Cape Cod Bay | The High Pointe Inn

Whale Watching on Cape Cod: An Adventure of a Lifetime

We are lucky to live in an area of such incredible natural beauty. Cape Cod’s diverse ecosystem supports an abundance of exquisite flora and fauna, much of which is unique to our area. But perhaps nothing piques the curiosity of our Inn guests as the annual return of whales to Cape Cod Bay.

Humpbacks, and certain other species of whales, feed for about six or seven months along Stellwagen Bank, an 842-square-mile section of shallows lying in the Gulf of Maine just off the mouth of Cape Cod Bay. A prime fishing area, Stellwagen’s unique conditions and topography enable it to support a tremendous diversity of marine life, from single-cell organisms to great whales. A protected National Marine Sanctuary since 2020, Stellwagen Bank attracts whales due to its abundant food supply, which includes plankton, squid, herring, and sand eels.

For many, humpback whales are the most popular species to watch because they are inquisitive enough to come very close to the whale watching boats and have an engaging tendency to perform. On our most recent whale watching adventure in August of 2020, our onboard naturalist pointed out several whales by name. Identified by unique markings on his fluke, our guide introduced us to Bandit, a particularly charming and entertaining whale who liked to jump out of the water, spin in mid-air, and land with a thwack on his back to the delight of those of us onboard that afternoon. Salt, Crystal, Apostrophe, Compass, Persied, Cajun, Firefly, Tear, Pele, Milkweed, Alphorn, Belli, Draco, Bolide, Nile, Barb, Ampersand, Jabiru, Glo, and Poobah are but a few who also made regular appearances last season, many with calf in tow.

The Hyannis Whale Watcher departs from Barnstable Harbor, just 15 minutes from our inn on Cape Cod. We recommend this trip because it is so convenient for our guests. Other excursions depart from Provincetown, which is about an hour’s drive from us, but most of our guests prefer more time on the boat and less time in the car. Typically the boats run from mid-April through the end of October and are 3 ½ to 4 hours in length. All whale-watching excursions guarantee sightings during the season, so on the off chance that no whales are spotted, you’ll be given a rain check to use at another time. None of our guests has ever been disappointed, however, and several have told us stories of mothers and calves breaching together, humpbacks seeming to wave their fins, and once, of the captain having to turn off the engines while a humpback scratched its back on the bottom of the boat.

One guest in particular happened to catch a spectacular whale watching adventure a couple of summers ago and was able to document it for us with his sophisticated camera equipment. He generously shared his photos with us recently, and I have complied them into a short video that I uploaded to YouTube for your viewing pleasure.

We offer the “Whale of an Adventure” package from mid-May through mid-October, which includes two nights at the High Pointe Inn, breakfast each morning, afternoon tea, after dinner drinks from our cordials bar, 3-course gourmet dinner for two one night, plus two adult whale watch tickets. Visit our Special and Packages page for more details.

Whale Watching on Cape Cod

In today’s Cape Cod Times newspaper, there was a photo of a whale swimming about a half mile off Race Point Beach in Provincetown yesterday afternoon, March 18, 2020. That marks one of the earliest sightings of whales returning to Stellwagan Bank just off Cape Cod Bay, and heralds the beginning of the whale watching season here. Many types of whales are found here in season, including finback (the largest), humpback (the most playful), right (the most endangered), killer, pilot, and minke. Each species has its own distinct habits, but, generally, the whales begin arriving in this area in early spring and leave for warmer waters in early winter. Read the rest of this entry »

Cape Cod Sunsets: In Pursuit of the “Green Flash”

View Great Sunsets On Cape Cod in a larger map

When I was working on cruise ships, in a pre-innkeeping lifestyle, sailors would tell me stories of seeing the “green flash”, a phosphorescent burst of greenish hue that supposedly occurs just as the final remnants of the sun disappear into the water. In all my days at sea, above and below the equator, I paused at day’s end to watch intently as the sun set. Try as I might, however, in my five years at sea, I never witnessed the “green flash”.

Part of me thought it was an old wives tale, or in my case, old sailors. But part of me, the romantic “I believe in Santa Claus and the good fairy” part, really, really wanted to see it. Years later, after my swashbuckling seafarer days, I was on a cruise with my husband, Rich, that took us south to Guatemala. Leaving port at the end of the day, we were on deck just beneath the bridge waving goodbye to the locals who had gathered to see us off. As we steamed toward the horizon, for some strange reason, I recounted the tale of the “green flash” and my disappointment in never having seen it myself.

