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Easin’ Along the Cape – Provincetown, the Cape Cod National Seashore.

Posted on September 10, 2015October 29, 2016 by Easin' Along

Marconi Beach - Cape Cod National Seashore — **Marconi Beach – Cape Cod National Seashore**

We made it to the USCG Air Station in Buzzard’s Bay, MA ready to do some aggressive sightseeing and soon learned that it’s not easy to be aggressive in Cape Cod on Labor Day weekend.

We drove up from our previous stop at the New London Naval Submarine Base in Groton, CT, and spent some time in Mystic Seaport, CT (too beautiful to describe), and in Newport RI for lunch and some browsing. Posts about both of those stops will have to wait until we return home, with some great pictures that really are too good to sit on since the weather was an absolute “10”, but no time now, so stay tuned.

After our drive we decided to do take-out for dinner and catch our beloved Tennessee Volunteers playing football via WatchESPN on the Macbook. Both the dinner and the football game turned out just as we had hoped. (Vols win 59 – 30).

Helen had scoured Trip Advisor for some food choices, but the choices were limited in Bourne, and Buzzard’s Bay. We went to Eastwind Seafood, a very small restaurant with a take out counter above a large holding tank for live lobsters…we had arrived! The lobsters were placed in four tanks according to size from about a pound to huge…maybe five pounds or more!

We really weren’t that hungry after lunch in Newport, so we went in for soup and salad–lobster of course. Helen ordered lobster bisque and a lobster salad for us to split. The bisque was very creamy and was loaded with lobster claw meat. Exquisite is how I would describe it. The salad had more lobster than we could eat. It also was claw meat and tasted fresh, definitely not frozen. We put away over half of it in our refrigerator.

I ordered a bowl of the seafood stew. OMG! This delicious concoction consisted of a wide variety of seafood–lobster, scallops, clams, oysters and fish, as well as small potatoes, in a tasty tomato based stew that was the most flavorful dish I have had in a long, long time. I hit the bottom of that bowl all too quickly. To say it was awesome is a vast understatement.

Lobster Bisque and Seafood Stew - Eastwind Café, Cape Cod — **Lobster Bisque and Seafood Stew – Eastwind Café, Cape Cod**

The next day we set out for the Cape Cod National Seashore. In order to see as much of the Massachusetts coastline as possible we took a route that brought us to the town of Sandwich. We were just passing through, but I wanted to stop and take pictures of of some very beautiful old churches and a windmill. We happened to stop next to a small public water fountain where an elderly couple were filling water jugs and loading them in their car. We were told that the water was from a well deep below the ground and we quickly filled our travel mugs and drove on. Aquafina never tasted this good.

Our two lane highway (6A) led us through the towns of Hyannis, Yarmouth, Dennis, and Brewster. We came upon an art and craft fair in a well manicured park in Brewster and Helen had to stop. There were approximately 50 artists displaying their wares under 10 x 10 white canopies. The crowd was impressive, and we were there in mid morning on a sunny day. Some of the items were tempting, including an offering of some delicious virgin olive oils, but we held out and continued on our way.

Brewster, MA - Art and Craft Fair — **Brewster, MA – Art and Craft Fair**

When we got to Eastham we ran into terminal gridlock. Ahead of us was bumper to bumper traffic en route to Provincetown and the National Seashore. After a picnic lunch at the Seashore visitor center, we admitted that further travel north was hopeless and turned around.

We went back to Hyannis and checked on ferry boat transportation to Nantucket Island for the next morning – Labor Day. The attractive young lady at the ticket booth looked at us and said “Well, we can get you over there, but we have no way to get you back. The return ferries are full”. Another lesson about Labor Day on the Cape is that the summer residents on Nantucket leave on Labor Day. She also told us that we would have no problem getting back and forth on Tuesday, so we made a reservation for the 8:15 ferry, and drove back to Buzzard’s Bay.

That evening we wanted to try a restaurant called the Lobster Trap, but couldn’t get in there either…two hour wait. This disappointment called for a return trip to Eastwind Seafood where I ordered two bowls of Seafood stew and a Lobster roll for Helen. Great ending to an otherwise frustrating day.

Determined not to be denied a beach day, we rose early on Labor Day morning and lit out again for the National Seashore. Our hope was that most of the traffic would be coming from the opposite direction. We were rewarded for our persistence.

The first stop was Marconi Beach, named for the man who sent the first transatlantic wireless telegram from a cliff high above this beach in 1903. We stood on the spot where the transmission occurred while looking at the Atlantic Ocean below the cliff. Breathtaking is the only description I could think of.

Helen and I took the steps down to the beach where there were a few people enjoying the day, but it was by no means crowded. In fact, after walking a few hundred yards up the beach, there was no one there but Helen, me, a couple of curious seagulls, and a few large seals who would pop their heads above the surf on occasion. Solitude reigned! (Photo at top of post)

Accustomed to looking for seashells when beaching it, we soon realized that it was futile. There weren’t any, only small stones, deposited thousands of years ago by the forward march of the glaciers during the ice age. The rocks were pretty, smooth, and found in a variety of colors. Someone had placed a group of larger stones in a circle and stacked a few of them to make a nice greeting to newcomers who arrived at the bottom of the steps. It was a fun thing to see.

