Searching for Spring on Cape Cod - Part I

One recent Monday the sky was blue and the sun warmed our backs as we walked a Brewster beach. In a spur of the moment, Tim and I decided to go and explore in search of any evidence of the coming Spring. We stopped home to pick up our cameras and a picnic lunch, then headed east to the end of North America.
Our first stop was at Nauset Beach in Orleans.

Surprise! The bandstand sported a 10 foot drift of sand across its front.

A far cry from summer during one of the many summertime concerts.

Liam's clam shack at Nauset Beach won't be open for a while...too much sand.
 

Nauset Light beach was next in Eastham. We wanted to get down to the beach to see the cliff erosion but discovered that the stairs down to the sand were gone and the viewing platform hung over the edge of the bluff into thin air. We've certainly had some hardy storms on the Cape wreaking havoc with our coastline.

We watched the waves crash onto the beach with a stormy fury for a few minutes.

We then drove a short distance to Coast Guard Beach and found the same scenario. We didn't get very far, the walkway and stairs were also gone by the station house.

 What we did discover, over to our left, were the remnants of an ancient swamp and a way to get down to the beach.

Huge sections of peat were exposed that had previously been covered over with a sand dune.

 The hearty inhabitants of old Cape Cod used this decayed, hard mass of vegetation to burn and heat their homes. They also sold it in sectional squares or rectangles to the citizens of Boston for the same use.

Pictured here is a cedar tree stump sticking out of the side of a dune.

 We drove further out to Truro and a took a walk up Bearberry Hill overlooking a break in the dune from the last several storms.  This barrier dune had once protected the freshwater of Pamet River from the salty Ballston Beach.

This wooden sign at the top of the hill shows the break in 1991.

Here's a video link of the tremendous force of the ocean against our coastline.  It was taken by Eric Williams of the Cape Cod Times.
 ballston beach - capecodonline



I managed to walk across the beach in the middle of the break and stand in awe of the forces of nature.

 

Water and mud covered the parking lot.



If you face the ocean and then turn right on this beach, you'll find a house that hopefully will survive. The owners have made desperate attempts to secure it from falling over.

 Next to this house was the original entrance to Balston Beach. Now it's mostly gone and only remnants of peat are left along with the posts of a fence.

We enjoyed the sun on our adventure and appreciated the changes in the coastline but didn't find many signs of spring until we pulled into our driveway. We spotted the beautiful aconite and snowdrop flowers peeking their delicate faces up and out of the winter browns.

Changes on Cape Cod

We can't escape change. Nature changes our surroundings by the second, it's always moving, growing, and dying...giving way to rebirth.

Nauset Beach in Orleans has been transformed this winter by the forces of nature. The boardwalk that takes you to the beach has been filled in with sand.

Now the top of the fence posts are all that's exposed as you walk the boardwalk.

 Here's the little bench that offered a restful view of the Atlantic Ocean. The top rail and its plaque can only be seen.

To the side of the boardwalk is a ramp for easy access to the beach. Currently this is what it looks like...not so easy.

This picture was taken of the same ramp in the summer.



More changes...
           
                                                                           MAC

Last week we took our first walk without our beagle Mac. Sadly we lost him to old age and a weak heart. We will miss our faithful companion. But we continue to walk and explore in his memory and for our good health.

No matter what changes come into your life, I know that a walk along the beach is always restorative and soothing.

Winter on Cape Cod

Winter has settled upon sleepy Cape Cod. Temperatures are hovering below freezing and the wind makes everything colder.

The beaches still beckon us to visit. Tim and I, plus our beagle Mac, try to listen to the call of the mighty ocean and explore its dunes and shoreline.

Linnell Landing in Brewster is usually the easiest access for us to see the tumultuous water-waves and whitecaps when the wind is really blowing. 
The day we took these pictures the temperature was 9 degrees with a wind chill making the air a frigid 0 degrees and below. We didn't stay long... just long enough to feel the power of nature.

