As I begin to compose this opus on October 9, my wife Sandy and I are into day six of our annual Cape Cod pilgrimage. More likely than not we’ll have returned to our suburban- Philadelphia abode before I complete the piece. That’s because I’m on The Cape (a 65-mile-long peninsula in Massachusetts, USA) to indulge in fun and games and to immerse myself in natural beauty. Ergo, writing sessions are nowhere near the front burner.
We love Cape Cod, as I’ve noted in a bunch of essays since launching this publication four and a half years ago, and so far the trip has been absolutely A-OK. We’ve filled many of our waking hours with activities that bring us pleasure and joy. To name a few: walking along Atlantic Ocean and Cape Cod Bay coastlines; moseying around sweet villages; flying our trusty kite; chowing down each night in good, dependable restaurants; grooving hard to rock and blues bands; playing a round of miniature golf; going on a whale watch voyage in the Atlantic Ocean. Holy shit, I’m a fortunate f*cker, aren’t I? And I’d unhesitatingly call Sandy a fortunate f*cker too, except that she’d be very displeased with my language if I did.
Probably I’ll focus a bit more on some of the above pursuits in a future story or two. But the rest of this piece will be about a different subject, one that warms the hearts of much of humanity. Yes, somewhere in the vicinity of 80,000,000 articles already have been written about sunsets, but that won’t stop me. I’m a follower, not an innovator, so I ain’t too proud to squeeze yet another sunset story into the mega-humungous pile!
Is there anything about this sunset story to set it apart? Don’t bet your life on it. But it does have something going for it. You see, before this trip Sandy and I never witnessed more than two consecutive sunsets. But we improved on that by catching sunsets on the 5th, 6th and 7th of October, a personal record that we may never top. This wasn’t by grand design. Instead, things just casually fell into place. Not otherwise engaged on each of those nights at around 6:00 PM, we wisely chose to watch our friend the Sun make its way to the horizon, and we stuck around for a while longer because, as everyone knows, sunsets frequently become better after the Sun has disappeared. Then we headed off to dinner, feeling better ourselves.
The sunsets that we caught had different personalities from one another. The first, a gauzy cloth of yellow and orange in a cloudless sky, was the brightest, even though the colors didn’t cascade all over the heavens. The colors would have done so, I thought, if a nice amount of clouds, with their reflective and refractive powers, had been present.
But what do I really know about clouds? There were plenty of them, airy and tufted, the next night. The sunset remained muted nonetheless, with simple bands of orange and yellow that didn’t radiate into other regions of the skies. Clouds! I think they thumbed their noses at me that night just for spite.
And the third sunset was the least colorful of all. In fact, only hints of yellow were visible through a very dense cloud cover. But that was all right with me. It was a different form of sunset, a subdued one in greys, yet beautiful. And a lonely kite surfer was a good addition to the scene.
The sunsets took place over Cape Cod Bay, which abuts Cape Cod’s northern side. For sunset number one we took our positions at Rock Harbor, in Orleans. For the second we stood on the sands of Corn Hill Beach, in Truro. And for the third we gazed from Mayo Beach, in Wellfleet. I tell you, each of those locations is magnificent. The unfussy layout of all the pieces (sky, waters, sands, grasses) is as fine as you ever could wish to see. Hell, sunsets are the icing on an already-astonishing cake.
So, here’s the thing. At home in my suburban/urban region, there are not a lot of expanses where you can engage with nature properly. Overdevelopment has seen to that. And sunsets? Well, good luck viewing them over the houses and office buildings and other structures. That’s why, when at home, sunsets are rarely anything I think about. Out of sight, out of mind, you know?
But on Cape Cod? Man, when I first came here, in 1998, my nature-loving component swelled in size and slapped me awake. While on the Cape I make it a point to walk on sands or in forests or marshlands every day, weather permitting. And though Sandy and I don’t seek out sunsets compulsively — too much of a good thing would dampen the glory — we never want to end a Cape vacation without having scratched “watch one or more sunsets” off our to-do list. Sunsets are there for the taking, after all, beautiful performances for which the tickets are free.
