Dozens of Whales Visit PTown Shores

Spouts from these whales disappeared quickly on this breezy PTown afternoon.

Where are all these whales coming from?
This spouting whale, remarkably close to the coast at half-tide, was among a pod of seven or eight found quite close to the shoreline along Race Point Beach a couple of days ago.
Whales were spotted from the overlook at the Province Lands Visitor Center, with its stunning view out over Race Point Beach, when the Provincetown Trolley Tour stopped there to talk about marine wildlife, rum runners and the old shipwreck days.
When their tour guide on this trip spotted a whale spouting in the distance, it turned into a bonus whale watch for the Trolley's passengers, who watched excitedly as some six to eight whales, continuously spouting, ventured sometimes within 50 yards of the shoreline. A few fins and flukes were spotted, but most often seen on this day was the spouting, as several whales repeatedly surfaced for a breath of air.
For nearly three weeks whales have frequently put on a show in Provincetown waters, on almost a daily basis, spouting off both Herring Cove and Race Point beaches. They've been seen on several days, anywhere between 11 AM and 4 PM, to the delight of folks enjoying a day at the beach. On one particular day, passengers got to see whales spouting on nearly every tour of the Provincetown Trolley. On this glorious day, with superb visibility, it was hard to tell just how many whales were moving back and forth along the length of the beach, spouting one after another.

Beach Forest Trails Snowed Under

It's a rare winter in Provincetown when there aren't any bicycle tracks on snowy
trails. With several feet of snow in Beech Forest, this winter has been that rare one.

This photo was taken on the bike trail, the branch that runs from Beech Forest to the Province Lands Visitor Center, early Sunday morning.
As we've had a little warmer weather this week, what with temperatures finally above freezing most days, and lows at least in the mid-twenties, the snow pack in the Cape Cod National Seashore, and the endless drifts and mounds found all around Provincetown, slowly begin to melt away. Don't hold your breath, though. The amount of snow we've had, and the tremendous banks and heaps of this unique winter, will likely take a very long time to disappear.

Bird-watching in Beech Forest

One of Beech Forest's cardinals among husks of seeds thrown by hikers.

There are at least a couple of pairs of cardinals in Beech Forest, along with jays, doves and a number of others whiling away this
very cold, snowy winter in the woods along the edges of Provincetown.
The park rangers have removed the map box that used to hold trail guides at the beginning of the boardwalk next to Blackwater Pond. People would pour seed onto the lid of the box year-round to feed the birds that had grown accustomed to dining at this easy source of food stocked several times a day by hikers as they set out on their walk around the pond.

Chickadee cracking seeds piled here by well-meaning bird lovers.

With the best of intentions, and in the absence of the map box that used to serve as a bird feeder here, people deposit handfuls of seeds in the crotch of this tree, or simply scatter birdseed on the ground.
This has now become a spot where you can routinely find a fox or two hanging around nearly any night of the week. I seldom visit this spot after dark without finding a fox lurking here.
The debate about whether we should feed the wildlife or not, for their own good, goes on, but meanwhile, you can spot a variety of lovely birds all around Provoncetown, whether or not you bring them something to eat.

Warm Weather for the Holidays Brought Lots of Folks to Herring Cove Beach

Peering over the asphalt embankment along Herring Cove,
I found many on the beach for a bit of recreation this day.

The warmest holiday season in recent memory brought visitors and Townies in great numbers to PTown beaches. Herring Cove seemed quite busy despite a persistent breeze on those unusually warm, sunny days between Christmas, New Year's, and the following weekend.
The temperature on the day after Christmas was in the mid-forties, with a fairly constant westerly breeze occasionally gusting to about 20 miles an hour. So the feeling was a bit brisk, but not daunting. That day was so lovely that there was a steady stream of people coming out to the beach all afternoon, enjoying this rare, warm, glorious weather.
In this photo some folks are simply strolling the northern end of Herring Cove, some are taking photos, some are climbing the tiny hillocks that ring the shoreline, while others are actively looking for treasures washed up onto the beach by that day's considerable surf and swash.
My personal favorites this day are right in the center of this photo: the terrier in mid air, jumping for the Frisbee, as his companion prepares, yet again, to fling it down the beach.