My blog has been quiet since the end of August because I received a new hip in September 2012. Recovering kept me occupied. At first I was disappointed with myself when I discovered that my hip needed to be replaced, after all, I ate right and exercised all the time. But when I was told that it was a form of a birth defect, my bone was too big for my hip socket and it literally wore out, I felt better. It wasn't all my fault.
The good news is that because I was so active before the surgery, I rode my bike the day before my hip was replaced, I healed quicker.
So now I'm back to my usual wanderings across this beautiful peninsula and discovering interesting facts and places.

I'm also thrilled to start off 2013 with the news that Booktrope Publishing of Seattle has offered me a contract to publish my first novel, The Old Cape House: A Mooncussers Tale.
We are in the editing process right now and hope to have a completion date soon. I will keep you posted.

Cape Cod Creatures of the Sea

Cape Codders have always had a close connection to the sea. Whether you fish, sail, paddle or walk the coast of this precious peninsula, all of us feel the need to protect it and hold onto its beauty.

 For centuries past and up to modern times, the Cape's coastline has provided a livelihood for its inhabitants, whether its through fresh seafood, gorgeous vistas, sandy beaches or scenic trails.  The fisherman, artist, musician, retailer, retiree and tourist all benefit from its gifts.

Sometimes, it yields strange happenings. Centuries ago, along the bay, you could see the spouts of humpback whales exploding into the air across the horizon. There's also documentation of waves of blackfish that beached themselves at low tide, for reasons unknown to man. Wellfleet had more than their share over the years. Even today, dolphins follow this odd behavior of stranding along the coast and scientists still scratch their heads as to why they do it. Thankfully, with the help of many local volunteers, most are saved and guided back to the sea.
 

                               Blackfish Stranding at Blackfish Creek in Wellfleet circa 1930
                                                        
                                                          Photo courtesy of CapeCodHistory.us  (Wellfeet page)

In March of 2011, several employees of the Ocean Edge Resort in Brewster were clearing the beach and came across a stone buried in the sand. They began to dig it out and realized that it was much larger than they thought and that it might be part of a skeleton from a whale or some other sea creature. The IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) was called in. They immediately agreed and wanted to have it carbon dated.

Check out this great interview by Eric Williams of Cape Cod Times about the discovery.
Ancient whale skull found

One year later in July 2012, the results of testing on the discovery by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute were made public. They said it was a skull from a North Atlantic right whale. The bone measured 6 feet long and weighed 400-500 lbs. The whale lived between 1500 and 1650. If you remember your history, the Pilgrims landed here in 1620. It was transported to the Smithsonian in D.C for further analysis. Now that was exciting!

Sometime in early spring of the late 90s, along the coast of Brewster, we heard there was a whale on the beach. My son Scott, husband Tim and I drove over to see the majestic beast that had met its demise in our little town.
 

It was a 43 foot finback whale; so big and yet so sad to see.  But it's a tale that doesn't end in Brewster. The town fathers wondered what to do with it. It was too costly to bury or haul it away.  Since the weather was cold, which kept the smell at a minimum, a decision was made to leave it alone. Within a week it drifted to another bay side beach in a neighboring town. They were of the same mind and let it lie. More days past and the tide took it to a new coastal beach. Eventually after several weeks of Mother Nature passing the poor whale's carcass back and forth, and no one wanting to spend any money on its removal, it disappeared into the ocean. Yankee thrift at its best!

Last week we celebrated Shark Week. Strange but true, sightings of sharks have been popping up all over the news recently on the Cape...and here's why.

                                                                         Photo courtesy of Luke Simpson

 We've had such a preponderance of seals on the sand bars, like the picture above from Chatham. I believe the word has spread over the last few years among the sharks that there's a free lunch on beautiful Cape Cod.

                                                                             Photo courtesy of Gothamist

This rare sighting occurred off Nauset Beach. The kayaker won but officials closed the beach.

