2016 - SUMMER ON CAPE COD PART I -Where everything old is new again.

 The Summer Buzz on Cape Cod

Memorial Day Weekend brings changes you can always count on.  Cars and porches will be under a heavy coat of yellow pollen.  The faint roar of the ocean is replaced by the whoosh of cars on the highway.  There's a run on the grape jelly aisle as bird lovers vie to attract orioles at their feeders, and...    


The 8th Annual Quahog Day was held on June 20th this year at Mattakeese Wharf overlooking Barnstable Harbor.  This is when Doug-the-Quahog is escorted to the beach by his faithful security detail, a team of black-suited men and women armed with clamming rakes.  During his "Prognostication Ceremony" he whispers into the ear of his human sidekick, Captain Johnny Quahog, how many days of beach weather we have to look forward to during the season.  Doug even has his own song:

Doug the Quahog's Theme Song 

That's Doug The Quahog, on the right

Even a place steeped in traditions sometimes has change forced upon it.  No matter how mankind tries to intervene, nature has a way of having the final word:  
Eastham's Nauset Light Beach has been declared a "hot spot" by the Cape Cod National Seashore Superintendent.  The results of another stormy winter has taken its toll with more beach erosion and the annual loss of the wooden steps.  This summer, the beach was closed until July 4th while the new replacement steps to get down the 60' drop to the beach were completed. 

But, in spite of that, Eastham hit the jackpot this summer with major kudos from these different sources: 

Eastham's Coast Guard Beach was rated #5 in the USA
 by "Dr. Beach" (www.DrBeach.org), who has selected the annual Top 10 Beaches since 1991. Fifty criteria are used to evaluate beaches, which include water and sand quality as well as safety and management. Dr. Leatherman is an internationally known coastal scientist who has published 20 books and hundreds of scientific articles and reports about storm impacts, coastal erosion and ways to improve beach health and safety.  This is how he sums it up:  Coast Guard Beach, accessible by bicycle or shuttle bus from the Salt Pond Visitor’s Center, was formed where a sand spit attached to the glacial cliffs. The sand is fairly coarse so the beach slopes steeply into the water. The picturesque old Coast Guard station still sits atop the glacial bluffs, allowing for a spectacular view down upon the Nauset Spit barrier system and bay. During the summer, beach-goers take quick, refreshing dips in the ocean as water temperatures only reach 60-70 degrees.

And, National Geographic rated Coast Guard Beach
the #1 Family Beach in the U.S. 

Coast Guard Beach - Eastham, Massachusetts

For the classic Cape Cod vacation, head to Coast Guard Beach, boundless miles of sand and surf on the Cape Cod National Seashore. Stop at the Salt Pond Visitor Center to learn about free programs, such as family campfire nights, ranger-guided nature walks, beach yoga, and surf casting lessons. Rent kayaks, surfboards, and bikes from Castaways Marine. Take a ride along the 24-mile (39-kilometer) bike path or paddle through unspoiled marsh. The beach itself, reached by a quick shuttle ride from a main lot, has lifeguards, showers, and changing rooms. In town, Arnold’s Lobster and Clam Bar serves kids’ meals on Frisbees and has an 18-hole miniature golf course.

And, as long as we're gloating, here's what Thrillist says about our wonderful, little town:

Eastham:  Why it’s so great: We know what you do: you zip down the 6, right through Eastham on the way to Wellfleet and P-town. Fool: you’re skipping out on some epic and epically beautiful nature time. The Cape Cod National Seashore is dog-friendly and open year-round (hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing are more than encouraged in the winter). The bayside beaches, meantime, offer under-sung sunset views. The Nauset Bike Trail starts in Eastham, granting you another view of the National Seashore, and then of course, the town is awash in mini-golf courses (don’t judge).  Must-eat foods: Karoo for authentic South African cuisine (yes, really), Arnold’s for Food & Wine-approved fried clams in the warmer months, and Hole in One Donut Shop for, well, you know.

