2014 Orleans 'Music In The Park'

This year there is a music concert series being held in Orleans, at the Orleans Village Green at the corner of Rt 28 and Main St. The concerts start at 6 PM and run for about an hour. The 'Music in the Park is sponsored by Jeff Kobold  of Prospect Mortgage.

Photo of the Day - Bald Eagle in Orleans

Bald eagles seem to be making a return on the Cape. We've, apparently, had several mating pairs of bald eagles on the Cape for the last few years. Whether they've nested here is unknown, but it's thought that some of the pairs may be nesting here.

There was a detailed story in the Falmouth Enterprise online newspaper a short while ago about the recent influx of bald eagles .....Here.

Do you think the fleeing black bird is just a bit nervous?  This photo is of a immature bald eagle, taken several days ago at Nameskaket Marsh in Orleans. [Photo courtesy of Jeffrey LaVoie, (c) 2014]

2013 Orleans' "Celebrate Our Waters" Weekend - Sept 13-15

The forth annual “Celebrate Our Waters” weekend, will be held September 13th, 14th and 15th, 2013, with many new events, encore presentations of some of your favorites. All events are free!

The weekend’s purpose is to showcase the area’s precious bays, ponds, lakes, marshes, creeks and beaches and thereby increase general awareness and appreciation of our valuable water resources. The event was originally conceived of as simply a few guided walks highlighting Orleans’ ponds and saltwater estuaries but it quickly mushroomed into a two day (and now three day) festival including walks, bike rides, talks, tours, kayak trips, cat boat sailing, aquaculture events, a sand sculpture contest and a bonfire on Nauset Beach. For 2013, they added Friday to the weekend festivities and continue with last years' popular geographical expansion with events in Brewster and Eastham.

This is a weekend to celebrate what brought many of us here in the first place – the wonderful waters all around us.

Go to their website for a schedule and map of events!  All events are free! (Did I say that before!)

New Listing - Wonderful 5 Bedroom Rock Harbor Cape

ORLEANS (Rock Harbor) - New Listing - This is an wonderfully maintained, beautifully decorated, and superbly updated 5 bedroom Cape home just short walk to Rock Harbor. Wonderfully landscaped with many plantings, including a rose garden, and a cute playhouse. Enjoy your granite counters, living room with fireplace, 1st floor laundry, large rear deck, and 2 car garage. A delight - and close to beautiful Rock Harbor and Orleans center. Listed at $624,000.

For lots of photos and a Virtual Tour, go to http://5SmithBrosRd.robertsheldon.com.

2013 - July 4th Activities - Lots to Do!

Whoever thought holding the 4th of July on a Thursday was a good idea? This coming week, with July 4th as a base, is a big week on the Outer Cape. Check out these activities...

Orleans -

• Monday - July 1st - Fireworks at Rock Harbor (rain date July 2th). These fireworks will be easily viewable from Skaket Beach (Orleans) and First Encounter Beach (Eastham)
• Thursday - July 4th - Parade - 10 AM - from Eldredge Parkway to Main Street

Wellfleet -

•  Thursday - July 4th - Parade at 10 AM (Come early for a Classic Car Parade at 9:30)

Chatham -

• Thursday - July 4th - Parade at 9:30 AM - Main St

Eastham -

• "Old Fashioned Fourth of July Party" - 1-4 PM - Schoolhouse Museum

Provincetown -

• Thursday - July 4th - Parade at 11 AM on Commercial St
• Thursday - Fireworks at dusk (9 PM-ish)

Enjoy!

Photo of the Day - Steel Drums in Orleans

It seems to be a sign of impending springtime. Today's weather was kinda cold and wet, but the steel drum(s) were safe and dry in the entryway at Stop & Shop of Orleans. It was fun to hear a little reggae while shopping for groceries. No woman, no cry!

Jeremiah's Gutter - The First Cape Cod Canal

Back in May 2010 I wrote a post on Jeremiah's Gutter, the first Cape Cod canal. The gutter was a hand-dug trench connecting the Bay with the Town Cove.  The canal ran through what is today the Easthan/Orleans Rotary. Anyway, the Cape Cod Times did a video on Jeremiah's Gutter - catch it here...

 

For a little more history, check out my prior post...Here.

Cape Cod Shark Hunters

With sharks being seen along the Outer Cape's shores, in Chatham, Orleans, and Eastham, there is a team of researchers that has been very busy. They are the Cape Cod Shark Hunters. The Shark Hunters have been spotting sharks from the air, trailing them in the water, and tagging them with tracking devices.

The Shark Hunters have a website, at www.CapeCodSharkHunters.com, where they have recent photos, a few videos, and info on the team and their techniques. Check it out!

Dolphin Strandings On The Outer Cape

This last week or so has seen an unprecedented number of dolphin strandings on the bay beaches of Brewster, Orleans, Eastham, and Wellfleet. So many, it seems, that the national news has picked up the story. Sadly, most of the approximately 85 dolphins expired before the tireless volunteers of IFAW's rescue efforts could save them. They were able to save about 35 animals by transporting them to Provincetown's Race Point, where they released them safely into the open ocean.

The following video is from Fox News, broadcast this morning.

Shipwreck on Nauset Beach - The Montclair?