 The logic is that when someone swims or paddles on the surface, their kicking legs or paddling mimic a seal... soooooo, can you blame the sharks?

On July 31 2012, off Ballston Beach in Truro someone did get bit by a great white shark. He survived but it was a harrowing experience for Chris Myers of Denver.

                                                            Photo courtesy of abc news

 Bottom line...if you go into the ocean, be aware of what's going on around you and under you plus don't ever think it can't happen to you. Officials caution but add "... don't worry, there hasn't been a fatality from a shark bite on Cape Cod since 1936."

                  
                                                 See you ON the beach, not in the water.

Bandstands and Music - Cape Cod

One thing that Cape Cod is plentiful in... is music. Almost all of the 15 towns on the Cape have bandstands that offer wonderful settings to hear the melodies, marches, riffs and beats of so many different musical groups. Several of the bandstands emerged in the early thirties, while many of the town bands had already been formed before the turn of the century.  These early bands entertained inside halls, public gathering places, parades and of course, greeting someone important at train depots. Economic reasons may have been why only a few towns had bandstands.

                                                        Photo by Lenny at Affordable Cape Cod Vacations

Summertime in Chatham is the place to be for a traditional band concert on Friday evenings. The night is filled with people, children singing, colorful balloons and the melodious sounds of the town band. Chatham's first bandstand stood on what is now the municipal parking lot next to Chatham Town Hall in the 1920s. After WWII, it was moved to Kate Gould Park. Around 1950, money was raised for a new one. The old gazebo was moved once again to Chatham Veteran's Field, where it was enclosed and still serves as an equipment storage shed for the Chatham A's baseball team.
Concerts begin at 8 P.M.

                                                            Photo courtesy of Cape Cod Travel

 Harwich's bandstand was built by the Kiwanis in 1935 and rests near the center of town in Brooks Park. Concerts begin at 6 P.M. on Mondays.

The town of Brewster built a bandstand in 1994 with funds and volunteer help from the Brewster Board of Trade, now the Brewster Chamber of Commerce. It sits nestled on a lovely patch of grass in Drummer Boy Park with a view of the sea. Tim and our second oldest son fondly remember helping a work crew one Saturday morning when construction was almost completed, and along with others, signed their names and date hidden up in the rafters for posterity.

 Nauset Beach in Orleans is the center for outdoor music every Monday and Thursday. Come early for dinner at Liam's Clam shack or bring your own. Make sure you take a walk down to the beach to see the crashing waves and surfers. Little ones run and dance around the bandstand while kites and seagulls soar across the blue horizon. One evening I counted 12 kites!

Along with town bands offering concerts, Citizens Bank of Cape Cod in partnership with Cape Cod Arts Foundation offer a series of FREE concerts across the Cape. Here is a link to their schedule:
Citizens Bank Concert Series

You can attend a concert every weekday across the Cape and all for FREE! Bring a picnic basket and your beach chairs or just stretch out on a blanket for a relaxing summer evening on old Cape Cod.

Bear on Cape Cod?

When I first heard that there was a bear on Cape Cod, I was stunned. The last bear sighting on the Cape was 300 years ago. This past Wednesday he was sighted in Brewster on his way eastward. As I rode my bike near Nickerson State Park on the same day in early morning, I couldn't help but think that he might cross my path in some of the heavily forested areas.

 According to officials, our very own ursus americanus swam across the canal from central Massachusetts to get to vacation-land. He was simply roaming and looking for a mate.

 After reaching the tip of Provincetown at the end of the week, he turned around and headed back. This photo was taken by Lezl Rowell on the bear's return trip near Gull Pond in Wellfleet.  It was also where they eventually caught him.

 Here's a link to the whole story from CapeCast -

Cape Cod Bear Video!

This image was taken by 13 year old Liam Crivellaro of Wellfleet.

