Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Park Rangers Lead all Kinds of Activities in Provincetown


The CapeCod National Seashore Sponsors many events and activities led by the Park Rangers every week in the summertime. You could take a dune walk, learn to snorkel, look for seals hauled out on a remote beach, go kayaking, explore the tidal flats, or enjoy any number of other great activities. On Tuesday nights at the Salt Pond Visitor Center in Eastham, the Rangers give talks on many topics including marine wildlife, birds of prey, local characters and many more subjects. They are often joined by storytellers, musicians and many others.
Coming up on Tuesday, JULY 31st, a program entitled "OR WOULD YOU RATHER BE A FISH?" promises an evening of family fun complete with song, dance, and audience participation. Join minstrel storyteller Mary Jo Maichack for this program of folklore and songs of the sea. All programs begin at 7 PM but space is limited and doors open at 6:30, so you want to go a little early. Programs typically run about an hour. Free parking is readily available, but the Flex Bus stops at the visitor center on the hour till 8 PM and heads back toward PTown at forty-five minutes past the hour till 9:45 PM, so you may be able to leave the car behind. Call the Salt Pond Visitor Center at 508-255-3421 to see how late they will stay open after the program.

Here are just a few of the activities available in Provincetown:

WALK: NIGHT PATROL AT OLD HARBOR - 1 1⁄2 hours, 1⁄4 mile. Free. The heroic surfmen of the U.S. Lifesaving Service were always ready for a rescue, especially at night. Experience the station and the beach at night as if it were the early 1900s. Hear stories about shipwrecks and those who inhabited the station. Meet at Old Harbor Life-Saving Station, Race Point Beach. Saturdays at 7:30 PM.

WALK: TIDAL FLATS FORAY - 1 1⁄2 hours, 1⁄2 mile. Free. Get your feet wet as you explore the abundance and diversity of life in an intertidal zone in Provincetown. Mondays and Wednesdays in July, times vary.

CANOE ADVENTURE: LONG POINT - up to 3 hours, 3 miles. Fee required. Paddle across Provincetown Harbor to explore marsh, tidal flats, and dunes. Learn about the interesting history of Long Point. If conditions permit, swimming and snorkeling may be possible. Fridays at varying times. call Province Lands Visitor Center, 508-487-1256 for more information.

ACTIVITY: SEAL PUP STORIES - 1⁄2 hour. Free. Where are seals born, and what do they need while growing up? Join a naturalist for an indoor program about seals, including short activities and a story, geared toward ages 3 to 8. Parents must remain with children. Meet at Province Lands Visitor Center, Thursdays at 4 PM.

HIKE: ART IN THE DUNES - 3 hours, 2 1⁄2 to 3 miles in loose sand. Free. On this long hike into the Province Lands dunes, view firsthand the quality of light, natural environment, and isolation that have long attracted artists and writers to Provincetown. Meet an artist-in-residence at a dune shack. Reservation required. Tuesdays at 4 PM.

CAMPFIRE: HERRING COVE BEACH - 1 hour. Free. Enjoy sunset on the beach and an evening of folklore and games around the campfire. At some programs, campfires will include sing-along programs sponsored by Friends of the Cape Cod National Seashore, with special guests Denya LeVine, Randy Patterson and Tim Dickey. Bring a beach chair or towel to sit on. Meet the rangers at the end of the right-hand parking area at Herring Cove Beach, Provincetown. * Accessible with assistance if Province Lands Visitor Center is notified in advance, 508-487-1256. Fridays at 7:30 PM in July, at 7 PM in August.


Here is one of my favorites of all the programs and activities sponsored by CCNS:
HISTORICAL REENACTMENT: BEACH APPARATUS DRILL - 1 hour. Fee required. Listen for the keeper’s command, “Open the boat room doors!” and return to the days of shipwrecks and lifesaving along Cape Cod. Watch uniformed surfmen fire a line from a cannon to a “ship” in distress and haul the “victim” to shore. This is our 33rd year re-enacting this 1902 rescue drill. This event takes place at the Old Harbor Life-Saving Station, Race Point Beach. $5 for adults; $2 for seniors over 62 and children 7 to 17; children 6 and under are free. Thursday evenings at 6 PM


Click this link for a list of CCNS Ranger-Led Activities and scroll down to the Provincetown section. Truro, just south of Provincetown, also has a number of interesting programs listed in their slot on this same schedule. For more info or for reservations phone the Province Lands Visitor Center at 508-487-1256.

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