An Afternoon at Captain Jack's Wharf

An artist paints the scene at Captain Jack's Wharf as kayakers prepare
for the launch into Provincetown Harbor from this popular Town Landing. 

Town Landings are found all along PTown's Commercial Street, providing public access to the beach on the edge of Provincetown Harbor. This spot is among the most popular of them all, at Captain Jack's Wharf in the West End of town.
Folks are often found here sunbathing or swimming on a summer's day, or picnicking at the edge of the water, or launching a kayak or raft and paddling out to Long Point. The kayaks of all the nearby neighbors are piled against the hedge, and on this day I found a couple of men dragging their little craft out of the heap and loading their gear into the hull, getting ready for an afternoon getaway into the harbor.
Meanwhile, a woman is painting one of PTown's most famous waterfront scenes. For years artists and photographers have been capturing a bit of the history of our early fishing fleet as well as that of one of our most illustrious summer visitors, who turned out to be one of the nations most well-known writers.
This little string of old fishing shacks and trap sheds has been a popular accommodation for visitors for years, operating these days as small condominiums rented out over the summer. One of these shacks was also rented long ago to Tennesse Williams, who spent many of the summers of the 1940s in Provincetown.
Although many disagree on exactly which of Williams' plays might have been written at various spots he occupied over those summers, we know that several parts of The Glass Menagerie, one of his best-known plays, were written, rewritten, and re-rewritten over a few of those summers, and many say that the play was finally finished during the summer he spent at Captain Jack's Wharf.

Couples Day on the Breakwater?

Provincetown's breakwater offers couples a romantic stroll across
the west end of this spectacular harbor, and perhaps a picnic along the way.

On one of these glorious spring days we've had recently (although the date on the calendar insists that it's now summer) it almost looked like couples day out on the west end breakwater.
With calm waters near high tide, and the charm of the Wood End Light in the distance, the stroll out onto the granite breakwater can have a certain romance to it, especially for those who are taking in this breathtaking sight for the first time. On this particular afternoon, everyone I could spot out on the breakwater was paired up in a couple of one sort or another, and that gave me a smile.

PTown Snow Brought Dramatic Photo Ops

A crusty blanket of snow made for tough walking on the Breakwater in Provincetown's Far West End,
but gave us a great photo opportunity while this bit of nature's frozen art work refused to melt. 

While having snow two or three times a week along with bitter cold is definitely an ordeal in many ways, it turns out there were also a few rewards waiting for those who ventured out during these recent trying times. Photographers call it "golden hour"… that time early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the sun is near the horizon, giving a pinkish sort of golden glow to anything in its path.
I happened onto great luck one day in the Far West End when I visited the breakwater on a rare afternoon out of the house and into the bitter cold that afflicted so much of the east coast for a good bit of the month of February. For three weeks or so Provincetown had been having snow storms big and small at least two or three times a week, with both high and low temperatures in the teens and twenties most days. Each time it got warm or sunny enough for the snow to begin to thaw a bit, we plunged back into frigid days and nights, refreezing snow that had begun to soften.
On this particular day the temperature rose a few degrees and I was able to summon the spirit to wedge myself out the door when the winds of 30 miles per hour slowed just a bit.
I made it to the breakwater just in time to shoot this photo before the light changed, just a few minutes later.

Spot More Species of PTown Wildlife

This little box turtle blends into the colors of the forest floor around it.