(Please don’t be shy about adding your comments or about sharing this essay. Gracias.)
(If you click on any photo, a larger image will open in a separate window.)
Yeah, Another Blogger 
I can fully understand why writing would not be on the front burner with views like that to enjoy with your wife. For me, sunrise and sunset photography at the beach are never planned as a surprise is always the best. Looks blissful and I hope you enjoyed your holiday.
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Hi Suzanne. My wife and I are Cape Cod addicts. We’ve been going to CC pretty much every year since 1998. It’s like our second home.
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Loveliness.
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The natural areas in Cape Cod are my number one reason for liking CC as much as I do. But I also like the restaurants and art galleries and cinemas and . . .
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Glorious. It’s one thing to have these natural beauties to hand, quite another to immerse oneself in them and really appreciate them!
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Hi. You’re right. It’s good for the mind and emotions to “lose yourself” in nature at least semi-regularly.
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Totally gorgeous! i love sunrise and sunset.
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Hey there, Sheree. Right, they are amazing times of the day.
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It’s good to get away and to enjoy nature’s delights. It’s also good, as I have particularly noticed as I have aged, to be able to enjoy the very simple pleasures of life and nature – this belies your “grumpy old man” persona for many would belittle the fact that one can enjoy a sunset, a walk on the beach, looking at a pretty wildflower. Old age allows us the independence to tell such people to sling their hook, to get a life, and to take a turn at smelling the roses. It’s a good life and we should allow ourselves to enjoy it. I wish you many, many more beautiful sunsets – but not the John Wayne style of sunset! New granddaughter here – start of another life and I hope she grows old and enjoys the sunsets!
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Congrats on the new grandchild. You’ll be a good teacher for her!
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Poor child! LOL But, I will certainly love her!
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Hi Neil, I’ve always been seduced by the name “Cape Cod” and imagined myself there. Don’t know why in particular, but I’m also a sucker for sunsets. As we live only just over a mile away from the sea here in Spain, we have seen a few corkers, plus some lovely “sherbet-dab” and strawberry mousse-type dawn skies. Aren’t us retirees lucky devils! Your holidays sounded a lovely break. Cheers. x
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Sunsets in Spain! I’d like to see at least a couple of them. Take care, Joy, and thanks for stopping by.
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Looks pretty great Neil, seems like a good ritual to add to your Cape Cod visits.
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Yeah, over the years we’ve settled into a good rhythm on our Cape Cod visits. Catching sunsets now and then is part of it.
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This post really shows what it means to be “in the moment,” appreciating each sunset’s personality.
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Hi there. Good to hear from you. Yes, with sunsets you never quite know how each one will turn out. Sometimes they take you by surprise.
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You caught the mood and the personality of the cold, ancient cape. I haven’t been there in decades. I sure want to return!
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Hi Cindy. CC has a lot going for it. My most favorite part is the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It’s many miles long and is a protected area. No boardwalks or anything like that. Natural beauty,
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I’m with you – sunsets are one of nature’s finest gifts and if we are lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time they deserve to be appreciated and celebrated. And you’ve done that in spades here. Lovely!
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Hi Sandra. Many thanks for dropping by. Yes, in a natural area you can’t beat a good sunset (or sunrise).
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Glad you are having such a wonderful time ! Beautiful sunsets.
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Hi Joyce, and thanks. As a Cape Cod lover, you know how terrific this area is.
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I’ve never been to the Cape and I know it’s beautiful so I should add it to the list of places to visit. I like your photo of the third sunset. The subdued grays appeal to me, less showy but still worthy of note. A gift indeed
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Morning, Ally. Cape Cod has a lot going for it. I think you’d like the Cape!
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Who could ever tire of sunsets over the ocean? Even a cloudy one is a sight to behold.
