We departed around 9:30am so we could get a push through the Cape Cod Canal. The wind today was half of what it was yesterday, which made for a much more pleasant ride. We got the push we wanted and was pushed through at about ten knots. Unfortunately we had to travel fifty two miles, so even with the push our trip still took seven hours. Once we were in Cape Cod Bay we were looking for whales as we crossed. The charts showed we were in Right Whale habitat and warns not to get closer than five hundred yards- we did not see any whales though. We found the anchorage area and circled around trying to decide where to drop the anchor. We finally settled on an area just outside a mooring field and we stayed a good distance from the two other boats anchored in the area. We will again have a pretty good distance to travel to get to shore, but it’s what we have to sometimes deal with when anchoring out. We also have to be aware of the tides here as it is around nine feet! Once we were anchored we had to wait to make sure all was secure. Once we were comfortable all was good, we headed to shore with Frank. “On November 9, 1620, the Pilgrims aboard the Mayflower sighted Cape Cod while en route to the Colony of Virginia. After two days of failed attempts to sail south against the strong winter seas, they returned to the safety of the harbor, known today as Provincetown Harbor, and set anchor. It was here that the Mayflower Compact was drawn up and signed. They agreed to settle and build a self-governing community, and came ashore in the West End. Though the Pilgrims chose to settle across the bay in Plymouth, Cape Cod enjoyed an early reputation for its valuable fishing grounds, and for its harbor: a naturally deep, protected basin that was considered the best along the coast.” The area is also known for its gay population: “By the 1970s Provincetown had a significant gay population, especially during the summer tourist season, when restaurants, bars and small shops serving the tourist trade were open. There had been a gay presence in Provincetown as early as the start of the 20th century as the artists’ colony developed, along with experimental theatre. Drag queens could be seen in performance as early as the 1940s in Provincetown. In 1978 the Provincetown Business Guild (PBG) was formed to promote gay tourism. Today more than 200 businesses belong to the PBG, and Provincetown is perhaps the best-known gay summer resort on the East Coast. The 2010 US Census revealed Provincetown to have the highest rate of same-sex couples in the country, at 163.1 per 1000 couples.” We walked around town and up and down the Main Street, then checked out the Pilgrims Monument which was built between 1907 and 1910 to commemorate the first landfall of the Pilgrims. There were lots of people out and about and the streets were crowded. We eventually decided we should get some clam chowder and lobster bisque to take back with us so we ordered some from the Lobster Pot . We retired back to the boat and had our chowder and dinner, then took Frank for one last evening walk. Once the sun went down I thought I heard seals on the rocky break wall we were near, but I couldn’t actually see them.
Day 2- Provincetown has a network of nice bike paths and we just had to check them out. We loaded the bikes on the dinghy for the long trip to town. As we unloaded the bikes I noticed that my back tire was completely flat. The tire pump was back on the boat as was our backup tube and necessary tools for the repair. I had no choice but to travel back to the boat for the supplies while Lauren waited on shore with the bikes. Once all of the items were retrieved I went to work. The replacement tube box had one size listed, but the tube was bigger. Wtf? Luckily there was a bike shop close by so I sent Lauren for the correct replacement. She returned and I got the tube inserted and went to pump it up when the pump broke. Holy shit. This should have been a fairly simple fix. I had the tube and rubber back together and we walked up to the bike shop to use their pump. Once inflated it was time to head out. We followed the bike paths to Race Point Beach which is a state park. Apparently the beach is known for its shark sightings.
We searched but no luck. We hung out there for a while then biked to The Canteen for lunch. Lobster rolls and crispy Brussel sprouts were on the menu along with a Provincetown beer We headed back to the boat for the evening
Day 3- I was dragged for another day of bike riding. We went along the waterfront going the wrong way on the one way street past beautiful homes with amazing gardens. We ended up at Pilgrims First Landing Park, where the pilgrims first arrived before ending up at Plymouth, and Provincetown wants you to know that. There are monuments and plaques commemorating the landing. We walked around and then headed back to town. Provincetown is a tourist paradise and we took full advantage. We picked up a shirt for me, a sweatshirt for Lauren and a colorful magnet for the fridge. We stopped at a beverage store for a couple of bottles of cider from the local cider maker Shoal Hope. We picked up a bottle of Honey Baby, made with cranberry bog honey and a bottle of Monument made with dark brown sugar. Both were delicious! We then stocked up on fudge, “the worlds best peanut butter cups and taffy” and then headed to Provincetown Brewery for a sampling. After a couple of brews we headed over to the Lobster Pot for some chowder for the road and headed back to the boat to plan tomorrow’s trip to Plymouth.