CHATHAM, CAPE COD

Since our bike trip was to begin in Chatham, we left our motel in Orleans and decided to see their fishing fleet before heading over to explore the new town.

We found the location, but no boats.  However it was a beautiful morning so we spent a bit of time wandering around the shoreline and the dock and too shallow inlet.

We stopped at a beach for a short walk and found it filled with the remains of horse shoe crabs of all sizes.  I couldn't resist putting a few of the smaller one in the car to take home.

We next stopped at a marina outside of Chatham on a lovely protected bay, with a passage to the sea.
Even though it was late in the season and many boat were already shrink-wrapped and up on racks, there were still plenty at their moorings in the water.

We moved on to Chatham and spent some time at the Fish Pier, which advertised a lot of activities for the summer crowds.

The commercial fishermen were loading their lobster traps onto their boats in preparation for the next trip to the Atlantic Ocean.

And the Harbor Seals played around and under the docks, safe from the Great White Sharks no doubt lurking in the open water beyond.

There was a small separate island just off the coast that added extra protection for the boats.

Before moving on to the town to locate our hotel for the next few days and to meet our VBT guides
and fellow riders, we drove  to the Chatham Light, quite a tourist stop even this time of year.

From there we took a long walk on the beach, not the white sand that we are used to on Long Beach Island, NJ but nevertheless with impressive dunes separating it from the higher land.  Even those are obviously been eaten away by the ever encroaching water.

There was quite a large sandbar just off shore that channeled boats into a narrow path - that I am sure at low tide could be treacherous.

BIKING CAPE COD

Our first day of biking on Cape Cod (after a short ride the day before) was along the roads and bike path that follow the old Railroad Path, i.e. rails to trails. Since we got a late start ad were not as fast as the younger bikers I did not stop for photos, as much as I wanted.

That is except for this one time when the colors of the marsh beside the trail were irresistible.

We caught up with a lot of the group at the Salt Pond Visitor's Center  at Eastham, which had a short film (that we missed) and many displays and information about the ever changing Cape Cod National Seashore.

Before leaving I snapped this photo of Donna and Linda, new friends from North Carolina &
Rhode Island.

From there to went to see Nauset Light, no longer functioning, but immortalized on the Cape Cod Potato Chip bags.

Likewise, the "Three Sisters" no longer in service are on display a short distance from the beach.

The last stop before taking the van back to the Bradford Inn in Chatham was First Encounter Beach where history tells us the Pilgrims encountered the the first Native Indians on Dec 6th 1620. Though there was an exchange volley of bullets and arrows no one was hurt, but it prompted the Pilgrams to move on and set sail again, to land at Plymouth Harbor.
Before returning to Chatham there was a mandatory and wonderful stop at the "Sparrows Chocolate Shop" - a VERY SUCCESSFUL business and obviously an afternoon favorite of locals and visitors alike.

The next time we drove to Wood's Hole to board the ferry to Martha's Vineyard.  As we were leaving the dock I grabbed this shot of the water front.

It was very different than what awaited us on Martha's Vineyard where we landed.

BIKING MARTHA'S VINEYARD

Arriving on Martha's Vineyard at Vineyard Haven we met up with the van and our bikes.

Starting at Vineyard Haven we biked to Telegraph Hill to see the East Chop Lighthouse. It was built in 1869 by Captain Silas Daggett and other local seafarers, frustrated with their unsuccessful lobbies
to build a light there.  Congress ultimately approved purchase of the light in 1875 - and it was known as the "Chocolate Lighthouse" during the 100 years it was painted reddish-brown.

We went on to Oak Bluffs to see see the famed Gingerbread Cottages - listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

After lunch we took the van to our hotel, the Harbor View Haven and Resort at Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard first colonial settlement and county seat since 1642.  The stately, white Greek Revival colonial houses built by the whaling captains have been carefully maintained.  For the past 100 years, Edgartown has been one of the world's great yachting centers.

The following day, cycling the lovely bike paths, we passed this

pretty lake with swans. (photo by Connie).

We stopped for a view of the ocean on our way to the spectacular Aquinnah cliffs, part of the Wampanoag reservation land. These dramatically striated walls of red clay are the island's main attraction.  (unfortunately I lost those pictures!)

The Aquinna Lighthouse, or Gay Head Light (Connie's photo) is perched at the top of the cliffs and is a working beacon that send an alternating white and red light in the night.

