[/caption]Today we dinghy ashore with the bicycles to explore the Cape Cod National Seashore. The Provincelands Bike Trail begins at Herring Cove Beach and meanders along the Atlantic side of the peninsula through mountainous sand dunes en route to Race Point Beach. The wind is so intense in this terrain that much of the vegetation has grown at an angle away from the prevailing wind. At the Province Lands Visitor Center, we learn about native species of plants and animals and the numerous shipwrecks that have occured on the Atlantic beaches. In the past decade, the U.S. Coast Guard has responded to over 700 calls from ships in distress along the Atlantic coast of the peninsula. The Cape Cod Canal is a lifesaver inasmuch as it eliminates the need to sail on the Atlantic side of the peninsula.
[caption id="attachment_676" align="alignright" width="300" caption="View of the Provincetown harbor from atop the Pilgrim Monument (click on this photo to see location of Cutter Loose)"]
[/caption]The Provincelands Bike Trail connects to the Head of the Meadow Trail which loops through ponds and wooded areas in the interior section of the "fist". We return to Provincetown for a late lunch and some people watching on Commercial Street, then cycle uphill to a bluff overlooking the town to tour the Pilgrim Monument. After climbing the 170 steps to the observation area, we are rewarded with a birds eye view of the peninsula. We spot Cutter Loose in the harbor, tugging at her mooring amidst the whitecaps.
After a stop at the grocery store for provisions, we crawl through the late afternoon Commercial Street crowd en route to the dinghy dock where we pack up the bikes for the return trip to Cutter Loose. By the end of the day, we have accumulated 18 mikes on our odometers.
The wind is now blowing a sustained 20 knots in the harbor and the dinghy bounces through the chop as we return to the mother ship. We settle in for the evening, preparing dinner and planning our itinerary for tomorrow.
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