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Morning, Laurie. Sunsets (and sunrises) are daily spectaculars!
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Nature’s gift!
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Beautifully written and so really makes me want to go there. Thank you
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Cape Cod awaits your visit!
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Speaking of sunsets, you may enjoy listening to George Strait sing “This Is Where The Cowboy Rides Away” Have a great day. Jerry
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Jerry, you’re a country music lover!
Thanks for the visit. Take care.
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Every sunset is unique as evidenced by your photos. There’s something special about sunsets that draws folks to witness. It’s powerful but spiritual at the same time.
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I agree. They can be awe-inspiring.
Hi Annie. Many thanks for adding your thoughts.
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What a fun time–made more beautiful by the sunsets. I couldn’t do half of what you did! I’d end up reading on the beach, hat on my head, toes in the sand, and suddenly, the sun would be setting.
I live vicariously through your energy.
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Hey, lounging all day on the beach is a worthy way to spend your time! It’s delightful.
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Beautiful views! The Cape sounds like a perfect place for R&R. Reading your post, I was reminded of a conversation with a friend a couple of years ago. She insisted that people on the East Coast could only see sunrises and people on the West Coast could only see sunsets … because the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Sigh.
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Tell your friend to come to the East Coast. She’ll se great sunrises (and sunsets) here.
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Lovely.
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Many thanks, Martie. I appreciate it.
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I do love a free performance. . .
All the best, Steve
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As they say, the best things in life are free!
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Looks like a beautiful trip, highlighted by those amazing sunsets! So true, that the beauty of the sun setting (or rising) often gets lost in the muddle of too many tall structures and not enough open spaces.
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Hi Becky. My wife and I look forward to coming to Cape Cod each year partly because we can really get out into nature here. It’s a challenge to do that back home in the Philadelphia burbs.
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Lovely photos and post, as always. I’d love to get back to Cape Cod one day; it truly is a stunning, tranquil place. Sunsets here, too, are few and far between what with the concrete that grows all around. But once in a while, walking to work in the wee hours, I do witness the odd gorgeous sunrise peeking through the slivers of cement. Take care, my friend!
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It’s easy for many of us to get disconnected from nature. Cement and steel can do that to us!
Hi Tyler. See ya!
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Well, it can’t exactly compete with Cape Cod, but the sunsets from my 7th floor western window looking toward the Pacific (I know, I know, it’s on the wrong side of the street, but still . . .) are stunning. I can’t see the ocean — Presidio Av is my horizon — but watching the changing colors in the sky and reflected on the houses & buildings is just a giant, almost daily treat. So when you come to San Francisco you & Sandy are invited to have a glass of wine on my balcony and compare coastal sunset views.
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I love San Fran. If Sandy and I ever get back there, we’ll take you up on your offer. Gracias!
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You did a delightful job in describing this journey and made the hyper-described sunsets your own.
As my family and I have been to just about every place you mentioned, I know whereof you blog. The Cape is a wonderful place.
In recent years, my husband and I have had the good fortune to visit each summer with dear and generous friends who have a wonderful house overlooking a pond on Martha’s Vineyard. The house is deep in the woods, and the pond is a quick boat ride to the ocean—a trip we make with our friend as skipper, under the watchful eyes of herons, ospreys, and the occasional hawk. It’s always hard to leave, so I understand your passion for these visits.
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Hi Annie. Martha’s Vineyard has a special place in my heart. It’s where Sandy and I honeymooned!
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I haven’t been to the Cape in a long time but I remember it has its own vibe. Different from say Mystic Connecticut or some of the other coastal towns. Yes, a lovely sunset before dinner can’t be beat!
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It puts you in the right mood to really enjoy dinner!
Take care, JT. Enjoy the rest of the week.
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Cape Cod is the first place I ever visited in the US, c1992, so I’ll always have a soft spot for it and I understand the appeal.