This week's wildlife pic is a box turtle I found walking through Beech Forest, headed through the trees toward the hill that it would have to climb to reach Black Water Pond, which seemed to be where it might have been set out for. The pattern on its shell and its coloring helped it to blend in with the colors of the forest floor, covered with bits of leaves, dried grasses, twigs and fallen pine needles.
Have you ever noticed how good the cover of the wildlife around us really is? Whether I'm hiking in Foss Woods, walking out in the dunes or near the beaches, or even driving through Beech Forest, I just sort of keep my eyes moving back and forth for anything else that's moving, because the camouflage on some of these animals is so good that you can be looking right at them and still not see them unless they are moving. I spot a lot of flora that way, just by watching for anything that moves.
Try it the next time you're out on the bike trails, or walking on the Old Colony Nature Pathway, or strolling on Duncan Lane. Watch for something moving around you or in the distance, and stop once in a while and stay still for a few moments, maybe sit on a fallen log or an aging fence rail for a bit, keeping your eyes moving. These and so many other areas in Provincetown are simply teeming with wildlife, and you'll see more of it if you just have a little patience, and a bit of luck, and look sharply for anything that moves.

Heron Today, Gone Tomorrow?

Herons and other crane-like birds are frequent sightings in the wetlands.

Despite reaching an overnight low temperature of 32 degrees the other night, Provincetown's miraculous autumn weather has rallied again, giving us the chance to continue hikes, bike rides and nature walks in shirtsleeves.
This great blue heron was spotted in the pond along Province Lands Road. These herons seem to be here in larger numbers this year, often being found near this little lagoon, or in the rivulets of water that wind through the marsh near the breakwater. Time spent in these spots is likely to be rewarded with sightings of these stately birds and others, and this weather makes the walk a real pleasure.
It seems like I write something every week recently urging you to get out and enjoy this amazing autumn season before the cold weather sets in, but seriously, how much longer can this perfect weather last?

Brilliant Autumn Leaves Surround PTown

Autumn colors are found in every corner of Provincetown.

Scrub oaks in the dunes are turning rusty shades of red and gold, sugar maples on side streets are rosy shades of vermillion, and Virginia creeper takes on deep scarlet hues all around Provincetown. Take a stroll on the Beech Forest branch of the bike trail and see dozens of yellow and ochre shades among the green.
A walk nearly anywhere in Provincetown this autumn shows us especially bright colors this year, partly because we've had rather sparse rainfall over the last many weeks. The drier the weather at this time of the year, the more brilliant the changing colors of the foliage all around us appear. The leaves are gradually beginning to drop from the trees, so get out for a walk and enjoy this show of splendid fall colors before they disappear.

Gather Ye Mushrooms While Ye May

Persistence pays off in the search for mushrooms.

It took the better part of the day, but this gentleman and his family (his wife and their two children) finally were able to gather enough wild mushrooms to nearly fill their bucket. They drove to Provincetown on their annual mushroom pilgrimage and went wandering in the little hillsides surrounding Province Lands Road, out near the visitor center, where the land isn't exactly forest and not exactly dunes either, but rather a verdant combination of small, sandy hills and little pockets of pitch pines and scrub oaks, with the occasional fox or coyote thrown in for local color.
These folks rambled over dozens of scenic acres, peeking beneath shrubs and around tree trunks for the elusive edible mushrooms that are scattered all too sparsely through these little hummocks this year. The dearth of rainfall this spring may have something to do with this year's scarcity of the fungus that brings carloads of visitors to this part of the Cape Cod National Seashore each autumn for a peaceful walk among the changing colors of the season while they forage for these delicious morsels.
My favorite Provincetown chef told me he hunted for two hours the other day and found just two mushrooms, and he remarked that the cranberries looked to be about three weeks behind schedule, too, with none quite ready to pick that day. We've had rainfall this year far below the amount we receive in the average year. This spring we got very little, and we stand at less than 10% of the average rainfall over the past month, which may have something to do with the lack of mushrooms this season, and the slower growth of the cranberries. But I've also met a few folks who have filled their mushroom baskets and buckets to the brim, with persistence paying off during a longer walk.
If you know your mushrooms and are confident in your ability to recognize the edible varieties, by all means, get out for a little hike and find the tasty few that await you. Just remember to be careful not to walk on any of the plant life as you wander. Some of these plants and grasses are extremely fragile. And remember to cut your mushrooms off at the base of the stem rather than plucking them out of the ground so that they can continue to sprout more mushrooms for others to find later. If you don't know very much about wild mushrooms, get out and enjoy the stroll anyway, but simply admire the lovely mushrooms you might discover and just walk on by. We want you to live to take another walk amongst the mushrooms another day.