Caught up in the moment of wistful recollections, but with some circumspection, he indulged my romantic notion and stopped to watch the sun sink slowly in the sky. Perhaps it was the warm trade winds, or the gentle swell of the ocean beneath us, or even the effervescence of the bubbly in our glasses, but at the very moment the sun slipped softly below the horizon…there it was. Ever so brief, but none the less brilliant, a flash of emerald green. And though we’ve never seen it since, every time we watch the setting
sun, no matter where we are in the world, we hold our breath and hope that it appears.

Very few places on the east coast of the continental U.S. have a view of the sun setting over water, save for the west coast of Florida, some offshore islands, and parts of Cape Cod. We invite you to witness this phenomenon the next time you visit us at the High Pointe Inn. Even if you don’t see it, it sure is fun trying. Here are some of our favorite spots to catch the sunset on this magnificent peninsula we call home:

Gray’s Beach, Yarmouthport
A long boardwalk across the marsh leads to a viewing platform. Along the way, you might spot a crab or two in the tide pools.

Chapin Memorial Beach, Dennis
Right across the town line from Gray’s Beach. Bring a blanket or a beach chair for comfort.

Wychmere Harbor, Harwichport
Wychmere is considered by some to be one of the prettiest harbors on the Cape. Pull into the little observation area off Rt. 28, but remember that parking is limited to 15 minutes.

Skaket Beach, Orleans
Set right in the crook of the Cape’s elbow, Skaket offers you that rare East Coast treat of seeing the sun set on water.

Great Island, Wellfleet
This secluded section of the National Seashore overlooks Cape Cod Bay to its west and Wellfleet Harbor to the east.

Cape Cod Light, Truro
The view from this vantage point includes dunes, ocean, bay, Pilgrim Monument, and Cape Cod Light to frame your sunset.

Race Point, Provincetown
Race Point sits on the very tip of the Cape, surrounding by water on three sides.

From Sea or Sky
Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard also have beautiful sunsets, but our favorite treat is to catch the sunset from the back of the ferry on our return trip from one of the islands. Even better is to catch it in-flight aboard a Cape bound plane.

Cape Cod Clam Shacks

View 21 Favorite Cape Cod Clam Shacks in a larger map

Rich and I had lunch at one of our favorite local restaurants the other day. It’s a cozy spot tucked back from the road just off Route 6A in Yarmouthport, MA called Jack’s Outback. We’ve eaten there so often over the years that we’ve gotten to know the waitresses, the proprietor, and some of the other regulars. We’ve commiserated with them when life has dealt a nasty blow, shared funny stories, and gradually become part of the Jack’s Outback family.

We often convene the “Breakfast Club” on a winter’s morning, sharing a table with fellow innkeepers and trading stories of life before and, eventually, after innkeeping.
But this day we snuck off by ourselves for a serving of quiet and calm that Jack’s so easily delivers. It was cold outside, wintery and windswept from a storm that was whipping up the east coast. Inside it was warm and toasty, with the fragrance of all things yummy emanating from the kitchen. We waved to friendly faces and slid into a booth. Most days we just order our “usuals” – a burger for Rich and a BLT for me. But on this wondrous day one of us was in for a treat. There among the “specials” were two words that brought a twinkle to Rich’s eyes: Clam plate. Read the rest of this entry »

A Cape Cod Lighthouse Adventure

View Cape Cod Lighthouses in a larger map

Last summer, Rich and I headed down Cape for a day of exploring, as we often do when guests are safely off on their own adventures. The day dawned bright blue with clear skies, a picture-perfect day for exploring. We headed east on Route 6 checking the map for interesting places to scout out for our guests. I spotted Highland Light in Truro and charted a course to this new and as yet unexplored (at least by us) destination. Read the rest of this entry »

More Reasons to Visit the Cape This Winter

Yesterday I wrote about why Cape Cod is such a great place to visit, even in the winter. Today I want to offer you a few specific events to consider making a trek to the Cape to attend this month or next. Anyone of them would be well worth your time and money.

