2019 Life Logs, Day 238: Barnstable Harbor Ecotour
Date: Monday, August 26, 2019
Weather: Sunny with Puffy White Clouds; High 77, Low 53 degrees F
Location: At Home in the Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
It was a beautiful day to be out on the water . . . a little windy but we were somewhat protected in the harbor. We couldn’t go out into the Cape Cod Bay, but the harbor is huge and there was plenty to explore. There were fourteen Newcomers Teacher Group members and we boarded The Horseshoe Crab, a pontoon boat, just before 11 am. The boat was reserved for us, but we had a grandmother and her grandson from Baltimore join us. He was probably five years old and a delightful addition to our exploration. When we exited the marina and entered the harbor, Sandy Neck was across the water from us. To the west was the 3,500 acre great marsh and to the east at the end of The Neck was the outlet to the sea. In front of us was the seven-mile length of The Neck with a colony of summer cottages and the iconic light house near the end of the spit of land. If I understood correctly, there is no electricity or running water in the colony, but there is a fresh-water plume that runs the length of The Neck that can be accessed by summer residents. Access to the colony is by boat or by 4-wheel drive through the Sandy Neck Park. There are dramatic sand dunes, lots of birds and other wildlife, and marsh grass in every color of green imaginable. The naturalist aboard the boat obviously loves her job and presented information to us with an enthusiasm that expressed her love and respect for this very special environment. When we neared one little cottage that sits all alone in the dunes, she distributed a copy of the book entitled The Little House at Sandy Neck by Edward Otis Handy Jr. He is the owner of that little cottage and the book describes life on The Neck. Delightful day!
