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Published: April 17th 2022
Dear All
Greetings again from England, with this my second blog entry of my amazing time in New England over the Easter holidays. This one will write about the thoroughly enjoyable time that I had in the very famous Cape Cod, probably my favourite place visited on this trip. It was outside of the tourist season, so very free of the crowds of tourists which apparently flock there in the summer, so I could completely enjoy the peace and serenity of this unique peninsula jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded on all sides by beautiful coastlines and sea - it was just lovely!
Although the morning that I left Boston was still cold with an icy wind, it didn't seem as bad as the day before, and I spent most of it indoors anyway. After packing my bags, I headed on the Red Line again through Boston's subway system and on to the bus station near the city's South Station. I enjoyed a delicious breakfast of noodles in a local Chinatown restaurant not far from the bus terminal, and then hopped on a Peter Pan bus around two hours south and eastwards, driven by a very friendly and
funny bus driver. Whilst Greyhound seems to be America's national form of intercity bus transport, New England also has its very own system called Peter Pan, serving many of the places I was to visit on this trip, and thus frequented much by myself.
The peninsula of Cape Cod, jutting 65 miles out into the ocean from mainland Massachusetts, is in fact technically now an island, due to the seven-mile Cape Cod Canal built across its isthmus in 1916. Two main road bridges link the Cape to the "mainland" over this canal, and my bus to Hyannis passed over one of these, the Sagamore Bridge. The landscape immediately became different, from urbanised concrete and capitalism to forested flatlands and peace. Peter Pan deposited me at the very useful Hyannis Transportation Centre in the central Cape town of Hyannis, which was to become a focal point during my time in the area, as local public transport quickly became my new best friend over the following three days. A friendly lady at the Centre's information desk handed me a stapled booklet with a collection of local bus timetables, which was to become my travel guide for my time there.
My
accommodation was located directly opposite this transport hub, and so I checked in quite soon after arriving, and settled into a beautiful hotel room with all the proper amenities, sorely welcomed after my stay in the frugal "Friendly" Inn at Harvard. The "Comfort Inn Hyannis Cape Cod" must see sizeable tourist numbers in the season, but during my stay there it was very quiet, and I pretty much had its corridors, breakfast room, swimming pool and hot jacuzzi tub to myself for most of my stay, conversing often with the very friendly hotel staff. It was a wonderful place to stay, and another bargain for me as again the place that I had previously booked, the "Hyannis Travel Inn", had also cancelled on me, so again I got a free upgrade to this nice place - wahoo! It was also a hotel of the motel variety, which I was hoping to be able to stay in as my first American motel. I was so excited to stay in one, after American motels feature quite heavily in my American imagination, having grown up with classic 80s Hollywood movies and more recent TV shows such as "The X-Files" and "My Name is
Earl" often featuring these very American types of accommodations.
After a short rest in my hugely comfortable room with heating on full blast, I took a lovely four-mile walk around town to explore the local area a bit. I first walked along the town's Main Street, checking out the smattering of tourist shops which were already open for the season, but unfortunately learning that the town's main attraction, the JFK Museum, was still closed. Cape Cod is famed for being one of the childhood holiday hotspots of the Massachusetts-born 35th US President, so there are a few sights of interest related to the man in and around the area. I then headed down the aptly-named Sea Street, heading towards the coast and sea and following the salty smell in the air along the way. My walk then took me along the beautiful seashore itself, firstly along Keyes Memorial Beach, then over what I think was some private land (ah well, at least there were no dogs...) to Kalmus Park Beach, and around Dunbar Point peninsula. So far the walk had been warm and sunny, but around the peninsula I faced the icy northern wind once more which blew constantly
Sagamore Bridge
Over the Cape Cod Canaland gave me a numb face until I passed a JFK Memorial and reached Hyannis Harbour around a mile away. The harbour is very much the tourist centre of town, but all the shops, restaurants and trinket stalls were shut up for the season and looked windswept and very forlorn, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time there anyway as I just love visiting tourist places in the off-season. There were no supermarkets in town, so I stocked up on a few things at a local petrol station shop, including a microwave meal for the evening as my hotel had a fridge and a microwave, as well as breakfast in the morning. This was good news, as I'd found Boston a little pricey, particularly as I'd had to eat all my meals out there due to the lack of food-related amenities at the "Inn". It was a wonderful walk and introduction to the Cape, and I settled in for a warm and cosy evening in my very comfortable hotel/motel room.
