Tornadoes and Sharks...Just Summertime on Cape Cod #CapeCod #tornadoes

*Free use photo -- not the actual Cape tornado

I've lived on Cape Cod for twenty years now, and the summertime shark influx has been an ongoing annual occurrence since about 2009.  Before that, the Cape didn't have a lot of reports of Great White sharks (despite the fact that the 1975 hit movie Jaws was filmed on Martha's Vineyard...view a few pics of local settings in this post).  The first time I really remember hearing a lot about sharks here was in 2004, when a 15-foot Great White shark became somewhat stuck in a body of water near Wood's Hole.  That shark drew tons of attention, a lot of curious boaters, and became the first Great White tagged with a satellite tracking device in the Atlantic before it was coaxed back out into the open ocean by experts.  Sightings now happen all the time, and sadly, we had a shark attack fatality last year--the first deadly shark attack in MA since one in Buzzards Bay in 1936.

With the Cape being a peninsula surrounded by water, in addition to sharks and other sea life, we do often get wild weather as well: Nor'Easters, hurricanes, blizzards, etc.  A few of them were significant enough for me to write about on my blog, so with this past week's bizarre tornado touch-down, I took a little look back to some of the other crazy weather events I discussed on my blog since I started it in 2012.

Hurricane Sandy devastated a great deal of the East Coast in October of 2012, but the Cape escaped the majority of its wrath (and that was a relief--Sandy was a deadly, destructive hurricane).  While we only got the fringes of Sandy, we were hit with a rough Nor'Easter about two weeks later.  What I remember about that one is that a downed power line started a fire in our tree (Sandy's sister storm) and also how a true friend came through for me at an important time.

In 2014, we had a terrible blizzard that blanketed the Cape the first weekend of school February break...and of course the night before we were due to leave to take our kids to Disney (all park tickets bought in advance cause I'm a planner).  While we made it to Florida, our older son had a terrible injury the day we got back.  (Blizzards, Blackouts, and Broken Legs).

In 2015 there was Juno, or "Snowmageddon 2015".  That led to a post about some of the other blizzards we've experienced here, and also the disastrous blizzard-related skiing trip. (Blizzard of 2015/Snowmageddon)

But tornadoes?  It's just been announced that we actually had THREE tornadoes last week.  Before that, there was one in Wood's Hole (Wood's Hole again?) last October...before that, 1977 and then 1968.  

Thankfully, my understanding thus far is that no injuries occurred...although there was extensive damage, and there is footage of the roof being ripped off a Yarmouth hotel which is mind-boggling.

My family spent a lot of time in our basement Monday night and Tuesday during the day.  While taking cover in the basement with my younger son on Tuesday, we heard water splattering, and I opened the storage room door to find water pouring through the two small windows.  When the tornado warning lifted for our area, we ran outside to find the window wells overflowing with the amount of rain that had slammed down in such a short period of time.  We took buckets and bailed the window wells while getting soaked...every step in our yard had us sinking into swampy puddles of mud and mulch.  We spent the rest of the afternoon learning how to use our wet-vac, and getting our work-out in as we carried tubs of water up the stairs to empty.  Definitely a day I won't forget soon, but the most important thing is that while our house was damp, it was still standing...and more importantly, no injuries reported despite three tornadoes during the busiest season here.

So it literally has been a "Sharknado" summer here on Cape Cod...I do hope things calm down a bit and that everyone who comes here (including our revolving-door house guests coming in August) gets a chance to relax and have a safe and wonderful visit.

A Whirlwind Tour of Cape Cod - #travel #vacation

I consider myself very lucky to live on Cape Cod...I grew up in the Washington, D.C., area, which is wonderful in its own right, but my little hometown of Bethesda has grown into a city over the years.  We moved to the Cape in 1998, when my husband was transferred to the Coast Guard base here.  Once we'd spent a few years here, we decided this was where we needed to stay to raise our family.  Yes, it's fairly quiet (blissfully so, actually) in the off-season--but when summertime hits, the entire peninsula explodes with seasonal residents and tourists.  And our house becomes a virtual bed and breakfast, hosting all our family and friends.

