The last leg of our summer’s swan song at Cape Cod was spent at Waterfront Park in Woods Hole. Waterfront Park has several statues and sculptures. The most recent statue is a memorial to environmentalist Rachel Carson, the author of Silent Spring and the Sea Around Us. Both books are considered influential books in the environmentalist movement. Carson had worked with Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) which is located in Woods Hole.
The waterfront also has a shaded sitting area for the weary traveler to rest their bones.
There is also a sun dial statue dedicated to Robert Crane, one of the original financial supporters of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The sun dial was constructed so that you could tell what time it is from any direction. And, yes, it is accurate. A somewhat elaborate explanation is included on the ground in front of the sun dial.
The “Flukes” is a bronze sculpture by Gordon Gund. Gund, a successful businessman, was inspired to sculpt The Flukes after seeing pilot whales off the coast. It looks like more of a slide or play thing which explains the sign in front of the sculpture. I suspect it is not much of a deterrent.
The Waterfront is also the main point of embarkment for the ferry to the islands of Cape Cod, mainly Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
The waterfront also has some pretty views of the water and pretty flowers.
The waterfront park is also known for its friendly visitors. I met this friendly guy named Charlie as I was leaving.
After a short stay at Scraggy Neck, it was time for our next stop on our Cape Cod Farewell Summer trip.
Our next destination was the Nobska Beach in the quaint village of Woods Hole in Falmouth, Massachusetts. The Nobska area is so pretty and there are so many attractions because of its sheer beauty, I decided cover the Nobska area in two separate blogs.
The first thing that stands out at Nobska beach are the array of flowers and the makeshift trails at the beach (that and the lack of parking). The only parking available is on the side of the road along the beach and a scant few spots in front of the light house (I’ll be posting photos of the light house in the second part of the Nobska photo blogs).
Nobska Beach offers views of both Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Island.
Boats and the ferry make frequent trips to the islands
If you hadn’t noticed, one of the treasures of Nobska Beach are the rocks and the rock formations.
But, to capture the real beauty of the views from the beach, it was necessary to walk down a narrow trail down to this modest rocky ledge.
But, the ledge was wide enough for me and my camera. And the views were well worth the extra effort.
Nobska Beach is also home to a variety of wildlife.
At the base of the beach there are two memorials. A memorial for Dennis Jeff Sabo lies under some plants, almost unnoticed. The memorial does not give any more information than his date of birth, date of death and name. A Google search yielded no results. The lack of details about Dennis adds to the memorials’ mystique.
The other memorial is dedicated to Neilie Anne Heffernan Casey. Neilie was a passenger on Flight 11 on September 11, 2001. A memorial and bench bearing her name lay in the area now dubbed “Neilie Point”. A beautiful reminder of an awful day.
After a brief but rewarding stay at Amrita Island, it was on the next destination on my Farewell Summer Cape Cod trip. Scraggy Neck is a private beach in Cataumet, a village in Bourne, Massachusetts.
The beach is usually monitored by guards during the summer season. But, since summer was basically over, there were no guards when I arrived at the beach.
The entrance to the beach is grassy. But, there is a makeshift trail you can follow. The occasional flower stand in the grass
The beach is long and it was high tide when I visited. But, there wasn’t much of a beach head when I was visited. The water did look clean and clear.
Seaweed and shells littered the beach.
Scraggy Neck is divided into two sides by a road that is frequented by joggers, bikers and cars. It was on the other side of the road that showed off Scraggy Neck’s more scenic views.
A narrow path leads to the water.
The fish is visible through the transparent water.
This part of Scraggy Neck is mostly grassy. So, it would not be the ideal area to lie out for a tan.
Scraggy Neck is also a popular spot for boaters to launch from.
After visiting Scraggy Neck, it was on to our next adventure….
One last summer weekend. One last chance to soak up the dwindling magic of summer. What better way to laze away the remaining summer bliss than at the iconic Cape Cod Canal?
The canal stretches for 7 miles for Sandwich, MA, to Buzzards Bay. There are several entrances to the canal. We chose the entrance near the end of the canal at Buzzards Bay.
The views at the canal are one of the main attractions.
Fishermen and fisher women dot the rocky edges of the canal and it is a popular starting point for bikers, runners and walkers. The canal also is a bustling point for ships carrying a variety of cargo, particularly since it is so close to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. I caught one as it passed under the railroad bridge.
Ducks and seagulls also find the canal too be a fun place to enjoy the summer.
This lady thought I was spying on her.
Well, until next summer…I’ll meet you at the canal.
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Tucked away in the quaint village of Mystic, Connecticut, stands the hidden gem known as The Olde Mystic Village.
At first glance, Mistick Village may seem like a nondescript shopping center. But, Mistick Village is much more.
