We started planning weeks ago and quickly decided that rather than go off-Cape (thereby spending extra money with our "real vacation" just around the corner) we would do the things we've been missing out on in the destination location we call home.
Day 1 ended up being a day trip to Nantucket. Despite early showers and a rather convincing fog bank during our ferry crossing, the day cleared off and turned out to be perfect! We spent the first hour or so visiting with an old high school pal that lives there full-time and we hadn't seen each other in 25+ years. So fun! Then he guided us out of town and set us on our way for our bike trip.
We rode about five miles out to the shipwreck museum which is a beautiful building with really interesting displays about the tons of documented shipwrecks around the island and the volunteers that took it upon themselves to try and rescue shipwreck victims. Amazing! The museum sits on a gorgeous inlet marsh and was a great place to rest and snack before continuing to our next destination.
Brook had told us about a private beach not far past the museum so we made our way there with the intention of spending some time relaxing. Unfortunately by the time we got there, there wasn't much time to rest because we wanted an hour or so in town before catching the ferry back to the mainland. It was a lovely little beach though and one we can easily find again!
We headed back to town arriving with just over an hour to wander downtown. It was more than enough - too much really. I enjoy wandering quaint shops and finding unique things but what we found were many of the same things in shop after shop and, having seen much of the same merchandise on the mainland at half the price, all were incredibly over-priced.
Many of the visitors were pretentious and rude with very entitled attitudes. I actually listened to a man and a woman discuss how each of their spray tan techs avoid making the bottom of their feet unnaturally brown for about five minutes while waiting for A outside the bookstore. I walked away and said to A, "These are not 'our people'." He agreed and we decided that the people of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont are 'our people' and that's why we are drawn there so often for vacation.
Our legs were also rubbery from our ~12 mile bike ride so walking the uneven cobblestone streets and undulating brick sidewalks was tricky. We decided to have a seat and eat the rest of our lunch while people watching. The outfits were most entertaining... This is NOT Provincetown where you can let your freak flag fly! No, it appears that there is a dress code for vacationing on the island and it includes pale blue shorts with big red lobsters all over them, Polo shirts with popped collars, large sunglasses and huge floppy beach hats for women over perfectly pressed tennis outfits (with no courts in sight), boat shoes, belts with sailboats, lobsters, sailing flags or other nautical themes, and/or khaki shorts with madras shirts tucked in specifically so to look casual (but watching the man adjust the tuck so that it achieved the exact degree of casual/sloppy/preppy/polished was entertaining).
On the ferry ride home the chilly fog settled back in and we ended up with the aft deck fairly empty - just us and "Atticus" - a big old very sweet black lab.
We had had a wonderful day and checked that "island to-do" off our list. We have no need to rush back in the summer time. We would go explore the island more in the off-season because it truly is gorgeous there but the crowds and attitudes were not appealing to us at all. I'm not sure how the locals put up with it... At least on the Cape, you might be rubbing your left elbow with the "beautiful people" while rubbing your right elbow with "Mr and Mrs Average Joe".
On the way home we picked up a lobster for me and burgers for A and had a lovely evening at home.
Day 2 was supposed to be a long kayak adventure but we were tired from day 1 and the dogs didn't want to be home alone all day again so we adjusted our plans. Instead we relaxed at home in the morning and then took them on a long walk to a new location. Then we went to a garden party at some friends down in Chatham. We meandered our way home along Route 6A and then relaxed on the patio eating fabulous steak and beginning to narrow down the list of things to do on our Alaskan vacation next year.
We work hard so taking the time to enjoy and relax and spend time together is so important to us. We are both grateful for the opportunity to do it and most grateful that we enjoy these things together!
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