This July, we have had two groups of 6 guests almost back-to-back.  A lot of laundry and cooking and cleaning, but also a lot of fun.  So here are some of the things we did during the weeks we had a houseful of guests:

Cape Cod National Seashore - Cahoon Hollow Beach

The Cape Cod National Seashore is simply breathtaking.  However, in the summertime, parking anywhere near the beaches becomes an extreme sport.  We get an early start and head to Wellfleet (home of the drive-in movie theater that is also an antique/flea market several days a week).  At Cahoon Hollow Beach, we park in the Beachcomber Restaurant's parking lot, which is open to the public but does fill up quickly.  You have to pay a small fee, but in return you get a coupon for the restaurant in the same amount, which is helpful around lunchtime.  Getting down to the beach requires a zigzag path down the steep dunes.  You can often see seals swimming not too far off shore; however, the great white sharks have arrived as well, now that the seal population is protected and flourishing.  Even though the sharks aren't looking for humans, mistakes can (and have) been made, so we don't swim out too far.  There are also tons of kettle ponds around, along with shops to rent kayaks and canoes to enjoy freshwater fun.  GULL HARBOR, the title of my second novel, is a fictional town loosely based on Wellfleet.  You can see some of the pictures I used for the setting inspiration here.

On Friday nights, Coonamessett Farm in East Falmouth offers Jamaica Night - a Jamaican buffet with tons of authentic food, plus fantastic steel drum music by Vernon ("Vern-mon").  It's BYOB or wine, so you can come in with a cooler, set up at a table, and enjoy the food and music.  For the kids, there are play areas, tons of animals to see, little tractors to ride, and of course, dancing...the adults all join in, as well.  There's a little ice cream shop, a gift and produce store, plus ornamental plants for sale.  We always enjoy ourselves here, and it was perfect for my little nieces and nephew.

Christmas Tree Shops is my sister's must-visit store on the Cape.  If you've never seen one of these, it's worth stopping in.  No, it's not all about Christmas.  It has the oddest and largest assortment of items, from hair accessories to beach towels to furniture, for extremely low prices.  We end up with a ton of stuff, some of which we had no idea we needed.  But we never break the bank!

Commercial Street, Ptown

Our guests with older kids allow us to take longer daytrips.  We always visit Provincetown, the quaint and quirky town at the very tip of Cape Cod.  While it does become a bit wild at night, during the day it is filled with families shopping, eating, visiting the Whydah Pirate Museum (home of the only authentic pirate treasure in the world! *2017 edit- this museum has now moved to Yarmouth) and the Pilgrim Monument (did you know the Pilgrims landed in Ptown first, before sailing on to Plymouth?), biking the trails, and hitting the beaches.

A little hotel overlooking
Provincetown Harbor

We almost always do the Shining Sea Bike Trail (Bikeway), starting in Falmouth at the Corner Cycle bike rental shop (should our guests need bikes) and then biking past ponds, beaches, marshland, and in and out of the woods all the way to Wood's Hole, which is the a gorgeous little village at the extreme southwest corner of the Cape.  We eat lunch, visit the Woods Hole Aquarium, get ice cream and coffee, and bike back to Falmouth. 

In Mashpee, there's a state beach anyone can visit (South Cape Beach), and nearby, within the New Seabury community, there are wonderful beachfront spots where we like to get a bite and have a drink.  The Popponesset Inn is open to the public and overlooks the ocean--there's great food served both in the more formal dining area or in the more casual tavern/bar section.  A short walk down the crushed shell paths leads you to The Lure, a new raw bar right on the beach.  There are tables and big Adirondack chairs, a light menu featuring seafood (try the famous lobster roll!), and a full bar.  Many nights also include a local band providing musical entertainment.

A few of our favorite restaurants are in Hyannis: Tugboats, right on the harbor, and the Beech Tree Cantina, located on Main Street.  Tons of shopping and fun activities along Main Street Hyannis as well!  We also love Anejo in Falmouth; Main Street Falmouth is another collection of cute shops and old houses. 

Nantucket

Two beautiful islands are a ferry ride away: Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.  This year, we did Nantucket, which is smaller and farther away.  However, on a weekday, you can get high-speed ferry tickets (round trip) for $50 and get there in an hour from Hyannis.  Once you are there, you feel like you're in another world.  The entire island should be in the dictionary under "quaint".  Cobblestone streets, converted fishing shacks, antique stores, shingled houses with names and hedge borders, conservation land, and waterfront restaurants fit together seamlessly.  You won't find a neon sign or a billboard--there are strict rules that keep Nantucket pristine and unique (don't look for a Starbucks or a McDonald's here!).  I highly recommend one of the bus tours--you learn so many interesting facts and history about the island, and you get to see things you would not be able to see just walking around the downtown area. 

More on local attractions we love can be found in this blog post, with a focus on Martha's Vineyard, Provincetown, and the Spit.

If you ever visit the Cape, consider trying some of these wonderful attractions!  And if a trip to Cape Cod isn't in your immediate future, you can still experience some of the local spots in GULL HARBOR, my ghost story/romance set on the Cape.  Happy Summer!