There are many cramped stores for specialty merchandise such as custom made clothing and hand made jewelry, pet shops and eateries that dot the village. It would be easy to dismiss it as just another shopping center. But Mistik Village has many unexpected charms. One of the biggest surprises at Olde Mistik Village is something very unique.
Right there, smack dab in the middle of the village is a pond.
Forget about the cinema and the fudge shop. The ducks are the most popular attractions at the village. People feed them their dietary recommended food. Signs prominently remind people crackers and bread are not safe for the ducks to eat.
They are not restricted to the pond area either. You can regularly see the ducks roaming the walkways of the Mistik Village.
And, since so many people feed them, they are not shy.
The flowers and trees at Mistik Village are another unique feature of the shoopping center.
Yes, that is a birdhouse on the flag pole.
Keeping with the aquatic theme, a waterfall leads to a stream with koi fish.
Some of the most charming elements of the village are the decor. Walkways are furnished with wooden gateways.
Wooden chairs rest in front of this fashion shop.
Various structures are scattered throughout the village.
Of course, the Mistik Village is a dog friendly area.
I met Theo and Rebel. Theo was happy to see me. Rebel, on the left, not so much.
I also made a friend at Old Mistik Village. Charley is a rescue dog from Hurricane Katrina. His dad told us how, after noticing Charley, he arrived at the dog shelter at 5 a.m. to make sure he could adopt him. Charley is a very special dog.
After photographing a variety of mountainous, rocky state parks, I thought it was time to mix it up and visit a rocky, hilly waterfall. Initially, we planned on visiting CM Gardner State Park. But, the helpful park rangers at CM Gardner suggested something more picturesque, Chester-Blandford State Forest.
Since it encompasses such a large area (over 2,700 acres), Chester-Blandford has several entrances. The first part of the park we arrived at, Boulder Park, is a rather small area with a pond and a few ill defined trails. But, right from the rocky steps and mossy trails at the entrance it has a unique charm.
The trails also have some unique walkways and structures.
The highlight of the park may be the deep opening off the main trail.
Boulder Rock also has some eye catching plants and wild life.
The pond near the end of the main trail was a nice surprise.
Boulder Rock also had its share of wildlife such as this salamander and mouse.
Alas, our trip to Boulder Rock was over. But, about a mile down the road another entrance beckoned us, the main entrance to the Sanderson Brooks Falls trail of Chester-Blandford.
Pitcuresque views are scattered along the Brooks Falls trail.
Due to the lack of rain recently, the rapids weren’t very, well, rapid. But, the relatively still water and rocky brook provided some good shots.
Sanderson Brook Falls also had a fair share of wildlife such as caterpillars,
Toads
and dogs, like Loona.
After a roughly half an hour trek along some rocky terrain, a number of bridges and some steep inclines, I made it to the falls.
The brooks and falls are sure to be more active during the stormy seasons. But, it is still impressive and worth the trip.
To get the full effect of the falls, click on the short video below.
Is there anywhere in the New England area you would like me to visit?
What are some of your favorite waterfalls?
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Even though it’s only August, today was the perfect day for a trip to Mount October.
Roughly, a 45 minute drive west of Springfield, MA, Mount October is located in the majestic Berkshires. The wild flowers and plant life, which are a staple of the Berkshires, were in full bloom.
The wildlife at Mount October was also abundant.
There were salamanders
toads
caterpillars
centipedes
and dogs!
Olive posed during her walk with her dad
Emily stuck her head out for some fresh air.
While it serves as a campground, the hiking trails are perhaps the most notable part of the state forest. But, the most challenging part of Mount October was the terrain of these hiking trails. Dew and rain made for marshy, washed out paths which made it even more difficult when you had to cross rocky areas. Some parts of the paths were also fairly steep.
Interestingly, I visited Woods Pond earlier this year which is a section of Mount October. The blog for which can be found here. Even though I had already taken photos of Woods Pond previously, I took a few more during my visit at Mount October.
Mount October is the largest state park in Massachusetts. And, despite spending several hours there, we were only able to cover a fraction of the area. Perhaps I’ll come back in the fall.
Legend has it the Native Americans called Mittaneague (pronounced Mit-tin-aig) “the valley of falling water.” The park more than lives up to this description.
Mittineague Park was, without question, the park with the most difficult terrain to travel that I have visited while writing this blog. The sharp inclines, fences furnished with barbed wire and “no trespassing” signs, overgrown brush, unkempt make shift trails and other obstacles made it difficult to photograph.
It is a shame because Mittineague has some wonderful views.
Mittineague also has a tunnel under the railroad tracks that run through the park.