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Hi Anabel. It’s time for you to make a return visit!
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You’re right, we usually only see sunsets when we’re on vacation (if we’re vacationing somewhere natural) and that might be part of what makes them so special. That, and the way each one is different. Glad you had a great time on Cape Cod!!!
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Right, the variety of sunsets is part of their appeal. Variety is the spice of life, and of nature!
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I trust your time spent on Cape Cod was idyllic Neil. There is nothing quite like the ocean air and a stunning sunset. My husband and I are quite spoiled as we spend every summer at our own little piece of heaven, Cape John, Nova Scotia. The sunsets there are quite spectacular too – in fact the road going through the community is called “The Sunset Trail”. You and your wife should visit some summer, I’m sure you’d like it. See: https://fictionophile.com/2017/07/05/cottage-literary-rambles/
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Evening, Lynne. Your area is great. You’re right, I’d love it there.
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What wonderful photos and such a beautiful place! 🙂 I’ve been to Cape Cod a couple of times but it’s been years now.
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C’mon back!
Take care, Lynette. Thanks for stopping by.
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While I haven’t been there in many, many, too many years, the Cape will always be special. I have pictures of my dad, a great salt water fisherman, on the beaches around Ptown, Truro, Wellfleet, Chatham, Cotuit et al in the 1950s. I joined him in the 60s and we caught many, many stripers and blues. I gave it up because, as a teen, I wanted to date girls instead. I rue the day that I made that decision. 😂 Nice Story.
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Hey there. Thanks for stopping by. Fish are fine. But girls are better!
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I am glad you and Sandy enjoyed another vacation at Cape Cod, Neil. How convenient that each day we chose, we can watch one sunrise and one sunset completely for free. I think it would be good for humanity and the earth if we did more of that, it would increase our appreciation of our unique planet.
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It’s true. We live in a wonderland. The natural world is mindblowingly amazing.
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I second that, Neil. If only we acted accordingly!
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Neil, reading your particular sunset story was different and very worthwhile! Glad to know you and Sandy enjoyed some good times and took in some great light shows at Cape Cod.
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Hi Des. It’s amazing to me that Sandy and I have been visiting CC for over 20 years. Time goes by so fast, it’s scary.
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We see sunsets every day…when it is not raining stair rods in the wet season…and each one differs…for me, the afterglow is the best.
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Hi. Right, sunsets become more fascinating after the Sun dips below the horizon.
Enjoy the week, Helen. See you.
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October in Cape Cod must be so nice and peaceful. I imagine it would be very crowded in summer. I haven’t been there since the late 60s (gasp) when living in Montreal. I have great memories, and strangely even remember the name of our motel: The Ebb Tide. Great sunset photos and congrats on breaking your record.
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Hello there. Right, CC has the most visitors in summer. We like to avoid crowds when we’re here, so we visit in other seasons (usually autumn).
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It sure is easy to take the sunset for granted, Neil. If you stop and think about it, how many times in your life do you actually watch the sun descend below the horizon? A couple of years ago, we moved into a new home with an unobstructed west-facing view. I have never admired the setting sun more. Frequently, when the late afternoon sun is low in the sky, we look at the clouds and try to predict the quality of the upcoming light show. The outcome never ceases to surprise and amaze.
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You said it perfectly: “The outcome never ceases to surprise and amaze.”
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Holy catfish, Neil. The Cape–in October? You are one hardcore beach aficionado. Well, I’m glad you were triply rewarded with scenic sundowns. And in truth, I do know the beauty of a winter-leaning beach, having thoroughly enjoyed a stroll many years ago along the Atlantic at Old Orchard Beach (Maine) in January. Can’t beat the rollers.
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Yeah, the weather on CC can be chilly in October, but there aren’t as many tourists as in the summer. So, October is a-ok with us. It’s been a real good trip so far. Thanks very much for dropping by. See ya!
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So beautiful and peaceful.