Wildlife Sightings Galore Around PTown

There's an abundance of fox, turkey, heron and other wildlife
this autumn in Provincetown.

Looks like this little fox has a meadow vole (think gray and fuzzy and a bit bigger than a mouse) for an appetizer on this particular afternoon. He's been seen a lot near the Province Lands Visitor Center over the last couple of weeks, usually late in the afternoon when travelers and their dogs have left the area to get to the beach for the sunset. He's sometimes spotted making his rounds around the edges of the parking lot where people have been walking their dogs over the course of the day. He re-marks his territory where the dogs have been, just to make sure everybody knows who's boss around here.
I saw an American gold finch yesterday, a little late in the season for them to still be around. And the herons are here in pretty good numbers this year, by all appearances, seen most often in the marshy wetlands of the Far West End or in the little pond across the road from "the bike rack" where the boys all pile their bikes on the fence on a bright summer day. These stately birds are most often seen standing knee-deep in the water around half-tide, waiting for a little fish or a frog to swim by and become part of their lunch. Turkeys have been seen this week on the edge of route 6 feeding in the grasses anywhere between Shank Painter Road and Snail Road.
Take a moment to enjoy the wildlife that is part of the natural world that makes Provincetown such a unique environment.

PTown Indian Summer

Most folks on Provincetown's breakwater this afternoon are fishing as kayakers revel in Indian summer weather.

OK, true "Indian summer" weather usually means the return of summer weather after a killing frost, and we haven't had one of those yet, but I'm going to count it, especially after the overnight low temperature was a chilling 39 degrees two nights in a row last week. I don't know a better way to describe these absolutely gorgeous days we've been having. Get out and enjoy this beautiful weather today, because this may be the last of it, with a pretty good chance of rain tomorrow and daily highs dipping down into the 60s next week. That'll make it more like fishing weather than kayaking weather, but still lovely for hiking, biking and many of the outdoor activities that make Provincetown such a remarkable spot.

Pick Your Own Beach Plums

 For the last week or two people have been wandering the edges of the dunes carrying bags and baskets, picking beach plums as they find them ripe and ready to eat, leaving behind fruit that is not yet at its peak.
In a few more days, when those little plums are finally ripe, someone else coming along will pick them.

These little one-inch plums are delicious on their own, and they also make a great jam or jelly.
You might also find them at the farmer's market near Town Hall on Saturdays. Birdsong Farm in Dennis grows them, and there may be others nearby as well. Beach plums are becoming a popular addition to the orchards of small farms. They thrive in the poorest of soils, surviving drought and the harshest winter weather.

This woman was gathering beach plums near the Provincelands Visitor Center last week. Generally, picking anything in a national park is prohibited, but when the Town of Provincetown turned over roughly 4,000 acres of land, sand dunes, ponds and wildlife to the National Park Service in the 1960s, we insisted on continued traditional uses of the land. One of those uses was berry picking. So at the right time of year blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, beach plums and  others can be gathered on these national park lands. I've never run across the strawberries, myself, but two friends have each found them, and I've tasted all but those elusive strawberries.
In a couple of spots in the dunes you can even find high bush blueberries, growing on what amounts to a scraggly sort of tree about eight feet tall. Delicious! Just make sure you know what you're picking. There are a lot of blue berries in the forests and the dunes, but they aren't all blueberries. If you're not sure about what might be edible, just admire the lovely plant and walk on by. Not all the berries and fruits you'll find are safe to eat. And for mushrooms, you'll want to go with someone who has really studied the varieties you'll find out in the park. Many are poisonous.
The beach plums are pretty easy to identify. Nothing else out there looks quite the same. If you go out in search of beach plums this week remember to be kind to the land and to your fellow humans. Make sure you don't trample any plants or ground cover as you walk through the forests or dunes, and don't snatch up every bit of fruit you come across. Food gathering etiquette demands that we each pick just enough for our own use, and maybe a few to share with friends, but leave enough for other folks to do the same.