January 23-24: 21st Annual Cape And Islands Orchid Show. Hyannis Resort and Conference Center, Hyannis, MA. When Rich and I first went to the Orchid show, I was recovering from back surgery. Rich was nervous as a cat in a room full of rocking chairs watching me maneuver around the exhibition hall with my cane. But the beauty of the exhibits and the exotic orchids soon won him over. And the opportunity to talk with the exhibitors on the art and science of orchids was irresistible. As a result we bought several specimens to try our hand at propagating them, and even though we did not have much success, the afternoon we spent at the show was like being transported to some exotic island. In January that is a welcome respite from the winter cold.

February 6: 5th Annual Osterville Chocolate Festival, 10AM to 3PM, Main St. Osterville, MA. There was a chocolate festival in North Conway (where we used to own an inn) every February. The event drew hundreds of people who cross country skied inn to inn to sample the innovative chocolate creations of the innkeepers. I supposed the idea of cross country skiing between the venues was a way to minimize the impact of the extra calories consumed that day by the participants. Although the Osterville event does not require any physical exertion, it is a really fun event to attend. And who can resist chocolate? (Save for my husband and best friend who are not chocoholics like me. I’ve always been a little suspect of that…)

February 12-14: Fourth Annual Boatbuilders Show, Resort and Conference Center, Hyannis, MA. Often on a summer’s day, Rich and I will drive down to the marina at Sesuit Harbor in Dennis. Our favorite little clam shack is there. You eat outside at picnic tables in the “most beautiful dining room on earth” as designated by the proprietor, J.C. The view is of the boats in the marina and the channel out to Cape Cod Bay. On any given sunny day there is an almost constant stream of boat traffic. We watch each boat as it traverses the channel, admiring the lines of a Boston Whaler, the flying bridge of a fishing vessel, or the cut of a sail. We dream about owning such a boat one day, and motoring around Cape Cod or out to the islands of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. We know it’s a pipedream, but still for those lovely moments as we eat our clams and drink our beers we are transported to another lifetime and all its possibilities. I think that is the allure of a boat show…to dream, if only for a moment, what life would be like if you owned a boat. The Boatbuilders event showcases boats built in small numbers by small shops on and near the Cape and elsewhere in New England, and the purpose of the show is to showcase the beauty of the boats and the people who build them. In February, it is far too cold to be sitting at a picnic table at Sesuit Harbor. But when I go to the boat show I can return to my summer’s dream of owning a boat, and while I am there, the world is full of possibilities.

Visit Cape Cod in Winter: Hummingbirds Do It

A recent photo on the cover of the Cape Cod Times featured a rare Allen’s hummingbird on a feeder at a home in Harwich Port. Though it is not unusual to spot a hummingbird on the Cape, it is a rarity in the dead of winter. And this particular bird is worthy of a cover story because its normal habitat is coastal California and parts of central Mexico. Now I am not a bird expert, but this strange occurrence signals to me that this hummingbird has stumbled upon one of Cape Cod’s greatest secrets. It’s a great place to hang out at any time of the year. Let me tell you why.

Although it does snow here from time to time, the snow never lasts long. A good storm might drop as much as a foot at the beginning of the week, but by the time the weekend rolls around we’re looking at green grass again. Seriously, I saw golfers out the other day at the Hyannis Golf Club on Iyannough Road. I was out doing last minute Christmas shopping and there they were enjoying the back nine. Mind you, they were dressed for the weather, but they were golfing none-the-less.

Temperatures can dip into the 20s, and perhaps even into the teens in the wee hours of the morning. But 30s and 40s are more typical even in the dark days of winter. And now that the winter solstice has passed, the days are getting longer. Of course, it’s not beach weather yet, but it still is comfortable enough for a long walk on the beach. Casey, our yellow lab, loves a good walk on the beach in the winter. All kinds of cool things wash up on the beach after a good blow. Last year a vagrant buoy washed up on Sandy Neck Beach and created quite a stir. And the year before that the remains of an old shipwreck surfaced a Newcomb Hollow in Wellfleet. Winter is the perfect time to treasure hunt…you never know what you might find.

Winter is also the best time to go to a restaurant you may have been wanting to try. Off-season restaurants offer discounts, early bird dining, prix fixe menus, and other great deals in an effort to lure new diners. We take advantage of the slow winter months to find new haunts to recommend to our guests. Some restaurants also host wine dinners, cooking demonstrations, and themed events that are not only a great bargain but enormous fun. I’d share some pictures of the Naked Oyster’s Hawaiian Luau a couple of winters ago, but I’ve pledged to protect the innocent.