My first full day I devoted to exploring the delightful Martha's Vineyard, an island 26 miles long and 9 miles wide, lying 5 miles off the southern coast of Cape
My Peter Pan bus to Hyannis
Hyannis Transportation Centre Cod. It was a very enjoyable day indeed, made possible by some serious public transport planning the day before. There were no tour buses, as there usually is in the summer, to take me around the island's various sights, so instead I coordinated the many timetables of the Vineyard Transport Authority (MTA), as well as the Cape Cod Regional Transport Authority (CCRTA), to visit all the places on my itinerary anyway - perfect!
First off was a rather backside-numbing 90-minute bus journey on the Cape's Sealine route from Hyannis Transportation Centre to the small village of Wood's Hole in the very south-west corner of the peninsula, and the jumping off point for year-round ferries to Martha's Vineyard. I had 30 minutes to spend around town before the next Vineyard ferry was due to set off, and I enjoyed walking the town's quaint and peaceful streets, home to the famous Wood's Hole Oceanographic Institute (or "WHOI", pronounced "hoo-ey", for short). This is one of the world's most prestigious marine research institutes, famous for exploring the sunken ruins of the Titanic nearly 4000 metres below sea level. The Wood's Hole ferry ticket seller became another person who loved my accent, asking
me to greet William and Kate for her - I said I would, and was very glad there was no mention of the other two.
The ferry took 30 minutes to cross the short stretch of sea between Cape and Island, and we arrived in one of the town's three main "urban" centres, with around 2000 inhabitants, the delightful harbour town of Vineyard Haven. I had just over an hour to explore before my bus plan would start taking me around the island, and enjoyed a wander around town, before finding a wind-sheltered bench in the sun overlooking the harbour below for some peaceful contemplations of the place and my day ahead. I was so excited in particular to be exploring some of the famous scenes from the film "Jaws", which was filmed on the island, "Amity Island" pretty much being "Martha's Vineyard". I had just seen this film the week before back home, in preparation for this trip, and felt awed to think that the peaceful-looking waters all around were home to the mighty Great White Sharks which frequent the area and served as the inspiration for the film. I then headed to the bus stop, ready to
take my first of seven (!) short bus rides for the day ahead.
The first bus ride was on the number 3, which took me to the very sleepy settlement of West Tisbury in the middle of the island for a brief five-minute layover and a few photos, before it then became the bus number 5 which would take me to the island's most south-westerly point, Gay Head on the Aquinnah Peninsula. This place is probably the most famous and photogenic spot on the island, with its attractive Gay Head Lighthouse and beautifully coloured cliffs below, proudly displaying all sorts of shades of whites, greys, reds and blacks. The area was once home to the native Wampanoag tribe, and I loved the local legend of how the cliffs got their colours. The locals believed that at the cliffs lived a friendly giant called Moshup, who created the shapes of Martha's Vineyard and surrounding islands. For food, Moshup would wade out into the sea and catch whales. He would fling them against the cliffs to kill them, and then cook them over an open fire - the whales' blood stained the cliffs red, whilst the smoke and coals from the
fire stained them black. I found it amazing to imagine the size of a giant in the area who would catch whales as a human would catch fish - that must have been one big guy!
The bus driver was a friendly former New Yorker who hated Boston but loved the peace on the island. He gave me ten minutes to look around before the same number 5 bus would take its return route back to West Tisbury again, and this gave me enough time to take in the impressive views and snap a few lovely shots. Back at West Tisbury I alighted and awaited a number 6 to pick me up - the New York bus driver radioed the number 6 to check it was on its way, and indeed it was, so the interchange was easy. As I got on, I noted from his accent a fellow Englishman getting off, although he had lived on the island since 1980 only ever going back home three times since. He said he didn't like England as "it's full of English people", and I do understand to some extent what he means (although of course there are still some wonderful
English people!). He seemed a "live-off-the-land" type of guy, and I imagined his peaceful life over there and how different it must be to life in his hometown of Nuneaton near Birmingham.
