Cape Light

"Cape Light" is the title of a beautiful book of photographs of Cape Cod by Joel Meyerowitz, but I am confident that the term has been in existence for longer than the book, and the concept for longer than the term. And there is no better title for this blog entry. Its origins lie in the general acknowledgement that Cape Cod has about it an unusual light, at once more intense and more subtle that that usually found in most areas of the earth. Various explanations are put forth - the unique geographic location and topography are usually mentioned. But it is not necessary to understand it to feel it.

I had the great good fortune to spend three days in Provincetown for the annual meeting of the Norman Mailer Society. You will see a bit of that here, but mostly you will see the results of a good deal of free time with camera in hand. Yes, there will be geocaches.

It was dark when Ifinally arrived in my room in the Provincetown Inn and stepped out onto the balcony. I was dead tired. The scene that greeted me - the Pilgrim Monument, artificially lit as it is, had all the appearance of being lit by the moon. It was a good start to the weekend.

Those who know me know I'm not a morning person - just look at the name of the blog! But for some reason, I awoke before dawn. Glad I did. Went for a walk.


Dawn as only dawn can be on Cape Cod.

This causeway is about a half mile long and connects the little spit of land that is at the very tip of the Cape to the mainland. There are two lighthouses out there, but no roads. I would have gone all the way across, but I knew I'd freeze before I got back.


Cape Light - pink.


Cape Light - blue.


A rock washed by the sea and Cape Light.


Here is the obligatory seagull picture.


And so into town for a good cuppa coffee at the Wired Puppy and some early morning pictures.




Cape Light - white.




Maggie, I think, presiding over The Commons B&B.
















That paper says that the books are free to a good home. How wonderful is that!?!


I'll bet this lady wishes she were back at the prow of her ship.


An unexpected joy. Cape Light - yellow.


Bonnie Culver, director of the Wilkes Gradutate Creative Writing Program, had a pretty good view. She got to spend a whole WEEK!



Chris Busa, publisher of Provincetown Arts and a lifelong resident, led us on a walking tour. He knows the REAL history of Provincetown! If you can see that little square window in the back, that's where Noman Malier wrote three of his books.

Norman did pretty well after a while, and now lives with his wife Norris in the only brick house on Commercial Street.




Cape Light - silver.








Cape Light - golden.

A geocache, of course! The first of three. Park on route six and walk through the woods.

As the woods open, you have to go up this sandy hill. The information I had gave the cache elevation at 85 feet. Great! I thought - no tough hills to climb. WRONG! Climbing hills of sand is tough work!


But well worth it.




Success - a find!


And a little further on, the real reward.

On the way back by a different route, I came upon this lady sitting by a pile of belongings looling like she was waiting for a bus. My guess is that she had spent a week or a month in that shack, and was, in fact, waiting for one of the dune taxis to take her back to the real world.


Dune grass - the stuff which holds it all together.


The Pilgrim Monument.


Mom & kid playing soccer on the beach - gotta love 'em!

Norman's knees are shot, but oh, my, his mind and his wit are sharper than ever. He gave a reading from his yet-to-be-published latest novel - his umpteenth, at last count.


Back at Norman's for a little get-togeher.


Looking in from his deck.


Site of another geocache find - down around Wellfleet


Remember to look down. Cape Light - mushroom.




A woodpecker guards the cache.


There is supposed to be a cache in that odd thing, but I'm pretty sure it's not there any more. Still, it was a nice walk!


Uncle Tim's Bridge in Welfleet.


One last look at a north Cape beach.

A stop in Chatham - an old haunt - on the way out. It's too built up now, and even the air is almost too expensive to breathe, but oh, my - Cape Light!


Chatham Light.


I hope you enjoyed the tour. As for me, well, I can't wait until next year!