Reluctantly, we left Marconi Beach and drove on toward Provincetown at the tip of the Cape. Traffic was medium to heavy, but moving, and we arrived there with no delays. Stopping first in the town of North Truro to take pictures of Provincetown and the Bay, we were taken in by the beauty of the boats and the water.

Provincetown is a lively place with architecture typical of that found throughout the Cape, and VERY narrow streets. On Labor Day, the town was still quite crowded and we found that navigating our way along the streets we shared with the many pedestrians to be quite a challenge. I wanted to run into a few of the tempting shops to look for souvenirs, but there was no parking available anywhere so we had to improvise. I hopped out and left Helen to Ease Along in the car while I shopped. With the traffic and the crowd being what it was (slow and heavy), I had time to buy a few things and still catch up with her just a few blocks away.

Provincetown was fun, but we still had a lot to do, so we continued our journey back down the coast to Head of the Meadow Beach just a few miles away to eat our picnic lunch and grab some more beach time in the afternoon sun.

Head of the Meadow Beach is so named because of the large salt meadow that lies just over the dunes guarding the beach. The salt meadow is about 100 yards wide and extends north to cover many acres with short trees, shrubs, and a very tall grass with tall stalks topped with a purple plume. Very striking in its beauty.

**Salt Meadow, Head of the Meadow Beach**

We changed into swimsuits in the bathhouse, grabbed our beach chairs and took off for the beach. The beach was plenty crowded. Being the last day of the season, the lifeguards were hustling about removing signs and placing barricades needed for the winter. I saw a few of them trade hugs and handshakes as they were about to part ways for another season. I spoke with one young lifeguard who told me she had been working at Head of the Meadow for eight years (since she turned 17) and was now headed back to her “real job” as a teacher in Springfield, MA.

The water was on the cool side, but still felt pretty good on a hot day. There were some tidal pools around, but still no shells. We gathered rocks instead, and watched the surf roll in.

**Head of the Meadow Beach, Cape Cod National Seashore**

Back at our chairs, we chatted with a very friendly couple from New Haven, CT who had rented a beach home in nearby North Truro for a week. An hour or so later, about the time the lifeguards loaded the last lifeguard stand onto a truck, we realized that it was time to work our way back to Buzzard’s Bay, hopeful again for good luck with the traffic. We got it, but we sure hated to leave…this was one great beach day!

One more thing about this day…we went back to the Lobster Trap and were seated after a half hour wait. A good time and great meal was had and a food review to be posted later on Easin’ Along.

One other thing…please see the picture gallery following this post for more pictures of Cape Cod and the National Seashore.

Fun

Picture Gallery – Provincetown and Cape Cod National Seashore

Posted on September 10, 2015July 24, 2018 by Easin' Along

Brewster, MA Craft Fair – Olive Oil stand

Sandwich, MA – Fresh water fountain on the street

End of the season – Head of the Meadow Beach

Fun

Easin’ Along by Fast Ferry to Nantucket Island, MA

Posted on September 10, 2015February 28, 2017 by Easin' Along

**Brant Point Lighthouse, Nantucket, MA**

Our first attempt to book a ferry over to Nantucket Island was thwarted when the agent told us we couldn’t get back on Labor Day due to the mass exodus of the summer residents. So, we booked a trip for the day after. So far, we have been blessed with splendid weather on our trip up the East Coast and this day was no exception.

We booked a ride on the “Fast Ferry” for an 8:15am departure out of Hyannis, MA. This required that we drive the 45 minutes from Wings Inn, at the USCG Air Station, Buzzard’s Bay, MA, park our car, and check in 30 minutes in advance of the launch. So, we’re up at 5:00am, showered, made a little coffee and a light breakfast in the room, poured another cup of coffee for the road…and take off. We made it in time to look around a little and for me to make a return trip to the car for the IPhone I left on the back seat.

We boarded the Fast Ferry for a one hour ride to the Island. The price for the round trip was $50 per passenger which we considered very reasonable. We chose seats on the upper deck, outside. We chose well, because once we were underway, those sitting on the outside edge of the deck were hit with water from the wake created by the high speed ferry, but we were sitting in the center and protected. The sea was choppy, but we hardly noticed in this large vessel, and soon Nantucket Island came into view.

We rounded Brant Point, marked by its lighthouse, where a few fishermen were trying their luck. Brant Point lighthouse sits right on the shore and is just barely above the surf. I saw one comment in a brochure that said it was the second lowest lighthouse in the country in terms of elevation above sea level. Couldn’t verify this, but I believe it.

We arrived at port and began a short walk into the town itself. We had planned to spend more time there, but since our schedule had changed, and we were to move to Fourth Cliff Recreation Area the next day, we needed to do as much sightseeing as we could and catch the returning ferry at 3:15 that afternoon.

