Out to the Lighthouse at Long Point

On late Tuesday afternoon when we arrived in Provincetown the tide was in and one could see all kinds of sailing craft in the harbour.  As we secured our room at The Provincetown Inn, I noticed the breakwater going out to the Wood End Lighthouse and recounted to Fran how several years ago my good friend Nick and myself ventured out first to Wood End and then over to the Long Point Lighthouse.  It had been a very humid, hot day and we had not provisioned ourselves well...no water or food...and by the end of the trek, how dehydrated we were.  I mentioned I would like to try to do it again, better prepared.

On Wednesday morn we were up at dawn so I could "shoot" Commercial Street without the throngs of humanity parading down the street.  Then it was off to the harbour to see the fishing fleet as well as the commercial whale-watching and sightseeing boats.

At 7:30, the tide was still in so we went back to the Inn to enjoy their breakfast of cereal, fruit, muffins and hard boiled eggs and then out to the pool to rest our feet, read our books and build our stamina for the "big hike" out the jetty.

Around 11, I noticed the tide was receding and Fran and I changed from sandels to sneakers and walked across the street to the breakwater.  The granite stones on the jetty are huge and made for easy walking in the beginning.  But soon enough I noticed I was having trouble making the "leap" between the big boulders and opted to climb down to the exposed seabed.  Small sea rivers and pools were still visible and crabs, horseshoe crabs and schools of fish were swimming frantically, knowing soon enough even these pockets of water would dry up with the ebbing of the tide.

A horseshoe crab burrowing down into the sand in hopes of "waiting it out" till the tide came back again.

Mussels

Schools of fish

"Mermaid pocketbook" and crab

In the distance we could see Wood End Lighthouse and we carried on walking through the soft sand, small puddles and sea grass.

From the knoll behind the Wood End lighthouse I could just catch a glimpse of the Pilgrim Monument.

Walking down the hill, I saw the expanse of the sandy beaches on Cape Cod Bay.  No wonder some "brave" people make the trek out here...sea, sky and surf as far as the eye can see.

Now the long walk along the beach to Long Point Lighthouse.

Good thing we brought water and fresh fruit.

Time to head back...instead of walking on the jetty I decided to wade in the pools and rivers... my feet were aching from the trek...

Fran

Looking back, I could see the lighthouse in the distance...could we have walked all that way?  No wonder I am tired.

Soon enough, we could see the pool at our Inn...young bodies that we once knew...

and in the distance, the Pilgrim Monument, never far from view in this seaside town.