Don't feel bad, I had to look it up, too:  Thrillist is a leading men's digital lifestyle brand, providing all that's new, unknown or under-appreciated in food, drink, entertainment, nightlife, gadgets, and gear ...

Need more convincing?

Coast Guard Beach, Massachusetts

The Cape Cod National Seashore is truly a national treasure, and Coast Guard Beach, which lies in the midst of this pristinely protected swath in Eastham, Massachusetts, is the golden-sand diamond amidst jewels. Backed by dunes and open to the Atlantic Ocean (but with generally gentle waves), Coast Guard Beach is also great for swimming and boogie boarding. 

Thank you!

Always a lovely view from Fort Hill in Eastham, where the National Seashore begins

Shellfishers tend to be the sort who enjoy working the quiet flats by themselves, so when a Chatham filmmaker's drone invaded a local clammer's solitary afternoon, it came under attack with a clam rake and the video went viral:  

Click on:  Clammer attacks drone in Chatham

Just another summer day in Provincetown

Tesla comes to Mashpee Commons.  There's a Tesla gallery coming to the town of Mashpee, the first Southern Massachusetts location for the company, and the fifth location in the state.  Customers will not be able to purchase a vehicle yet, because the town hasn't yet issued the auto dealership permit.   But, there will be a Model S on display, and a computer design studio where customers can create their own vehicles from a selection of models and options.  And yes, there are six charging stations already on Cape Cod, plus a supercharger station near the Sagamore bridge, plus two on Martha's Vineyard, and two on Nantucket.  

Summer Solstice Sunset at First Encounter Beach in Eastham

'Scratchy', a 13 foot shark, was the first of our tracked great whites to return for the summer off of Chatham waters.  He was filmed having his favorite meal of seals, which begs the reminder that if you find yourself sharing the water with seals, it's best to remove yourself quickly.   

Tommy doing his Great White shark imitation

Although Ron's car is no longer a convertible, we were invited back by our friends in the Chandler Travis Philharmonic to be the "just in case" driver in the 4th of July parade in Chatham, in case any of the marchers needed a quick rest from the heat.  He did one better than that, and borrowed a landscaper's open trailer and decorated it to the max.  It made a perfect place to video a couple of the numbers, but mostly I had a great time watching the people watching the parade.  I've never seen a bigger or better assortment of patriotic clothing and enthusiastic people.  Small town parades rock!  Click the link for a short instructional video on:  How to Make a Parade

Look out Chatham, here we come!

Since moving here in the winter of 2009, I've driven by the French Cable Station Museum almost daily and wondered what it was doing in the town of Orleans, and what exactly was in it.  This summer, I noticed that they were going to have a day-long celebration of Bastille Day and our friends in the Chandler Travis Three-O band were going to play on the front lawn, so I knew this was the perfect opportunity to find out.  Little did I know what an important part of history was played out right here on Cape Cod.  Built in 1891 by the French Cable Company, it became the ending point of a 3,200-mile trans-Atlantic telegraph cable called "Le Direct".  When France surrendered to Nazi Germany in 1940, it was taken over by the federal government for security reasons, but returned to the company in 1951.  It was purchased by 10 Orleans citizens in 1972 and added to the National Register of Historic Places, displaying Atlantic undersea telegraphic cables, instruments, maps and memorabilia.  Their docents are always willing to tell stories about "the old war days" and I recognized some of the equipment from my dad's amateur ham radio days.  Ron says he was "just glad to see things older than him."  So, now we know, and there are so many more little historic gems on the Cape waiting for us to take the time to discover them. 

For the last two summers, we've noticed the direct correlation of the strength of the U.S. dollar to the number of overseas guests we host.  When the dollar is strong, we see mostly U.S. tourists.  Visitors this summer came mostly from California, Connecticut, Delaware, D.C., Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, but a few from Canada, France, Japan and Russia.