Went to the Pilgrim Monument and climbed it to the top. The monument commemorates the first landing of the Mayflower Pilgrims in Provincetown on November 21, 1620. It is the tallest all-granite structure in the US with a height of 252 feet 7 1/2 inches. There was a good view of the harbor.
We worked our way down the coast after we stopped in the Province Lands Visitor Center, which will be closing for the season next week. Drove over to the Highland Light (Cape Cod Light) along the National Seashore and took the sketching pads. Dave found a place where we could walk on the beach and that's what I did most of the time, picking up smooth rocks, while he was sketching. The water was cold but it was the ocean in October! There were a few seals frolicking off the coast and were fun to watch. There was one who had what looked like a fish in its mouth.
Found the Wicked Oyster restaurant in Wellfleet but it was closed for the season. That was pretty common for this time of year. We ended up finding Bookstore and Restaurant in Wellfleet and were able to get excellent oysters. We got 6 on the 1/2 shell with cocktail sauce on the side and we split an oyster Po'boy sandwich - fried oysters on a bun with lettuce. Delicious. We missed the Oyster Fest by about a week and a half.
Continued down the Cape to Nauset Lighthouse and beach. The beam from this light can be seen from twenty three miles at sea. In November 1996, the lighthouse was moved back 323 feet from the cliffs. It had been only 32 feet from the eroding edge. We spoke to some people who were present when they were moving it. As we were heading out we saw an information board that mentioned the "3 sisters" lighthouses. "The trio of lights provided a landmark for sailors making their way along Outer Cape from 1838 to 1911. Changing lighthouse technology and the steady erosion of the Nauset cliffs eventually forced the removal off the lights from their post. They were reunited here in 1989 - a rare surviving example of a triple lighthouse configuration."
Further down we visited Chatham lighthouse which is one of a pair of identical lighthouses, the other one was moved and is no the Nauset Beach Light. The beam from this light can be seen 28 miles at sea. There were lots of seals on a spit of land out in the harbor and they were difficult to see even with binoculars. The fog started rolling in so we decided to head toward Falmouth. Along the way we stopped for ice cream. As we drove through Harwich, we saw a sign for a scallop festival. Made it to Falmouth and drove down to Woods Hole where the National Oceanographic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is located. They have research facilities and the Atlantis - a research vessel.
We are staying at the Inn on the Square and went to The Quarterdeck for dinner and we each had 6 oysters on the 1/2 shell and I got a seafood platter with oysters, shrimp, scallops and fish. Dave had fried oysters. No room for dessert.
I have a feeling we will be visiting the Cape sometime in the future!
We will travel to Oxford, MA tomorrow to visit my brother and his family and then to see my sister and her family in Leominster, MA.
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