The number 6 took me past the island's airport, and onto another of the town's three major "urban" areas, the delightful seaside town of Edgartown, in the island's south-east corner. This place was gorgeous, with huge 19th century mansions originally built by the more than 100 whaling ship captains who used to call the place home. I imagine that the mansions also fetch a gorgeous price nowadays, the town seemed quite posh and gentrified, with lots of renovation, hammering and drilling going on, probably with their preparations for the upcoming tourist season. I imagine it would be the more well-to-do types of tourists who would be spending time in the town's boutique hotels and gourmet seafood restaurants during their holidays on the island.
From Edgartown, I caught the half-hourly bus number 13 northwards for the first of three short journeys on this route, the first one to take me to the famous Jaws Bridge - an absolutely awesome place to visit! Whilst its official name is
Local Souvenir Shop
Main Street, Hyannis the "American Legion Memorial Bridge", it earned its nickname by being the site of one of the film's most notorious scenes, one that particularly stuck in my mind as a child and to which I shall refer to as "the leg incident" here - anyone who has seen the film will know what I mean... This particular film scene has ever since given me a mild fear of swimming in the sea. It is where the cunning shark avoids the main beach where the crowds are, and sneakily heads under a bridge over a narrow inlet which leads from the sea into "The Pond" from the film, in real life known as "Sengekontacket Pond", targeting unsuspecting swimmers thinking they are safe from the monster there. It was really so cool to walk around this "film set", and imagine a five-metre giant quietly slipping under the bridge. A local rite-of-passage for tourists apparently involves jumping off this bridge into the sea, which I had no intention of doing and can't imagine anyone wishing to after seeing that particular scene!
Half-an-hour later I was on the next number 13 bus, taking me further north and onto my final settlement and destination
for the day, the very touristy town of Oaks Bluff. This is pretty much the island's holiday capital in the summer, home to kitsch and candy floss, but again all shut up during my time there. I could still just about hear the music, fun, singing and dancing of the in-season in the air. Another half-an-hour brought me to my final bus journey for the day, the number 13 again back to Vineyard's Haven where I arrived just in time for the 5pm ferry back to Wood's Hole and mainland Cape Cod - perfect timing! The sun was setting as I arrived back on the mainland again, and I spent a relaxing 45 minutes in the ferry's waiting room exchanging greetings with many-a friendly local before the Sealine route would take me the 90-minute journey back to Hyannis again. Another microwave meal, as well as a session in the hotel's jacuzzi, helped me settle into a lovely evening after a very busy, and remarkably enjoyable day, seriously bossing the public transport system around there!
As I was spending three nights in Cape Cod, I had a final full day of explorations before I was due to leave, and this
was another amazing day, properly owning the Cape Cod public transportation system once more - yay! My first bus wasn't until 11.30am, so I had a delightful, and very rare on this trip, lie-in and lazy morning in my hotel room before my day's adventures were to begin. At 11.30am, it was good old Peter Pan that took me this time on to my first destination for the day, Provincetown, at the northernmost reaches of this lovely peninsula. I hadn't realised it until arrival, but Cape Cod is actually shaped like an arm flexing its biceps - I suggest looking again at a map of it, and you won't be able to miss it! So for my time there I was staying in the arm's triceps, in Hyannis. I had just visited Wood's Hole the day before, in the armpit, and this day I was heading first to Provincetown in the clenched fist, and then to lovely Chatham in its elbow. I pretty much went all over the Cape, and have public transport to thank for that!
A 90-minute journey with Peter Pan took me to the afore-mentioned Provincetown, after passing through a mesmerising landscape of coasts and sand
dunes. I did not know this until arriving, but it was in fact Provincetown which was the first landing point of the famous Mayflower ship carrying the English Pilgrims to new lives in America in 1620. They stayed there for around five weeks before reaching the conclusion that the area was not suitable for settlement, as it did not have good enough soil for agriculture or a fresh water source. They then tried to sail south of the Cape, but the numerous sand banks in the area prevented them, and in the end they crossed Massachusetts Bay and settled at Plymouth, just south of Boston, instead. Their initial agreement with the English government was to start a settlement around the Hudson River area, but because this wasn't possible, they re-wrote the agreement themselves and settled instead there in New England, hence the name New England.