During my visit, the train passed by on the rickety rails.
and kept going…
and kept going…
and going…
and, well, you get the picture…
But, the gem of the park must be its stone bridges and walkways.
Mittineague also has an impressive assortment of trees. They are majestic not just in their stature but also in their sheer beauty.
There is also a variety of plant life and wild flowers.
Mittineague is also teeming with birds
frogs
and, of course, dogs.
Lucy did a great job fetching her frisbee.
Lincoln posed proudly with his mommy.
And Annabelle smiled broadly for her photo.
Mittineague also has well manicured soccer fields and baseball diamonds and its basketball and tennis courts as well as a play area for kids.
Or, the kids can just go for a swim in the various brooks and waterfalls at Mittineague.
Given the less than ideal weather today (gloomy, overcast sky with nagging showers), I decided to visit a “basic” park close to home. Just about 30 minutes south of Boston, Ames Nowell State Park seemed like the perfect place for an uneventful, short jaunt. I was soon to be proven wrong. Ames Nowell is named after, you guessed it, Ames Nowell, the grandson of the 35th governor of Massachusetts. Ames Nowell purchased the land during the the Great Depression when the previous land owner could not afford the taxes for the land. One of the more usually mundane aspects of the park that is usually taken for granite (sorry) is the stones and rocks that are strewn about the park. They seem to be lined and piled in designs and formations. In fact, the entire park seems to be set up with design and aesthetics, perfect for a photographer. Ames Nowell is a 7,000 acre state park with roughly 10 miles of trails (I didn’t walk quite that much but it felt close to that) that encircles the vast Cleveland Pond. Although I didn’t walk the entire trail, I was able to capture quite a few birds during my hike like this goose, for instance. Suddenly, I heard a honking noise. It was momma duck calling and waiting patiently for her (rather large) goslin (no, not that Goslin). There was also this duck who showed me some flying skills There were dogs a plenty at Ames Nowell. I ran into Griffey I met Rusty and Marcus (Marcus is the dog, not the man) Flowers and various plant life is also aplenty in the park. Daisies and lilies among other plants thrive in the park Being that it was a windy day, the water on the pond created some captivating ripples. Ducks, geese, swans and dogs weren’t the only creatures I found at Ames Nowell. I spotted this blue dragonfly buzzing among the trees and plants. Ames also has a number of wooden bridges and walkways over the marshy and rougher terrain. This particular bridge had a brook running under it.
Finally, as I was about to leave for the day, I saw this family of geese being fed by a little girl
Then, they made their way to me, perhaps looking for dessert.
Closer and closer they approached as I photographed. Knowing how protective momma geese can be, I kept my distance until this happened. After eating a balanced breakfast, they left just as fast as they came, babies in the lead.
If you think all state parks are the same, with all the standard fare, you’ve obviously never been to Cutler Park.
Named for the State legislator, Leslie B. Cutler, who helped the Department of Conservation and Recreation of Massachusetts acquire the land, Cutler Park is majestic in its beauty.
You are sure to find something to like about Cutler Park.
Whether it is the rolling hills,
Transparent water
Or abundant wildlife, such as these robins, chipmunks, moths and even canines…you won’t regret the time you spend there.
Master of camouflage. Can you spot him?
Ever the comedian, Layla stuck her tongue out when I took her photo
Ladybug was wet from her swim in Cutler Pond.
Bodi was a good subject. Too bad I had my telephoto lens on.
Bella decided to cool off while I took her photo
England gave me a big smile when I shot her photo
The 600 acre Cutler Park also boasts an array of colorful plants and flowers. Such as cat tails, chrysanthemums and loose strife just to name a few.
Cutler Park’s trails vary from dirt trails, makeshift narrow rocky trails and wood bridges over the marshy land. The tall trees provide good shade and shelter from the elements. It’s easy to get off the beaten path, literally. But, be cognizant of where you are, Cutler Park is a huge park and one could easily find oneself lost or turned around. Not that I would be speaking from experience or anything.
One thing I noticed that I had not remember seeing before was the clouds reflecting on the shimmering waters of Cutler Park.
Kayakers are prevalent at Cutler Park
People weren’t the only ones having fun in the water. Ducks were dunking and Roscoe was fetching.
Also, off the beaten path you can find a tunnel, presumably once used when the state park was used as a water supplier. Now, it carries graffiti and memories. If tunnels could tell stories.
A rickety staircase leads to some rail road tracks. Weirdly, the MBTA’s Commuter Rail runs through Cutler Park. Granted, it is off the main paths, but it still out of place. At least some people have a pretty view on their way home.
As inviting as public transportation can be, I decided to drive to Cutler Park. But, whether it is by plane, train or automobile, you should visit as well.
New England Nomad 