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Hi. Those two adjectives describe a good amount of Cape Cod. Plus, there’s loads of restaurants and a good cultural scene. CC is a fine place!
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Maybe I’ll make it there some day!
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Combine it with a trip to Boston.
Take care.
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I love the metaphor of sunsets having different personalities. I’ve watched a few and have ven had a children’s poem published on the topic. If I can find it I’ll put it on my Blg Blue Mouth blog. thanks, Neil 🙂
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Hi John. I didn’t see a sunset tonight, but my wife and I had good experience anyway. We went to dinner at a Thai restaurant. I had a pretty spicy noodle/shrimp/vegetables dish. Delicious!
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I can never get enough of sunsets, especially yours Neil. The ones from Rock Harbour are just … Have no words for it. Very touched by this magical moment. Take care, Isabelle
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Isabelle, you’d love Cape Cod. It’s a good mixture of nature, culture and tasty food.
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Lovely photos, Neil. Basking in the beauty of sunsets, sunrises, and the starry night sky is one of my favorite things to do in Cape May, too. Have you photographed a Cape Cod sunrise? I bet they’re spectacular!
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I should. Maybe one of these days I will.
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Sunsets are to looked at. You are able to put them into words Neil which isn’t easy. Why I tune in. Hey throw me in that “Fortunate f*cker’ club.
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You’re officially a member!
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I’m getting a lanyard made up today.
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👍👍
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Cape Cod looks wonderful. Please keep sharing your adventures there, especially the sunsets. No two are ever exactly alike, so you’ll never be repeating yourself.
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Hi. I guess I’m done writing about sunsets for a while. I think I’ve written at least two previous pieces about them. Maybe more than two.
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What a lovely post. I just want to say that I think you are a great writer, dude! Your words and the accompanying pictures told such a sweet story. I’ve never been to Cape Cod, but you made me want to put it on my travel bucket list 🙂
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Rhonda, I’m blushing!
Thank you.
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Doesn’t matter how many sunsets we witness, there is always something magical about them – Beautiful pictures.
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You’re right. Sunsets are at the top of the ladder.
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Just beautiful! Enjoy and relax! ❤
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Hi, and thanks!
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i met (subsequently enmeshed w/) Ms. B in Bawstun — she knew the Cape, I got as far as Plymouth ~ weave been tryin’ to “capture” recent sunrises (& moonrises) recently — but a couple daze ago I thought: I really like clouds. a cloudless day sort of depresses me, but when I can marvel @ whut goezawn up above, cloud-wise, my prattling inner-voice often shuts up, and
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Hello there. I’m a big fan of clouds,too. They add a lot. See ya!
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Actually Neil, you did put a wonderful new spin on the sunset story. It’s not always about the colors. It’s just about being there in the moment. Hope you and Sandy had a beautiful time at Cape Cod. 😊☀️
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Hi. It’s been a good trip. Many years ago we unexpectedly took to CC in a big way, and have been coming back ever since.
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Sunsets over the sea are always amazing, even if the sun doesn’t play ball and clouds add their own hues… Lately I have been taking pleasure in photographing thunderous clouds over the sea: the onset of the monsoon in India, the rainy season in Vietnam, including the remnants of typhoons, colour the sky any shade of black and grey and create awesome reflections on the canvas of the sea. The variation are endless and never boring… Nature seldom disappoints.
Lieve
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Hi. Good to hear from you. As has been said many times before: Nature is the greatest artist.
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Hey Neil – just caught this – for some reason I didn’t get the usual email alert that you’d posted. You’re totally selling Cape Cod and its sunsets to me!
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It’s a good place. Very relaxing and beautiful. Plenty of things to do, too.
Hi Andrew. Enjoy the weekend!
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We had the most vibrant ones last night. Almost purple. Tried to share a picture but it would not let me paste it. Thanks for sharing.
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Hi there. Sounds like you caught an unusual sunset. You never know what they’ll be like.
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