Summer At The Cape

Today is was 47 degrees, rainy, windy and COLD!  In fact, todays temperatures broke a record for lowest temperature on this date, in this area since 1906!  But, that did not hinder our efforts to visit local lighthouses.  It just limited the amount of time we spent at each one! Too cold and wet to linger for long.........

We drove to Chatham, MA to see the Chatham lighthouse.  If Cape Cod were a bent arm, Chatham would be the elbow.  Its shores hide some of the most dangerous waters in Cape Cod.  Half of the known wrecks on the entire Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts have occurred here, thus the lighthouse.  Originally, there were two lights so as not to be confused with the Highland Light at the tip of Cape Cod.  Eventually, in 1923, one of those lights was moved to Nauset. MA.  The Chatham Lighthouse is on the grounds of a Coast Guard Station, with a great view - on a clear day!

Chatham Lighthouse, Chatham, MA

 

 

Our second lighthouse today was the Nauset Beach Lighthouse.  This lighthouse was built in 1877, then dismantled and moved from Chatham, MA to its current location.  In November 1996, due to erosion of the cliff the light sat on, it was moved along with its companion oil house 336 feet from the cliffs edge.  The move only took two days.  At the time of the move, the tower stood a perilous 25 feet from falling off the cliff.

 

Nauset Beach Lighthouse, Nauset Beach, MA.

  

Next we viewed the Three Sisters Lighthouses, also located in Nauset Beach.  These lighthouses were set 150 feet apart in a straight line atop a bluff at Nauset Beach; prior to the Nauset Lighthouse.  The lighthouses are affectionately known as the "Three Sisters of Nauset".  The origin of the nickname is uncertain. The name Nauset came from a local native American tribe, and refers to a 15 mile stretch of Cape Cod.  In 1911, the towers were in danger of falling off a cliff.  They were reduced to one tower, with the two remaining towers being auctioned for $3.50.  The owner moved them to a nearby location and joined them together as a summer cottage called "The Towers".  They would later be used as a dance studio.  The remaining tower was moved back from the bluff, and attached to the keepers dwelling.  When the Twin Tower from Chatham was moved to Nauset, the remaining sister light was sold for $10 and made into a cottage.  In 1965, the National Parks Service purchased the two towers that were made into a single cottage.  In 1975, they purchased the third tower.  In 1983, the National Parks Service placed the "Three Sisters of Nauset" in a park setting 1800 feet east of the Nauset Light.  They were lined up in their original configuration and restored at a cost of $500,000.

 

 

Three Sisters Lighthouses

 

The Middle Sister Lighthouse is the only one with a lantern room remaining,



 

 

 

After visiting the "Sisters", we drove to the town of Truro, MA. to see the Cape Cod (Highland) Lighthouse.  It was pouring down rain, and we had to sit and wait for it to subside before we were able to get any pictures.  The town of Truros' former name was Dangerfield.  Even in calm weather, the currents and swells were treacherous.  Additionally, blindingly dense summer fog lasting until mid day, made navigation treacherous.  The lighthouse was built in 1796, and was Cape Cod's first lighthouse.  The lighthouse is currently located on a golf course overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. 

 

Cape Cod (Highland) Lighthouse

 





  

Our final lighthouse of the day was the Sandy Neck Lighthouse as seen from Barnstable Harbor, MA.  This lighthouse was visible from the opposite shore from where it is actually located.  We were surprised that we were able to see it as the weather was so bad.  This lighthouse became operational in 1826, marking the entrance to Barnstable Harbor, and warning of the sandbar it sat on.  The dark black lines seen on the lighthouse are steel reinforcement bands to keep the tower from cracking,

 

Sandy Neck Lighthouse

  

Between going from Cape Cod Light to Sandy Neck, we drove through Provincetown, MA. (Their motto is: "Like Nowhere Else")  The furthest most point on Cape Cod, Provincetown is known as the first landing place of the Mayflower pilgrims in 1620. It is a quaint atypical Cape Cod town with lots of character but no free parking!  Had the weather been more cooperative, we probably would have bit the bullet, paid the parking fee and walked around and visited some of the historical sites in the area.  There are three lighthouses located in the area, but the closest was an approximate 2.5 mile hike over the sand dunes and the furthest was 8 miles away.  Dune buggies and boats are available to rent, but the weather made that unwise.  For more information on Provincetown, go to www.provincetowntourismoffice.org

 

After leaving Provincetown, we headed to Barnstable, but since it was lunchtime, we found a restaurant called Moby Dick's which served all the good New England specialties (lobster, clams, shrimp,oysters, etc.) and stopped for lunch.  I had the clam platter and Jim had the shrimp platter and we shared a delicious blueberry crisp for dessert.  Needless to say, dinner tonight was light as we had such a heavy meal for lunch! 

 

Moby Dick's Restaurant

Clam Platter

 

Sweet (slightly spoiled) Grand-Dog "Lacy" - A great traveler!