rumor I heard is that even on hot days these are “forgotten” beaches and usually not too crowded.

I will definitely have to return over the summer and give you updates.

Whales, Seals and Sharks!

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It promises to be great year for sea animals on Cape Cod. Already we have had record numbers of whales feeding off the cape coming closer to land than in recent memory. Now in the news are reports of Great White sightings.

This is not unusual. I chased the Great Whites all last summer without success but it is early in the year for them. Normally they come in search of the seals that live and play on the beaches and barrier islands of Cape Cod. They prefer it when the water has had a chance to warm up a little but the really large sharks can tolerate the cooler temperatures. The reports seem to indicate that this was a large one, 18-20 ft and 2000+ lbs!

The latest news report said the Great White was circling a whale that had become entangled in fishing gear. The Woods Hole people have since towed the whale carcase away to exam it to determine cause of death…could it be its entanglement or the shark? I’m sure we’ll hear more about this as the season progresses.

Speaking of seals, I recently found out that there are 4 different species of seals that like to visit the cape. I was aware of 2.

The big-headed gray seals are also the largest in size of the 4 species. It’s been said that their heads look like horse heads and I guess that’s true. Gray seals are year round residents. Naturalists say that the resident population on the cape is in the thousands. The colony in Chatham is certainly large and boisterous. Gray seals were on the decline because of over hunting until 1972 when the Marine Mammal Protection Act was passed. Removing that pressure has allowed their population to increase dramatically.

The 2nd species of seal that is a familiar sight on the cape is the one we think of at the aquarium. They have a cute upturned muzzle and are smaller than the grays. While the grays are said to look like horses these seals are most often compared to cocker spaniels. These little cuties are the curious Harbor seals.

Both the Gray Seals and the Harbor seals will interact with boaters. They swim up  to the boat and pop up out of the water to stare. Curiosity is certainly a trait they share with us humans.

The other 2 species are more rare. I don’t think I’ve ever seen either one in the wild. The first is the Harp seal which gets its name from the distinctive dark wish-bone shaped pattern against a silver-white coat. When you see all of those horrible posters protesting the seal hunts with the baby white coated seals about to be clubbed, you are looking at baby harp seals. The Cape seems to get the “in-between” harp seals. Still juveniles they are too old for the creamy white coat and too young for the silver-gray with the harp pattern. Most have a light-colored coat with irregular blotches of brown.

Last but not least is the Hooded Seal. These seals are the most rare of the 4 species. They, along with the Harp seal, are considered “ice seals” because they prefer to live on the pack ice of the Arctic. Still the long stretches of secluded shoreline and abundant sea food make Cape Cod an attractive place for these seals to visit.

I think it’s safe to say that as long as the seals keep coming to Cape Cod we will be hearing of Great White Sharks patrolling our shores. I can see I will have many entertaining hours to look forward to this summer on the Cape.