Scenes From Outer Cape Cod

Carol and I spent several enjoyable days on Outer Cape Cod visiting with my sister and brother and their spouses. On the first full day I went on a birding walk at Massachusetts Audubon's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary with my brother, Drew and his wife, Kate. Per usual, we went out on the Goose Pond Trail, which has a good variety of habitats.

Goose Pond, before the tide came in. Here we had great looks at several Whimbrels.

We took the boardwalk out to the edge of Wellfleet Harbor, where we saw (and heard!) this gathering of Laughing Gulls.

Looking across the harbor to Great Island and Great Beach Hill - one of the best hikes on the Cape.

The tide soon came in and the boardwalk was quickly submerged.

Fiddler crab at work.

 

I made a quick loop around the wooded knob of Try Island

Marsh view from the Try Island Trail.

The island supports an unusual stand of oak and hickory.

Where we are headed down the road.

 

 

Tide surging into Goose Pond. Our birding tally for the morning was 20 species.

Cape Cod Rail Trail, an extremely popular biking and walking route.

On a spectacular sunny day the four of us headed up to Provincetown for some exploration outside and within the town. Our first stop was the Province Lands Visitor Center on the Cape Cod National Seashore, where there is a great view over the dunes of the Province Lands.

A closer look. The day was so clear that with binoculars we could spot several buildings on the Boston skyline.

A birding stop at Race Point Beach.

The we headed into the center of P'town. The place was hopping, so much that we had to resort to a backup parking location. A walk down Commercial Street is always fun.

 

Many small specialty shops line MacMillan Pier.

Under Carol's guidance, we did several informative geocaching "Adventure Labs," one of which led us to this chapter of Provincetown's history.

Lotsa boats.

 

A colorful storefront.

Cannery Wharf Park, which represents another chapter of P'town's history.

On our way out of town, Carol and I stopped at the Beech Forest Trail in the CCNS.

 

The smooth, sandy path was a welcome change from the rocks 'n roots in the White Mountains. Partway up the east side of the trail, we had to turn back due to a huge wasp nest hanging over the footway. (Forgot to get a photo of it.)

We returned to the trailhead and I took a quick jaunt up the west side of the trail, passing this view of well-named Blackwater Pond.

An inviting corridor through pitch pines.

 

The beech forest for which the trail is named.

Log steps ascend to the crest of a low ridge - elevation gain on the Cape!

On the way back I followed a side path out to the edge of the scrubby dunes - an area I would like to explore on a future visit to the Cape.