The historic fishing village of Menemsha, is home to families who have been in the fishing industry for generations.  It is also the town that Hollywood used in the movie Jaws.

There we enjoyed a delicious lobster roll for lunch at the Menemsha Fist Market, and had time to wander around the waterfront.  (Above photos are all provided by Connie Mccallum)

A stop at the Morning Glory Farm was the perfect opportunity for a group photo.

THE LAST OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD

I did not bike the next day, rain was predicted.  The weatherman and I were both wrong.  But riding the van gave me the opportunity of retaking some of the photos I had lost.

We caught up with the bikers at the West Chop Lighthouse built in 1817 and run by the Coast Guard.

Some of the bikers were taking a rest and enjoying the view.

I snapped this picture as they were starting off down the hill - and I wished I was with them.

But I had the time to appreciate the wind swept trees in front of the home across the street.

We next caught up with some of the group at the Chilmark Pottery in West Tisbury, a town that was officially incorporated in1892, the last town to do so.
so on Marth's Vineyard.  The Pottery was an active place where you could see a wide variety of hand
made pots, dishes, vases, etc. and observe the
owner throwing clay on his wheel

At the Martha's Vineyard Glassworks we were treated to a glass blowing demonstration, a beautiful
vase in this case that turned a lovely blue as it cooled.

I was fascinated by the display of glass pumpkins, a specialty for the season, and proceeded to buy one. It looks lovely on our dining room table for the Thanksgiving Holidays.

We stopped for lunch at the "7a" in West Tisbury, a small shop exuding the aroma of fresh baked pastries where one could purchase huge delicious sandwiches to share.

 Next door was Alley's General Store.  It  contained the most incredible array of  "stuff" I have
ever seen under one roof -

And it doubled as a post office with these boxes you can now see in antique stores.

Across the street at the town hall/library was the rest room which displayed the sign showing its special type of recycling.

The last stop of the day before retuning to our hotel for the farewell dinner was the Granery Gallery,
to allow me to re-take a couple of the pictures I had lost the night before.  I loved this fence made to resemble a cow.

And this 2 piece statue in the yard, one of many, took my eye.

The next and last day, before heading to the ferry we took a short bike ride to Katama Beach, a 3 mile stretch of barrier beach on one side and a protected salt pond on the other.  It reminded me of Surf City, NJ when I was a child.

Returning to Vineyard Haven for lunch at the Black Dog Tavern, we had the opportunity to see our Ferry arrive to return us to Cape Cod, the start of our way home.

SUMMER ON LONG BEACH ISLAND

Where has the summer gone?? Here it is November and we have had a beautiful, cool summer here in New Jersey - busy as usual, and I find I have taken very few photos. I just realized that my last post was our trip up Pikes Peak in Colorado, before we returned to our shore home. So here I am with a few memories of the past few months here in Surf City - as we here the wind howling outside with the first signs of the coming winter.

Thought there were many beautiful day this summer, my camera comes out most often when the storms are around and the ocean is most interesting.  A strong land breeze always makes nice waves.

Sitting on the dock at the end of our street on summer day waiting for the Laser sailboat race to get within range of my camera lens I was joined by a pair Laughing Gulls.  They have always been a favorite summer visitor of mine - except when they land in our yard to steal the cat food I put out.

I captures these 3 across the bay heading towards the next marker.

Having heard that the Humpback Whales were starting the annual migration south along the Jersey Coast I got up early several morning to sit on the beach at the end of our street with my camera - hoping to capture a shot of a mother and her calf.  The clouds were pretty -

The sunrise spectacular, but the water rough and IF there were any whales out there they were too hard to spot.

However I took the picture of a sailboat heading south on the distant horizon with a much closer gull
flying overhead.

Another calmer morning I sat and watched the waves roll onto shore, and the pelicans skim the surface as the color in the sky brightened - but again saw no whale spouts.

As luck would have it the very next day a humpback breached right off of the end of our street, but I wasn't there to see or record it.  - Maybe next year!

Walking the beach one day we spotted a pair of Long Billed Curlew, and I snapped this one before it flew away,

And of course the Herring Gulls, full time residents are always there, enjoying the shallow pools at low tide.

As the Kite Surfers and Kayakers enjoy the wind and waves.