Now that the holidays are over, some of my favorite shops are offering deep discounts to deplete current inventory in an effort to ready themselves for their spring and summer stock. Red Fish Blue Fish on Main St. in Hyannis is a great spot to find fantastic gifts for next year’s stockings at up to 75% off. Having been caught in the crunch of finding fun and funky items for the stockings I stuff this year, you can bet I’m going to be taking advantage of that sale.

Finally, most lodging properties are offering great deals for both midweek and weekend travel. Here at the High Pointe Inn in West Barnstable on Cape Cod, we offering 25%
off a 3-night mid-week stay from now through March 31st. That’s a savings of more than $100 off our regular low off-season rates!. We also have a great 3-night Romantic Valentine’s Getaway Package that includes side-by-side in-room couples massages, 3-course gourmet dinner for two, a bottle of chilled champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries. And for our teacher friends, we just put together a Teacher’s PET package for February and April vacation weeks.

For more information on these and our other great packages, call us toll free at 1-888-362-4441 or visit our Specials and Packages page on our website.

After all, if hummingbirds want to hang around on the Cape this winter, there must be something to it.

Cape Cod: “The Happy Place in the World”

I have often wondered how to describe the magic that is Cape Cod to our guests. Some say it is something about the light that surrounds this beautiful peninsular. Others will comment on the vast expanse of marsh and dunes that envelope Cape Cod Bay and Nantucket Sound. Still others will marvel at the brilliant blue of the sky, the smell of salt air, or the hypnotic effect of watching waves roll into shore. It is all that…and more. But until recently, there was no way to fully capture what makes Cape Cod such a special place, a place to be treasured.

Enter Charlie Gibson, anchor of ABC network news, and part-time resident of Cape Cod, where he has a family vacation home. Mary Richardson of Chronicle HD, a local TV news magazine, interviewed Charlie this week, his final week of broadcasts as anchorman for World News Tonight. “Why do you go to Cape Cod?” she asked him. And in his most eloquent style, Charlie Gibson captured what it is about Cape Cod that makes it such an unforgettable place, a place to return to again and again, and a place, if you’re lucky, to live and work. This is how Charlie Gibson described the feeling of Cape Cod:

“You drive across the Cape Cod canal and the air smells different, the atmosphere is different, the whole ethos of living is different, the pace slows down. It’s just like the weight of the whole world comes off your shoulders. And I love the fact that we have only a blinking light on the main street, and there’s a little deli that sells bread, and a hardware store, and a bike shop, and that’s it.”

“And then you sit and look out at the beautiful waters that surround the Cape and it slows everything down to the point that it’s not racing past you. And that is to be treasured always. It is…it is the happy place in the world.”

You can listen to the full interview with Charlie at the Boston Channel.com.

Cape Cod: “The Happy Place in the World”

You can listen to the full interview with Charlie at the Boston Channel.com.

Christmas Gift Ideas: The Twelve Days of Christmas on Cape Cod

Everyone needs a little help coming up with great Christmas gift ideas for the friends and family members on their gift list. Today being the first of the Twelve Days of Christmas, I thought I’d continue on the theme of an earlier posting I wrote about unique and unusual shops along the Old King’s Highway (Route 6A) on Cape Cod. I especially could use some help with ideas for our four grand children, who range in age from one to nearly seven. They are always a challenge for us, and I have prided myself on finding some great toys and books in the past, but this year we are stumped. So if any of you grandparents out there have an idea for a 7-year-old girl, or 5-year-old, 4-year-old, and 1-year-old boys, we would love to hear from you. Read the rest of this entry »

The High Pointe Inn

News and Views from the High Pointe Inn on Cape Cod

Whale Watching on Cape Cod: An Adventure of a Lifetime

Whale Watching on Cape Cod

Cape Cod Sunsets: In Pursuit of the “Green Flash”

Cape Cod Clam Shacks

A Cape Cod Lighthouse Adventure

More Reasons to Visit the Cape This Winter

Visit Cape Cod in Winter: Hummingbirds Do It

Cape Cod: “The Happy Place in the World”

Cape Cod: “The Happy Place in the World”

Christmas Gift Ideas: The Twelve Days of Christmas on Cape Cod

Categories

Meta

Blogroll

Archives

Come on over to our Blogs!