Shipwrecks seem to come and go on the Outer Cape. This one, thought to be the Montclair, has recently reappeared on Nauset Beach. Another piece of the Montclair washed up this past May. The Montclair sank in March 1927 just off-shore. Five men perished in the wreck. Watch the video from the Cape Cod Times.

Photo of the Day: By The Numbers

I took the following photo a few months ago at the Orleans Yacht Club, off Cove Rd in Orleans.

Another Shipwreck on Nauset Beach

Another large piece of an old shipwreck has 'surfaced' on Orleans' Nauset Beach. It's believed to be a piece of the three masted schooner Montclair that sank in a storm in 1927.  Another, larger, piece was unearthed last November just a short distance south from this finding.  Unfortunately, there is really no way to be sure which ship this piece is from since there were over 5000 known shipwrecks off Cape Cod.

Check out the story and photo gallery on the Cape Codder's website...Here.

Orleans Condos Ban Smoking

This is old news since it actually happened almost 2 years ago. The Old Colony Village condo complex on Old Colony Way in Orleans has banned smoking in their units for any new owners. Current owners are 'grandfathered' but need to acquire a filtering system so that their second-hand smoke will no-longer bother other residents.  This ban, which was enacted in 2009, effectively requires that all new owners be non-smokers, reducing somewhat the 'pool' of potential buyers for the condo units. On the other hand, these units are instantly more desirable for nonsmokers who don't enjoy smelling stale smoke in the corridors.

Read the article in the Cape Cod Times online edition.

French Cable Station Museum

The French Cable Station, in Orleans, was the American termination point for a telegraph cable that came directly to Orleans from France, known as "Le Direct" (the direct cable). It was installed in 1898 and was almost 3200 miles long, from Brest France to Orleans, a distance of almost 3200 miles.

The first French Cable was installed in 1869 and landed in Duxbury Ma. It had been routed through St Pierre Island near Newfoundland. Duxbury was a busy port and the cable suffered a number of breaks. A new French Cable was laid in 1879 to North Eastham, at Nauset Light, and a two story station was built there. North Eastham was too isolated and was difficult to reach in bad weather. The current building in Orleans was built in 1891.

The 'Station' has been opened as a museum, with mostly summer hours. The museum is at the corner of Cove Rd and Rt 28, in Orleans. Check out the French Cable Station Museum's website.French Cable Station Museum

Eastham Is For Retirees

It's easy to make the case that the Outer Cape is an ideal place for retirees to call home. We have low taxes, an outdoor-friendly environment, milder weather (summer & winter), good restaurants, lots of golf courses, and a laid-back lifestyle. So, it should be no surprise that the 2010 census backs it up with real facts (we love it when the facts support the truth!). According to the census, Eastham & Orleans rank #2 and #3 as having the highest percentage of folks in Massachusetts receiving retirement pay, with the numbers being 37.8% and 34.1%, respectively. The #1 locale, with 38.3%, is Rowe, in western Massachusetts.

Read the article on the Boston.com website.

Shifting Nauset Beach - The Saga Continues

As the towns of Orleans and Eastham 'discuss' the ownership and management of the northernmost tip of Nauset Beach, which, many believe, belongs to Eastham, the dialog gets significantly more interesting. Who should control access to that portion of the beach?  Who polices the use? Which town needs to protect the piping plovers? Can Eastham residents get lower priced stickers to drive on the new beach? Will cars be banned altogether? 

I like the quote from the Orleans selectman who suggests that Eastham "should be careful what they ask for".  Local politics can be very interesting.

Read the story in the Cape Cod Times online edition.

New Webcam - Skaket Beach

I'm a sucker for beach webcams. I discovered that Orleans now has one overlooking Skaket Beach, on Cape Cod Bay. The camera image is on the same webpage as their cameras at Nauset Beach. Check them out ...Here. The image below was taken this morning.

Orleans' "Pops In The Park" - August 28th

The Orleans Chamber of Commerce is presenting the 21st annual Pops in the Park will take place at Orleans' Eldredge Field on Saturday, August 28th (rain date August 29th). The field will be set with tables for 2 and 4 and with theater seating. The Pops will be provided by the Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra, with performances by the Parkington Sisters and by Ashley Wade.

General admission is $20 per seat ($25 the day of the concert), with table seating at $75 per person. Table seating participants get light snacks and water and (importantly) may bring there own food and beverages.  Go to http://www.popsinthepark.com/ to get mare details and find out where to get tickets.

Enjoy!

New Beach Webcam - Nauset Beach in Orleans

Orleans' Nauset Beach is a town owned public beach and is a continuation of the Cape's outer beach that extends from Provincetown to Chatham's Monomoy Island, a distance (my guess) of about 50-60 miles. A beautiful beach and heavily used by Orleans residents and guests. Parking is a problem, but the are many walk-ins from the town of Orleans.  Anyway, they have a new webcam that rotates, on a minute by minute schedule, through 3 different views. Take a look.... here. I captured the image below a few minutes ago. Another beautiful day!

Lower Cape Home Show - April 3rd

The Chambers of Commerce from Eastham, Orleans, Chatham, Brewster, and Harwich will host the 2010 Home & Garden Show at Eastham's Sheraton Four-Points on April 3rd this year. Last year's show was wildly successful with a full house of exhibitors and attendees. My wife & I researched our recent hardscape options at last year's event. Check out their website for a list of exhibitors and informative lectures. See you at the show!