The New York Times Called Him "The Johnny Appleseed of Environmental Art"

Roy Staab's work can be found near the breakwater in the West End, while it lasts.

A number of years ago I was strolling in the West End, and as I walked a little closer to the breakwater I saw that someone had stabbed long reeds into the tidal flats and then woven more reeds between them, forming a sort of free-standing sculpture of geometric shapes that seemed to float in the air a foot above the water. I watched as the tides rolled in and out over the next few days, variously exposing and then hiding this amazing creation as the water level rose above, and then dropped below, half-tide. After several days this sculpture began to break up a bit with each new tide, and eventually it disappeared altogether. A couple of years later another amazing sculpture appeared in this same spot and then slowly disintegrated with the tides, and over the years I have seen several of them, each one a different design.

For years i've been wondering who was coming into town and creating this amazing art in the open, at the edge of the wetlands. A few days ago I happened onto another one, freshly completed, and finally met environmental artist Roy Staab. He has traveled the world creating this large, open-air, public art in tidal flats, river basins and marshlands from one edge of the world to the other, using natural materials he finds and gathers in each area he chooses for the creation of his art.

Timing is important in seeing Roy's work at its most dynamic. Optimum enjoyment of his amazing sculptures can be had when the water level is low, but not all the way out at low tide. Having a little water covering the base of the vertical reeds, especially when the water is still, along with the sun being out, gives the best conditions for enjoying the work as the reflection of the shapes rests on calm waters. I was having trouble getting all these factors working together in the short time I have available for myself in the summer months, and I wanted to share this treasure with my readers, so Roy was kind enough to send me the photo above. The rosy, golden color on the loops of the horizontal reeds seem to be the deep colors you will only find when the sun is very close to the earth, near the time of sunrise or sunset.

Roy Staab at work on one of his giant reed sculptures.

Once I knew his name, I could look up Roy Staab's website, and there I found the image above in the form of a You Tube video of this still image with Will Walkers article from the 2012 Provincetown Arts magazine scrolling over the screen to a somewhat haunting bit of music. Here's a link to this Meandering Moment.
Roy created a sculpture in the Pamet while he was here as well. He left yesterday for Saunders Farm in Garrison, New York, where he'll be creating a work for the local Collaborative Concepts group. Roy says "Life is special and always fleeting and my art is as well." Visit the West End as soon as you can and reflect on this splendid, timeless bit of environmental art. It may not last much longer.

Learn More About Provincetown's Remarkable Natural World

Learn about the tidal flats surrounding the West End breakwater.

Outdoor activities (like walking out on the breakwater in the West End) can lead us to discover a number of plaques that can give us insight and all kinds of information about the area around us. The Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies and the National Park Service have each provided a number of these educational displays throughout Provincetown and the surrounding area, and these can can give visitors a look into a great many things that are easily spotted on the surface, as well as the unseen workings of the natural world around us.
When the tide goes out, acres of sand are exposed on either side of the breakwater. Twice a day, as the water recedes, the tidal flats become visible, attracting many people who will go out exploring, walking between tidal pools looking for shells and other treasures. These beachcombers will come across birds, mollusks, hermit crabs and many other creatures they they may know little about.
This plaque, found near the head of the breakwater in the Far West End of Provincetown, teaches us about several species of shore birds commonly seen on the tidal flats, as well as other animal life that can be found here at low tide, and also about microscopic life in the sand and the water, keeping this fragile ecosystem healthy. Read these plaques as you find them along the shoreline, at the Provincelands Visitor Center, and at the head of MacMillan Pier, and learn more about the workings of the amazing natural world in this beautiful jewel we call Provincetown.
We are grateful to the Provincetown Inn for restoring this plaque after many seasons of exposure to the elements had damaged it beyond readability. Now we can once again learn about the incredible variety of creatures inhabiting the area, in the sky, in the water, on the sand, and even below the surface of these remarkable tidal flats.

