Bell Road & Aptucxet Trading Post Mural

I couldn't resist stopping on Bell Road to take pics of the RR bridge from that side.  It was such a pretty fall day.

I'd soooo hoped for a train but alas....nothing.

The Army Corp of Engineers operates the Canal.

Mass Maritime across the way.

I remembered that a new mural was painted under the railroad tracks near Aptucxet Trading Post.  I will have to return when the light is better.

Osprey (aka Seahawk)

There are minks that live in the rip rap.  They keep the rodent population down.

I had to look this up when I got home cause I didn't know what a 'Lagoda' was.  It's the name of Bourne's ship.

HERE is some information about the Lagoda.  I've seen the scaled down version at the Whaling Museum but I didn't take any notice of the name at the time, or the significance and history.

Seriously, This Never Gets Old....

We had a gorgeous day before the temps plummeted again, so we took advantage of it by getting some ice cream and going down to the Canal.  Our timing was impeccable.  We got to the Service Road to take a walk near the RR Bridge when the horn sounded and bridge began to lower.  

Takes about a minute or two to lower into position so I shot this lobster trap on the riprap.  

I got a strawberry frappe.  It was yummy.  And btw, it's pronounced FRAP.  Not 'frappay'!

Oh boy here it comes!!!!!

That was so worth it!  Then we took a very short walk down the road.

Cruise Ship Balmoral

Every now and then, a really large ship will utilize the Canal.  Usually I only get to see the same barges and commercial/industrial type vessels.  There was one night I was taking Russell to his truck when we saw the top of a massive ship towering over the buildings along Main Street.  We were unable to get down there in time to see what it was....it would have been gone by the time we stopped at all the lights and signs and turned into the park.

Last week, I happened to see a post on the Bourne Facebook page that a 750' cruise ship would be making it's way through the Canal, from Sagamore down to my end, that evening.  Russell and I jumped in the car and headed down to wait.  What can I say?  Small town excitement.  

I shot this while we waited.  That's the moon on the left.  Not bad for hand held and being pitch dark but for the moon and bridge lights.

Moon reflection on the water.

We waited around 20 minutes and finally saw it slooooowly making it's way towards us.  Yes, that's a fisherman in the foreground....the stripers have been biting and night fishing is very popular here.

The Balmoral started its voyage from Southampton, England and had already visiting Nova Scotia, Boston and Salem.  It was on its way to Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard, the down the east coast to the Caribbean before returned home to England.  It's a 35 day cruise.

We could see lots of people lined up on the balconies, waving to us and whooping, and we all waved back too.

Safe travels, Balmoral!

Bourne Historical Society Fall Harvest Train, Part 1

Back in Sept., Sheila asked me if I'd be interested in going on the Harvest Train on October 18.  It was going to go from BBay to N. Falmouth and back.  Hells yeah I'll go!!!!!  The opportunity to actually be on the railroad bridge?  Yes please!  

The weekend before our trip, we had just a deluge of rain.  2 days before our trip we had another deluge. But the 18th dawned warm and clear!  We walked downtown from my house.  

Here it comes!  The Bourne Historical Society chartered the train for the day from Cape Cod Central Railroad.

Our tickets were for the Cape Codder car; we had opted for the first class tickets.  The non-first class tickets were for seats in double decker cars.  

Shot this from my window!  OMG! So cool we are gonna cross it!

Out over the Canal on the bridge.  This was so freakin awesome!!!!  I have now been under and over all three bridges ("under" being by way of the Canal Cruise we took a couple of summers ago).

West entrance.  Mass Maritime on the right.

Looking down

There were some scarecrows set up along the way but they were hard to shoot b/c we were moving along a little too fast to get good pictures of all of them.

This conductor guy came around to get our raffle entry ticket stubs.  That's some mustache!

The scenery was awesome and there were members of the BHS that provided historical narration.

It hadn't occurred to me that we were going to travel along the route that I take to Mashnee, Pocasset, my secret beach combing spot, etc.  I should've realized it, because I see and cross the tracks when I drive it, but I didn't.  

I wasn't expecting to see so many people out, waving to the train as it went by.  

Monument Beach

Every once in awhile I'd get up to take a picture out of the window on the other side of the train.

Back on my side.

Stay tuned for part 2, on November 2, as the next post will be for Halloween!!