This photo was taken by Michael Struna and it was about as close as we came to a wild animal. Our lonely nighttime raccoon was looking for a late night snack as it crawled up and over our car in the driveway.

Footnote to the Cape Cod Bear!  After state officials tranquilized our unexpected visitor, they drove the bear to an undisclosed area in Central Mass. Here's hoping he'll find someone to love, raise a family and plan a vacation somewhere other than Cape Cod.

Shells, Shards and Hidden Treasures - Cape Cod

As I walk the sandy beaches and wooded pathways of Cape Cod, I'm on the hunt for interesting finds. I never go home empty handed, there's always something that peaks my curiosity.

 I found this little beauty dating from the late 18th or early 19th century and probably from a dinner plate, on one of the bay side beaches over 20 years ago.  On that summer day, I walked a little further across the open tidal flats of Brewster and with each step I took, inspiration for my novel began to weave itself into my thoughts.  Since then, this little pottery shard with its smooth, chalk-like surface and dainty flowers has taken me and my imagination along a journey of reading, researching and writing the legend of Sam Bellamy, Maria Hallett and other myths of Cape Cod. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about it.

Over the last five years of my 24 on this sandy spit, my collection of shells, shards and treasures has grown so much that I'm forced to become more particular in what I bring home. Beach glass, too numerous to count, fills a small four-drawer dresser in my closet; plastic baggies separate them into hues of blue, red, brown, turquoise, lavender and white. It takes from 50 -100 years or longer in the ocean for sea glass to cure or obtain that milky glaze and smooth surface. These transparent treasures must be 'well-done' to become part of my collection. I always step over the shiny beach glass, saving them for future beachcombers.

Decorative or colorful patterned shards are my most prized. It's such a treat to find them with handles, ornamentation or words on the pieces. I have several with 'England' on them.  The scallop edge was a popular style on dishes in 1700 England and continued through the early 1800s. By the 1850s, this pattern developed into a painted symmetrical shell edge, then progressed even further into impressed lines that replicated the painted scallop edge. The piece top left has an impressed shell edge on it.

The large shard above shows a painted scallop edge. The green circular marks are from small clams or oysters that were living on its surface when I found it wedged in between two rocks at low tide. The green floral patterned shard was discovered the same day.  The clay pipe stems, based on the size of the hole in the stem, are circa 1700-1800. They were found by Tim in Provincetown Harbor - a real find!

A few years ago on a day excursion with Anna and Michael, we visited and searched Plymouth Harbor at low tide. The items shown are in their natural state. It only took us about an hour to find our treasures.

Anna did well. She found a pair of glasses from 1900.

This clam with its barnacles and seaweed make an artistic statement - perfect for a still life painting.

It's been over a year since my son, Scotty, married his beautiful Carly at our home. At their wedding reception, they invited their guests to write a one year anniversary message on a card, whereupon the cards would be kept unopened for one year. A week ago they opened them. Scott called to tell us that the messages were heartwarming, funny and all wished the wedded couple more happiness for the coming years. He added that one card was intriguing, its sender wrote that he had left the happy couple something under the rock wall behind our house on the Cape.  Scott then sent me on a mission. "Mom, would you go and look? He said it was under the third rock from the porch door."
 I went outside with phone in hand.
 I could hear Scott over the phone telling me, "I'll skype you when Carly gets home, mom. Don't touch anything till then. " 

Of course, I checked to see if it was a joke or if something was really there and it was... and under rock number three! I replaced the rock and waited for Scott's return call.

Within minutes, he called back. Our youngest son, Michael, offered his IPhone to skype. As the anniversary couple watched us unearth the mysterious message via Wi-Fi, anticipation filled the air both on Cape Cod and in California.
Due to a small hole in the plastic baggie, the card was wet and half eaten but the secret message from his friend was clear. It read, "Happy Anniversary!"

Like I always say, mystery and history surround us in our daily lives, but only if we look for it.