Beat the Heat of Warm Days Ahead with a Cooling Splash in Provincetown Harbor

Folks cool off at the West Vine Town Landing, next to Captain Jack's Wharf.

With this year's warmer-than-usual temperatures, it can be quite important to find ways to keep cool, like spending a little time in the water. The folks in this photo are cooling off at the Town Landing found at the foot of West Vine Street, next to Captain Jack's Wharf. Town Landings are found in spots all along Commercial Street, providing public access to the beaches on the edge of Provincetown's magnificent Harbor. There are footpaths and walkways leading to harbor beaches as well.
Each neighborhood has a Town Landing or a walkway to the harbor, and some areas have several. Use any of these to go for a walk on the beach (tide permitting) or to go for a swim, or to launch a canoe, kayak or raft. Town Landings can accommodate larger craft like rowboats and small motorboats, while the boat ramps at Flyer's and at the West End parking lot can accommodate bigger boats.
If you read my post on Earth Day, you may have already found some of these footpaths, walkways and Town Landings. Here's a list of current beach access points, eliminating the footpath next to the Ice House, where a "Private" sign has once again appeared, and I've added the new "beachwalk" next to 463 Commercial Street. It's a new clam shell footpath next to the newly remodeled home where the old Flagship restaurant and its famous bar made from an old fishing dory began welcoming diners back in 1930.  The remodeling job on the building and grounds included a new pathway to the harbor with a large sign that announces 24-hour access to the harbor via this beachwalk, as the sign calls it. So here's an updated list of PTown public beach access all along Commercial Street, beginning in the Far West End and working up the shoreline to the Far East End:

•West End Breakwater (climb down to the beach or walk out to Wood End or Long Point)

•West End Parking Lot (Town Landing and stairway to this tiny neighborhood beach)

•West Vine Street (Town Landing at Captain Jack's Wharf)

•Franklin Street (Town Landing on the west edge of U.S. Coast Guard grounds)

•Good Templar Place (Town Landing next to former Lorraine's, at Flyer's boatyard)

•Atlantic Avenue (Town Landing west of the Boatslip)

•Court Street (Town Landing east of Bubala's)

•Whalers Wharf walkway through the building (the footpath on the east side of the building is accessible 24 hours)

•Ryder Street (beach access between the kite shop and Fishermen's [Cabral's] Wharf)

•Freeman Street (Town Landing west of Lands End hardware store)

•Johnson Street (Town Landing at the back of the parking lot)

•Pearl Street (Town Landing)

•Between Law Street and Washington (Town Landing, next to Devon's)

•Near Bangs Street (Beachwalk on the west side of 463 Commercial Street)

•Saint Mary of the Harbor Episcopal Church (the stairway over the seawall at the back of the    church parking lot)

•Between Atkins Lane and Hancock Street (Town Landing)

•Fanizzi's (stairway at the back of the parking lot)

•East of Snail Road (stairway across from Harbor Hotel, 698 Commercial Street)

Last Saturday we hit 90 degrees in Provincetown, which is about 13 degrees higher than normal for this time of the year. Even at that, we were still a few degrees cooler than the folks in Boston. We've got a break in the heat for a couple of days with cloudy skies and some rain, which gave us a high today of 75 degrees at 8:45 this morning, an unusual time to mark the day's highest temperature. Tomorrow looks to be even a bit cooler, but temperatures will soon climb to the mid-80s again, and an over-all hot summer has been predicted, so make sure you keep yourself feeling well and healthy by cooling off a bit when the mercury rises, and be sure to drink an extra glass or two of water over the course of each warm day.

Taking in a movie is a great way to get out of the heat for a couple of hours. It's nice and cool in the Waters Edge Cinema,. at 237 Commercial Street, on the second floor of the Whalers Wharf. Besides two other films showing this week you'll find 20 Feet From Stardom playing for an extended run. This is the film that ran away with the Audience Award at this year's Provincetown International Film Festival a few weeks ago. Read my July 9th post about this terrific movie, watch the trailer for 20 FEET TO STARDOM, and check the blurb on the right-hand side of this page to find the updated schedule for the coming week, through July 18th.

