The remainder of our time in Cape Cod was spent searching for the area’s lighthouses and beaches. We left Hyannis and the Town of Barnstable (pronounced BAHN-STUBBLE) for a scenic drive through the neighborhoods of Yarmouth and Dennis where we found this tiny but pretty beach.
On our walk along the shore, Cole found several horseshoe crabs. What funny looking things they are! The walk was nice but at last we decided this beach was a little too small and crowded for us so we moved on.
Leaving Dennis and continuing east, we entered the region known as the Lower Cape. We passed through the quiet town of Harwich (pronounced HAR-RICH) and onto the upscale town of Chatham (pronounced CHATUM). If I could move to the Cape, Chatham is where I would want to live.
Chatham Light was originally built in 1828 and currently has a beacon visible 23 miles out to sea. The lighthouse is operated by the U.S. Coast Guard.
Across the street from Chatham Light is a nice view of Chatham Beach.
Chatham Beach was clearly a popular choice. There was no parking for miles around! Since we could only park for a limited time we enjoyed basking in the sun and feeling the hot white sand beneath our feet for as long as we could. Then we were off to our next destination – Nauset Beach in the town of Orleans.
Nauset Beach is distinctly Cape Cod with long wooden fences and an abundance of beach grass.
Here we found miles and miles of white sandy beach with hundreds of sand-castle builders, boogie boarders, and sunbathers. Even though the beach was still crowded, we found ample parking and a good spot on the sand to soak up the sun and enjoy the cool ocean breeze. Cole and I laid out and took a nice nap then headed to the beach side snack shack for some hot dogs and fries.
Not too far away from Orleans is Eastham where we found Nauset Light.
Down the street from Nauset Light is a trail leading to the Three Sisters Lighthouses.
In 1892 these three identical lighthouses stood where the Nauset Light currently stands. When they started to suffer from erosion in 1918 they were moved inland to their current location – nestled in the woods far away from the coastline. It was quite eerie seeing these three lighthouses in the middle of the woods.
We continued to make our way further down the Outer Cape towards the towns of Wellfleetand Truro. On the way we saw this beautiful windmill, several mini-golf courses, and picturesque harbours.
Cole’s new (dream) car:
In Truro we stopped at the Highland Golf Course and walked to the Cape Cod Highland Light. In 1797 George Washington authorized a station to be built here making it the first lighthouse on Cape Cod. In 1857 the original lighthouse had to be demolished and was rebuilt as the lighthouse that we see today. In 1990 the lighthouse had to be moved back 570 feet away from the dangerous eroding cliffs. We overheard the lighthouse keeper say that they predict it will be 100 years from now when they will have to move the lighthouse once more. Cape Cod Highland Light is the brightest lighthouse on the New England coast and sits 120 feet above sea level.
From this cliff we had a gorgeous view of the Atlantic Ocean! At this lookout point Cole and I watched a large group of whales out in the distance spouting water and slapping their tails. It was amazing! The sun started to set and we were due back in Boston later that night. We were all sad to leave this beautiful place. We had such a wonderful time together in Cape Cod and we hope to come back again soon!
