I knew there wasn't going to be much in Harwichport, so to make the trip down there worthwhile, I reserved a spot on the 90 minute Monomoy Island Excursion seal tour. I had no idea what to expect. I've always been intrigued by Monomoy Island, because you can't get there except by boat. And no one's allowed on there anyway because it's a wildlife and bird sanctuary.
We left from where the first red 'ramp' is pointed, Saquatucket Harbor, and sailed over to south Chatham and the top part of the island, above the word 'Monomoy'. Due to last winter's violent storms, this area has shifted and changed so much that it hasn't been re-charted. Sand was washed away to build new 'islands' and other islands are now under water.
Checked in, got my ticket and went down to the docks to wait. It was high tide.
2 fighter jets from Otis AFB flew overhead, which is unnerving ever since 9/11. However I do not believe there was a sinister reason for that day's flight.
That's the boat we took, a high speed catamaran. I was lucky enough to get a seat right up front in the bow.
Leaving the harbor.
Headed out into Nantucket Sound
North Monomoy Island.
This is a fish weir. The fisherman is one of only two in the entire state who is licensed to fish this way and that family has held that license for generations.
I'm still not entirely sure how it works, other than the nets under the water that round up the fish. Seems to me the whole set up would be difficult to repair after a storm.
This looks like it walked off a Winslow Homer painting. Not that he ever painted this lighthouse when he was on the Cape, but it still looked Homeresque to me.
At this point the boat was making so many twists and turns around sandbars just under the surface and beaches and channels that I got really confused as to what was part of Monomoy Island and what was still part of the southernmost beaches of Chatham. That's looking at the Atlantic, which we did cross into both going and coming and it was a wild ride on those waves.
That's definitely Monomoy.
I know that is the Chatham beach because there were people on it. You can walk there from town, over 2 miles on soft sand, or reach it by boat and/or kayak.
And to think we haven't even gotten to the seals yet!
It's been so long since I've been out on a boat that I had forgotten how it feels. There is that amazing sense of space all around you.
ReplyDeleteI love the photo of the home and the lighthouse - it would have made a wonderful painting.
Hope your weekend is a fantastic one. :)
Thank you! It was a great ride. I love being out on the water!!!!!
DeleteSo much life, above and below the the "high" water line. I am still trying to wrap my brain around the fact that many islands are under water.
ReplyDeleteTake care and have a nice weekend, JoJo.
Well I guess technically they are just big sand bars, not really islands. So they shift a lot. There's been a lot of erosion over the years.
DeleteSounds like you had a great time on your cruise!
ReplyDeleteOh it was da bomb!
DeleteDefinitely sounds great!! I love being out on the water and looks like a very interesting excursion!
ReplyDeleteMore to come! I'm so glad I took this trip. It was worth every penny, even if my hair did look like Einstein's when we got off the water! lol
DeleteWhat a picturesque place. Can't wait for the wildlife pictures.
ReplyDeleteI got some good ones so stay tuned! Those will post tomorrow and Wednesday.
DeleteGreat pix JoJo. We used to have problems like that in the Inland Waterway in NC every year the waters were different after the winter storms, not to mention hurricanes. Looking forward to the seals.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jo! It's getting worse out there too. Back in the 80s there was a bad storm and the outer beach that protects Chatham was breached. Since then it's been a constant problem with each worsening storm.
DeleteI would love to visit there it looks like something out of a book I've read.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the name of the book? I'm intrigued!!!
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