One way or another, find a way to cool off and enjoy the exceptionally warm days ahead.

In Provincetown, Celebrate Earth Day With a Walk in Any Direction

A walk or ride through the dunes is a perfect way to celebrate Earth Day.

What better way to celebrate Earth Day than with a walk in any direction, from any part of PTown? From the East End you can stroll out into the dunes from the tiny parking area on Route 6, across from Snail Road, for one of the most amazing walks on the planet. You could also get out into the dunes by taking Art's Dune Tours, which began operating a week ago, taking folks on an hour-long narrated tour of the dunes and its forested patches, with a drive along the edge of Race Point Beach if conditions allow. Call them at 508 487-1950 to arrange a tour.
From anywhere along Commercial Street you'll easily find your way down to the beach along the edge of the harbor. Just look for a Town Landing or other public walkway to the beach, like the path alongside the Whalers Wharf, or the walkway through the building. Along Commercial Street you'll find at least 18 Town Landings and public walkways or footpaths at the foot of many of the side streets that meet Commercial Street. These little thoroughfares lead down to the edge of the water, and when the tide is right you can walk along the beach from any of these spots:.
•West End Breakwater (climb down to the beach or walk out to Wood End or Long Point)
•West End Parking Lot (Town Landing and stairway to this tiny neighborhood beach)
•West Vine Street (Town Landing at Captain Jack's Wharf)
•Franklin Street (Town Landing on the west edge of U.S. Coast Guard grounds)
•Good Templar Place (Town Landing next to Lorraine's, at Flyer's boatyard)
•Atlantic Avenue ( Town Landing west of the Boatslip)
•Court Street (Town Landing east of Bubala's)
•Whalers Wharf walkway through the building (the footpath on the east side of the building is accessible 24 hours)
•Ryder Street (beach access between the kite shop and Fishermen's [Cabral's] Wharf0
•Freeman Street ( Town Landing west of Lands End hardware store)
•Johnson Street (Town Landing at the back of the parking lot)
•Pearl Street (Town Landing)
•Between Law Street and Washington (Town Landing, next to Devon's)
•Old Flagship (new footpath next to 463 Commercial Street, now a private home)
•Howland Street (there's a narrow, almost hidden footpath along the east edge of the Ice House parking lot. Every few years it seems to vacillate between private and public access, so look for signs)
•Saint Mary of the Harbor Episcopal Church (the stairway over the seawall at the back of the parking lot)
•Between Atkins Lane and Hancock Street (Town Landing)
•Fanizzi's (stairway at the back of the parking lot)
•East of Snail Road (stairway across from Harbor Hotel, 698 Commercial Street)

At one end of Snail Road you can walk out into the dunes, and at the other end of the road you can walk along the beach and the harbor, and halfway between these two points is the old railroad bed, leading you off Snail Road for a walk in the woods. At Howland Street, opposite Harry Kemp Way, there's another trail out into a wooded area. There are nearly 8 miles of bike trails leading out through the Cape Cod National Seashore, perfect for walking as well, and many other trails leading to ponds, conservation areas, Hatch's Harbor and other beautiful destinations. Of course, you can walk at Herring Cove or Race Point beaches. Take the stroll on the boardwalk that leads to the Old Harbor Life-Saving Station at Race Point Beach and spend a little time watching for whales off the shoreline.
Get out for a walk somewhere and celebrate Earth Day, whether you are able to do it today or over the next week. And if you tuck a plastic bag into your pocket, you're ready to pick up any bits of trash or treasure you might find along the way.
Happy Earth Day!

Enjoy That Last Little Bit of Solitude Before The Season Really Kicks In

There's still time to be the only one out there for a walk on the West End Breakwater.