Helen (adorable wife) stopped in the Visitor Center for some suggestions. She was told to visit the Whaling Museum no matter what, and that we would enjoy the climb up the tower of the Congregational Church for the view of the entire island. We did both.

Main Street in Nantucket is populated with many Historic Buildings and is an authentic cobblestone street. There are many shops and eating establishments along both sides, but shopping here is not for the timid–things can be a little pricey. Nevertheless, it was fun to browse.

There are not many cars on the Island, but bicycles are everywhere. When we left the ferry, the first thing you come upon are bicycle and motor scooter rental stores. If we had the opportunity to spend more than the day there, I would have been first in line. The bikes we saw were in good condition, and most were available for $27 for a single day. Motor scooters went for $99. I’m not sure how biking is on a cobblestone street…and I did spot more than one biker walking the bike instead of riding. Still, it seemed like a great way to get around.

We made it to the Whaling Museum in time for a presentation on the industry that literally and figuratively fueled the economy of Nantucket Island for over one hundred years in the 18th and 19th Century.

The presenter was excellent. She described how the early settlers learned the craft of whaling from the Native Americans who had lived on the island for centuries after they learned that sheep farming wasn’t a viable means of earning a living. The presentation was accompanied with a video projected on a large screen above her, and made her lecture easily understandable. I learned several things. Whaling was hard, dangerous work, done by very brave individuals who made enormous amounts of money, providing they survived the arduous three and sometimes four years at sea. I also learned that it’s not something for everyone–including me.

After the presentation, we were given a guided tour of the museum which was extremely well done. There was a remarkable display of scrimshaw–art carvings in whale’s teeth, that was truly fascinating. Other displays included tools of the whaling industry, some well over 150 years old, and an impressive gallery of portrait art, including one by Gilbert Stuart.

Whales were hunted for their oil and we learned that once petroleum was discovered in Pennsylvania in the 1850’s, the industry declined as did the population of Nantucket Island, shrinking from over 10,000 residents at the peak of the whaling industry to less than three thousand at the turn of the twentieth century. Nantucket was close to resembling a ghost town until the entrepreneurs decided that tourism could save it, and make them rich in the process. That idea was a good one.

**Congregational Church, Nantucket, MA**

After leaving the museum, we walked to the Congregational Church on a hill above the town. We were greeted by a very nice volunteer who gave us a few of the details of the history of the church, and showed us where the steps to the Tower were located. We walked the 94 steps to the top and were again greeted by an extremely pleasant volunteer who pointed out the more notable things to see from the excellent viewing site. We chatted with her for a while and learned that she had lived on the island for many years and worked at the church two hours a week among her other activities. She was proud to tell us that at 84 years of age she walked three miles EVERY day and climbed those 94 steps in the tower with no problem. Helen and I agreed that there’s still hope for us. We took lots of pictures, said goodbye to our new friend, and walked down.

It was time for lunch.

I had been to Nantucket in the summer of 1970 in hopes of landing a job during summer break from college. Because the University of Tennessee was on a quarterly schedule, and the spring quarter extended until June, all of the students who attended semester schedule schools got there before me and grabbed what jobs were available. During that visit, I met a friend of mine in a bar now known as the Tavern on the afternoon before I left to try to find work in Ocean City, MD. My friend didn’t have a job either, but he did have money. He ordered a Bloody Mary at the bar…I couldn’t even afford a soda. I watched him enjoy that Bloody Mary with great envy.

Fast forward 45 years. It was time for lunch and I was going to the Tavern for a Bloody Mary–maybe two. I sat in the same seat as before (I think) and ordered proudly, savoring every drop. For lunch, I ordered a Cod Reuben sandwich with cole slaw and fries, and Helen ordered grilled swordfish, which was excellent. The Cod sandwich was prepared like a traditional Reuben to include thousand Island dressing. It was very good. The Bloody Mary was better.

After lunch (only one Bloody Mary), we went back to the Whaling Museum for a video presentation on the history of Nantucket Island. It was well done, but we had to leave it early in order to catch the afternoon ferry back to Hyannis.

The ferry was full. We sat inside this trip because I had enough sun for one day, and wanted some relief. There were three seats grouped on either side of a table with windows all around the interior of the deck were were on. We shared our seat grouping with a young couple from Oslo, Norway, a lady on a tour from New Mexico, and a gentleman from New York City and his Scottish Terrier, Sebastian. Sebastian was a young, excitable dog who barked at everything that moved, and impossible to ignore. The couple from Norway spoke English and were on a two week trip in New England.

White Elephant, Nantucket — **Harbor – Nantucket, MA**

On leaving Nantucket we noticed several people on the boat throwing pennies in the water as we rounded Brant Point. I later learned that according to tradition, the penny toss insured a return visit to the Island. I was a little late getting on board with this ritual, but Helen and I do hope to return with a lots more time to enjoy this little delightful, and historic, 50 square mile piece of land in the sea.

It was another great day for Easin’ Along the East Coast.