(click on photos to see larger image)
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Click on the photos to see larger images. An aerial photo of Chatham looking south. The big, sandy island that runs off into the distance is Monomoy Island. Click on the photo to see the red arrow which marks the location of our house. |
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This
is Willets, named after a shorebird by my grandfather who bought
the house back in the 1930s.
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Down a path and through the brush brings you to a marsh and Stetson's Cove. A nice place to swim when it's hot. This photo was taken right at high tide. |
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Sydney and her cousin Leland hamming it up. |
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Ed,
my dad, and Jeannie trying out some seaweed wigs.
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About 3 minutes from the house is a landing where we keep the boat. You head out of Stage Harbor and through the channels to Monomoy Island. Here my long time buddy Chris keeps his hands firmly on the wheel as we fly along. |
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Following
the meandering channels past the islands and sandbars.
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This
is a popular spot to anchor and do some clamming and exploring.
Right across the channel is a favorite spot also for several hundred
seals who pull out on to the sand bars when the tide goes out.
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Sydney
and Jackson digging for clams.
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In
just a few minutes you can dig quite a few. We usually eat them
that night, then go out and dig more the next day, repeating the
process until we can't eat any more.
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The crowded conditions of the Monomoy Island area. It's pretty easy to find peace and seclusion out here. You can just spot Sydney running around through the wet area to the right. |
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There's
all kinds of inlets and coves that come and go with the whims of
the winter storms. This cove was completely different just 12 months
later.
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Cartwheeling
through the shallows along the ocean. This shallow sloping beach
face and sand bar has since vanished. The water is now about 50
feet deep where Sydney is cartwheeling.
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Another
spot, closer to the town of Chatham. It's important to make sure
that the boat is anchored just right so that it will still be floating
when the tide goes out.
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A
50 yard hike over the dunes brings us to the ocean. The breaking
waves you see here will soon be a sand bar as the tide goes out.
Andy, Sydney and Jeannie were the first to swim out and start playing
in the waves.
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Before
long everyone else on the beach couldn't stand being left out of
the fun the 3 of us were having and soon there were about 20 beachgoers
all playing in the waves. This is about 2 hours after we first went
out.
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Completely
waterlogged, Leland and Sydney return from frolicking in the surf.
The picture doesn't show it but the current was flying by between
the beach and the sandbar as the tide roared out. Probably why the
lady is pausing before crossing the channel.
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Late
afternoon and heading back into Stage Harbor for cocktails, clams
and corn.
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The
winds can come up pretty strong down in Chatham. There are all kinds
of channels to sail in as well which makes for fantastic, high speed,
flat water sailing.
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This
channel was about chest deep with bath tub temperature water...
and quite a few 2-4 foot striped bass.
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Andy
flying along during our last afternoon in Chatham. 4 hours after
this photo was taken we were heading back to Cohasset... in the
pouring rain.
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