Well, the time has arrived for me to add yet another story about Cape Cod to this publication’s contents. And why not? Cape Cod is one of my happy places, as it is for my wife Sandy. We’ve vacationed on the Cape nearly every year since 1998. We feel at home there, at peace. We never get tired of it.
Sixty-five miles in length and surrounded by endless waters on three sides, hook-shaped Cape Cod lies within the boundaries of the state of Massachusetts, USA. The Cape has a lot going for it, such as natural beauty, a good arts scene, and slews of restaurants. Sandy and I are into all of that, in spades. Thus, as usual, we had a fine time and were active as can be during our just-ended two-and-a-half-week stay. If I were to write an account of all we did, this essay would go on for 10,000 more words. The hell with that. So, as is my wont, I’ll keep things on the concise side.
For me, the one aspect of Cape Cod that stands out above the others is its Atlantic Ocean coastline, which runs north and south for about 40 miles on the Cape’s eastern border. Man, it is breathtaking. And, importantly, is undeveloped. There are no commercial enterprises or boardwalks directly on the Cape’s Atlantic coast. Unadulterated beach, sand dunes, ocean and sky are what you get. And, in a long section, massive sand cliffs too. The sand cliffs astound me. They sit at the back of the beach, eroding and receding slowly year after year due to the punishment delivered by ocean storms, yet remaining defiant. They stare straight ahead stoically, their grit undeniable.
Late afternoon two Fridays ago, my better half and I found ourselves on Marconi Beach, a spectacular stretch of the ocean coast in the township of Wellfleet. Talk about cliffs! Marconi’s are enormous, possibly taller than their siblings elsewhere on the Cape’s Atlantic beaches. By my estimation they are roughly 100 feet in height. Walking along Marconi’s sands while gazing at the cliffs is a humbling experience.
What made this particular walk extra special, however, was not the cliffs. They are a given. No, it was dense fog, whose presence surprised the heck out of me. The rocking and rolling ocean, noisy as a crowded tavern, was heavily obscured. Swaths of vapors hugged the cliffs. I love walking the Cape’s beaches when the Sun is shining, the skies are blue and all seems well with the world. But I dug Marconi Beach no end that foggy afternoon. Variety damn well is the spice of life.
Sandy and I were pretty well bundled up at Marconi, as the temperature was not exactly warm. And the beach was uncrowded, just the way I like it. We saw only 25 or thereabouts individuals while we were there.
Two of our fellow beach visitors blew my mind: teenage girls frolicking in the surf. Holy shit, the waters were rough! I worried for the lasses. But they must have been experienced at this kind of thing, and clearly were having the times of their lives. Here’s the amazing part: The girls were as naked as when they were born, having left their clothes hanging on one of the many sculptures (human-made assemblages of driftwood) that graced the sands.
I toyed with the idea of snapping a picture of the young ladies, from a distance of course. But the possibility of them noticing me, then chasing after me, then catching me and beating the crap out of me, wasn’t appealing. Anyway, I’m an old man, not a dirty old man. I think.
Getting back to driftwood sculptures: I saw plenty of them on one beach or another during our Cape vacation. Marconi Beach contained an unusually large number. Do people have an innate urge at beaches to make arrangements of pieces of wood? I know that I do at times. I did just that once or twice while on the Cape this trip. Not at Marconi, though, despite driftwood abounding there. I guess I had other things on my mind. The fog, for one. And maybe the unclothed girls!
(The photos are from Marconi Beach)
Yeah, Another Blogger 
Ocean beaches have their own special moodiness just from the roar of the surf and the sense of immensity. Add fog and the mood intensifies.
But I can’t say I’ve ever experienced it when you add naked girls. 😉
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Those girls made the overall experience better!
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Thank you, Neil for taking me on a visit to this beautiful place. I would love to see and experience it. I love all beaches and coasts.
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Beaches and coasts rule!
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I’m so glad you enjoyed another vacation at one of your favorite destinations, Neil. Your Cape Cod stories always make me want to visit there. It’s been ages since I have visited an ocean beach and I really miss it.
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Morning, Tanja. Ocean beaches are really something, especially when very few people are around. Perfect places to become “one” with Nature.
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Having experienced this myself (too long ago), I have to agree. And I hope to experience it again before too long.
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Your post pulled me right in. I love the ocean and I have always wanted to visit the Cape. I especially love fog and your experience sounds enchanting. Sigh. I can only imagine sand cliffs as high as you described. I have seen much smaller ones on occasion on the NC coastline. And you stay for over 2 weeks???? Sigh. A bit of heaven. I’m sure you fairly float home after that! You are a lucky soul.
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Linda, is this you? (the comments don’t show your name). You’re right — I’m very fortunate to be able to spend a nice amount of time on Cape Cod. I get along with the Cape very well.
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Cant compete with what Mother nature has to offer Neil. Just heading outside to do some bare naked raking. How’s that for an image?
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Please take a selfie while you are raking, and post it on your blog.
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LOL! Nice post & great pics. I like dense fog when I don’t have to drive in it! Glad you & wifey enjoyed your vaca! 🙂
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Hi Lisa. I liked my foggy walk at the beach, for sure. And it resulted in a story!
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That sounds like a fantastic beach.
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It must be a very special place. Thank you for sharing and making me smile 😊
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Hi. Yes, Cape Cod agrees very well with me and my wife. We always have a very interesting and satisfying time there.
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I do enjoy a day at the beach. Suddenly I feel the warmth of the sun through my umbrella as I sit in a beach chair and read a book, listening to the surf and those frolicking in it. I have not been to CC, but it sounds beautiful!
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Evening, JP. My wife and I first went to Cape Cod in 1998. We liked it and went back the next year, liking it even more. We were hooked! We now sort of think of it as our second home.
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What a surprising culmination! Wishing you and wife an extraordinary season and profound leap into the new year.💫☀️🌙🌝☕️☕️🔔🔔
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Hi. Is this AOC? In any case, the comment was posted without a name attached to it.
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I wonder if my comment disappeared.🫤🫡
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Hi. Your comment is here. But your name isn’t attached to it for some reason. Is this AOC?
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Great to know that the coastline isn’t developed for miles, AND that it is open to the public. I have never been to Cape Cod so this would have certainly taken me by surprise if I’d ever gone. In many countries this is not the case. Is there a reason for it? I think that fog gives the sound of an ocean something very special, doesn’t it?
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Hi. It’s a protected area:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Cod_National_Seashore
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First of all, I truly get your use of the term “one of my happy places” in relation to the Cape. That you “feel at peace” there. Though worlds apart, both London and Barbados have those vibes for me. Wishing you and Sandy many happy returns to the Cape.
As for the topography, we had dunes along the part of Lake Michigan where I grew up, but nothing as majestic as the ones you show at Marconi Beach. In fact, your love of that beach’s landscape prompts me to ask if you’ve ever been to the Normandy Coast in France? Those beaches, where the Allies made their landings on D-Day–the surrounding cliffs on the several I visited were astounding. That people rappelled up them…well, glad someone could.
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Never been to Normandy. But, coincidentally, we’re watching Band Of Brothers now, a WW2 series that partly takes place during and soon after D-Day. Visiting the beaches involved in that invasion would be a very moving experience.
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LOVED Band of Brothers! We watched it several years ago and were recently talking about viewing it again. And yes, the Normandy beaches were a very moving experience.
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