I found Provincetown to be a pleasant enough town with friendly locals, but it didn't feel too brilliant to my mind, and moving on to the delightful town of Chatham shortly after, I much preferred my time there if I'm honest. I did visit the town's famous 80-metre high Pilgrim Monument though, a significant
landmark in the area, although it was also closed for the season and I was a little disappointed not to see the amazing views of the far-reaches of the Cape to be had from the top. After a takeaway pork, brie and avocado sandwich and a coffee at a place recommended by a friendly local, I took a bus again, this time a local CCRTA bus to a place called Orleans further south down the peninsula, where I changed buses to another one heading to the Cape's elbow, the wonderful town of Chatham, probably my favourite place on mainland Cape Cod. It took a while for the bus driver to understand where I was going, as apparently it's not pronounced in the English way of "Chat-uhm", nor is it pronounced "Chath-uhm", but rather "Chad-uhm" - the bus driver only understood me after I pronounced it with a proper American accent, we both had a good laugh!
I did lots and lots of walking in and around Chatham, probably around five miles in total, mainly as the places to see are rather spread out, but also as the area is just so beautiful. My wonderful walk first included the sights
of the Chatham Fish Pier, where during the season you can see fishing boats unloading and selling their catches, the Chatham Bars Inn, the swankiest and priciest accommodation in the Cape, and the Chatham Light lighthouse and adjoining Lighthouse Beach. Here were lots of beautiful sand dunes, and very foreboding signs all around warning of the dangers of Great White Sharks in the area, and advising not to swim with seals for fear of being mistaken for food by these great sea giants. No sir, there was no way I'd be heading out in the water in them thar parts! From there, I headed further south along the coast towards the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge, with amazing views over the sand dunes and sand bars of this important bird sanctuary. I didn't see much wildlife whilst in the refuge unfortunately, although I did spot a small group of seals way out in the far distance on a sandbank out in the sea, and remembered the notice that where there are seals there are sharks, so they must have been deep down out there somewhere!
My aching legs then took me back into the town itself of Chatham, where I
headed to a local pizzeria for one of the best pizzas I think I've ever had, at a place called Carmine's where a friendly lady from Latvia was serving. I had spent a total of four amazing hours in Chatham, and was now awaiting the final bus for the day back to Hyannis at 8pm. There was one at 6pm, and then this last one at 8pm. With Hyannis 20 miles away to the west, and with evening having properly settled in now, I was mildly perturbed at this being the last chance for me to get back to Hyannis for the evening. This was particularly so given that the Latvian lady had told me that public transport on the Cape was non-existent, the two gentlemen in the nearby petrol station didn't know what time the bus would stop there, the bus driver who dropped me off in town said he wasn't sure when the last bus was, "maybe half-eight or nine" were his exact words, and a passing guy said he didn't know buses stopped in Chatham! This was not very reassuring at all, but I should have continued to have faith in my trusty stapled collection of timetables
given to me back at the Hyannis Transportation Centre, as right on time, at exactly 8.04pm as the timetable had it, the very welcome collection of lights appeared in the distance on this very dark road, and whisked me off along the quiet country Cape lanes, back to warmth and comfort again at the hotel/motel for 9pm.
I had an altogether wonderful time on the Cape. Public transport really didn't seem that bad if one does some planning, and I definitely did lots of that! I felt I had done justice to the amazing sights and wonders of Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard, and was now ready to move on, heading to a new state the next day, and America's smallest - the tiny, bite-sized, fun-sized state of Rhode Island - more on that in my next blog!
Until then, thanks for reading, and all the best for now!
Alex
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
You are impressive!
When you told me you were heading to the Cape I wondered if you would get to see anything. I pleased to hear they have more public transportation than I thought. You blog will be a good guide for others in the future. Not having seen the X files or My name is Early I don't know what they say about our motels. I intend to do some research. Cool that you got to chat with a fellow Englishman even if only a few minutes. Next time we are in New England we will stop at Carmine's. I laughed at your story about your return bus and no one knowing anything about it. Sadly, we are a car culture in the U.S. I was shocked when you told me you discovered all these buses. Good for you. I need to make more of an effort with public transportation when we travel. I will learn from you. So glad you are enjoying the trip. Thanks for taking us along. MJ