2016 Holiday Day 4 - Cape Cod Lighthouses

We didn't really have a plan for today. We thought we'd stay on the Cod, seeing as that was where were actually lodged, so decided to head out to the coast and visit the lighthouses. Two out of the three would be open today so it would be a pleasant drive. Plus Clare really wanted to check out a place serving lobster rolls she'd read about in the paper...

A light breakfast this morning of cereal and English muffin before hitting the road and heading to Highland Light (sometimes called Cape Cod Light).

This one is owned by the National Parks, so has a visitor centre and guided tour of the lighthouse, detailing it's history, before ascending the steps to the actual light itself. Now, I was expecting stone steps, but instead it was open slat metal (with holes drilled through the slats) before two ladders took you up to the main light itself. Well, I got up two flights of the steps before my vertigo got the better of me, and I decided to head back down to terra firma. Clare and Matthew, not suffering from such silly and irrational fears as me, went on ahead.

The view looking up... <gulp>....

They confirmed the view from the top was glorious and more about the light was explained by the guide up there. I contented myself with talking to the downstairs guide who'd lived in England in the 70's and so we talked on 'home'.

We then headed out the back of the Light towards the cliffs and saw the place where the lighthouse had been moved from to prevent it from falling into the sea due to the heavy cliff erosion that happens in the this part of the world.

After a browse around the gift shop (and purchase of a new lighthouse model and some artwork for our collection) we headed back to the car to drive along the coast to find the eating place Clare wanted to visit to try their lobster roll at Rock Harbor Beach, just outside Orleans. It took a little bit of finding (mostly due to the 'wonderful' American road sigh system that tells you the turn you need to take at the actual turn itself, with no prior warning, as you sail past it cursing...) but it was well worth it. Rock Harbor is a lovely bay with a small beach and mooring for a number of fishing and pleasure boats. Next door to the harbour entrance is a place called Captain Cass which was proclaimed by a recent article in The Sunday Times Travel magazine to serve the best lobster rolls. Clare is a huge lobster roll fan, so needed to check this claim out for herself!

Everyone inside was very friendly, and her order taken (I went for a hot dog, Matthew had a packed lunch) we headed outside to wait. About 10 minutes later the food arrived, and we retied to a shady spot outside the church to eat. And sure enough, it was declared by Mrs B to be a fine lobster roll - the finest she'd ever had! Huzaah!

Feeling refreshed, we headed to the car to go to Chatham Light. This year, it was only open on Wednesdays between 1.30pm and 3.30pm (as this one is still a US Coastguard facility) so we had to time it right! This time, we found the place reasonably easily but finding a parking spot was to prove tricky. It seems that a storm 3 years ago washed a load of lovely sand onto the beach, where previously there had been none, so we were vying with beach goers as well and lighthouse visitors for very few parking spots! Having circled a couple of times we were about to give up when finally a spot opened up and we grabbed it.

It was a pretty long queue on a pretty hot day, but after about 45 minutes waiting the tour began

In the lower part of the lighthouse, we were told of it's history and construction. Everyone then proceeded to climb the light - everyone except me - who bailed out again! This time, I got chatting to one of the US Coastguards organising the tour and we chatted about travel and the time he spent in Rio. It's amazing how wearing a London 2012 T-shirt can start so many conversations!

Clare and Matthew reached the top and heard more stories of the Light and some it's history.

Once we back on earth we headed for the car and home. However, we had a few unplanned detours via all sorts of places as - once again - our friend the American road sign utterly confused us at key points of the journey. Still, we finally made it back to Sandwich and then completing the day we stopped for gas at a service station and I promptly got out and started filling up when a chap wandered over and said it was full service. Oops! I apologised and he was cool but it's something to try and remember when travelling around the States. They still employ people to fill your car up!

I went for a veggie burger in the Tavern tonight (veggies can be tough to find on menus!) and Matthew had chicken strips. Clare, still full of lobster roll, just had a Creme Brulee...

A little cooler this evening, not so humid, so see what tomorrow brings...