The signs of spring are all around us as we hear the calls of more and more varieties of birds winging in for the coming season, feel the winter air warming into spring-like temperatures, and see blossoms popping out steadily in the yards and gardens of Provincetown. Soon we'll see the boards come off the windows at Vorelli's, the awnings unfurled at the Mayflower, and the trolley taking its first few runs down Commercial Street to see where the tight spots will be this year.
For a short time longer we'll have the chance to enjoy the stunning natural beauty that surrounds us here at the tip of Cape Cod, without all of the visitors that flock here by the thousands in the summer to share it with us. We can still take a ride or a walk on a branch or two of the bike trail and be all alone when we stop near the pond to watch the young geese gliding through the water after their mother. We can hike out into the dunes and be the only one standing at the top of the hill, looking out beyond the tall grasses to the Atlantic Ocean, watching for humpback whales spouting as they amble into the bay to begin the summer season.
Walk out into the woods on the old railroad bed at Howland Street and Harry Kemp Way. Sit on the beach near Hatch's Harbor and listen to the waves rolling in and out. Climb to the top of the visitor center, looking out over Race Point Beach, for a 360 degree view of forest, dune and ocean. Even a stroll down any PTown side street will bring you the soft sounds, sights and aromas of the spring as it quietly unfolds all around us.
This week, before it's too late, get outdoors and enjoy a bit of blissful solitude, which is all too rare here in the bustling summer season.

Art's Dune Tours - The Best Way to Experience the Dunes of Provincetown

 

In the 1940s Art Costa returned home to Provincetown, having been a soldier stationed abroad in World War II, wondering what profession he should take up in order to make a living. He was trying to think of something he could stand to do all day for the rest of his life. For a while before the war, he had been a driver for Mitch's Beach Taxi, driving folks out to the back beach, as the locals called what would become known as Race Point Beach when the Cape Cod National Seashore was established years later, in 1961. He had really enjoyed that job, driving out through the little forested patches and the amazing sandy hillsides that make up the dunes, and traveling along a couple of miles of the pristine shoreline of the Outer Cape.
In 1946, driving a 1936 Ford "woody," Art started a beach taxi business of his own, not only driving people out to the beach, but along the way he began telling them stories about the history of the dunes, the wildlife in the area, and the writers, artists and many others who had spent time in the now-famous dune shacks over the years. That's how the business evolved into Art's Dune Tours, taking people on guided tours through the dunes for some 66 years now. Over the years there have been thirteen companies offering rides through the dunes. The others have all come and gone, while Art's remains, happily touring the dunes on several trips each day from the spring into the autumn season every year.
Rob Costa, Art's son, took over the day-to-day operation of the company several years ago when Art's health began to interfere with driving several loads of passengers out through the dunes every day. Rob carries his dad's scrapbook of photos and mementos of the early days in his Chevy Suburban, the model that now makes up the fleet of 7 four-wheel drive vehicles that you'll often see going out caravan style through the dunes, and he tells some of the same stories that his dad had told to countless passengers over the years. Many times Rob had heard his dad say that if you really enjoyed what you were doing, it wasn't work. That seems to be the secret of the longevity of this company. They love what they do, and it shows.
Daily 1-hour tours, 1 1/2-hour lighthouse tours on Sundays, 2-hour sunset tours, and weddings or other special events can be arranged by calling Art's at 508 487-1950, or toll free at 800 894-1951, reserving your trip with a credit card. Or you can drop by their office at 4 Standish Street and arrange your trip through PTown's incredible sand dunes. Tour rates currently start at $27 for adults, $18 for kids, with children age 5 and under riding in your lap for free. Save $2 on your tour by booking online. You can also add a clambake to your sunset tour and enjoy a traditional New England lobster dinner served on the beach by your tour guide, picnic style. Barbecued chicken or vegetarian dinners are available as well.
As the days grow cooler and shorter, tours begin to wind down for the season. Be sure and get out into the dunes in the next few weeks before they give their last tour for the year. It is a remarkable experience and the beauty of the dunes is unparalleled.