Lighthouses of New England

http://www.lighthouse.cc/ma.html

The above link is to a virtual tour which includes many of the lighthouses of New England. For instance, Race Point Light, Provincetown, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Race Point is at the northern tip of Cape Cod. The Somerset wreck is included in the lighthouse's history.

Was the Somerset doomed by the swift current, the namesake of this point, or the weather?

In the King's Handbook of Boston Harbor, by Moses Foster Sweetser and Moses King (digitized public domain material) the Somerset Wreck of 1778 is mentioned. Arguable, this wreck would have been prevented by the presence of a lighthouse, such as the present-day Race Point Light. There was also the weather and the war to distract the captain and his crew. The Somerset served in the Seven Years War and the American Revolution. This would be Her Majesty's Ship; one of the many vessels to crash ashore in the storms of history.

The late 17th century invoked on an 18th century excursion:

The King's Handbook describes delightful steam-ship excursions out of Boston Harbor, you can almost watch the ships gracefully leaving Fort Point Channel (a partially man-made channel busy with commerce), and its yachts. I found myself tasting the salt air as I imagined myself leaving the city. Far from this calm setting, and, on a different day, over a century earlier, was the shipwreck of the Somerset. -"When the British Frigate Somerset was wrecked on Cape Cod in 1778, her armament of handsome 32-pounders was saved and mounted on the castle." -page 156.

HMS Somerset (1748-1778); served during The Seven Years War, and in The American Revolution, "She was battered by gales in August and then again in November, running aground on 2 November 1778 on Peaked Hill Bars off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, whilst with a squadron pursuing French ships."
-http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server?show=nav.1301&outputFormat=print. Follow the above link to read about ships bearing the name Somerset.

http://www.capecodcommission.org/GIS/regionalmaps/histpresmap.pdf -This is an excellent map of Cape Cod showing the historic districts.

"In March, 1776, the Castle batteries were trained on the adjacent heights of South Boston, and poured a hot fire upon the new American forts there." -page 156, King's Handbook.

"Race Point Light first lighted on November 5, 1816..." -Race Point Light Lighthouse History. (Link Above)

The Castle batteries were on Castle Island. Castle Island, in Boston Harbor has a recreational site. On the island is the historic 5-sided fort, formerly known as fort William and Mary.

"How short is the distance between the Old World and the New, when, in a half-hour, one may pass from the intense modern activities of State Street, or the dull decorum of the Back-Bay, residence-quarter, to this lonely and deserted forterss..." -page 163, King's Handbook.

The Kings Handbook of Boston Harbor (Copyrighted 1882 and 1883 by Moses King) describes the British desertion of Fort Castle. It describes Boston as a bustling city in the late 19th century, since this is when we are taking the steam-boat journey. It has an All roads lead to the water call me Ishmael start to it. (Moby-Dick) There is a debt to The Whale, here.

Commerce appears to be pleasure in this excellent harbor where ships sail like birds and bob in the watery brine. Is the tranquility one feels from entering a calm sparkling bay, or from the relief of leaving the clatter of the horse-drawn traffic behind? Is it better to skitter about the water in a gentleman's sail boat, or, remain among the other tourists in a churning steam boat?

The Mount Washington House is mentioned in this historic book which can be described as an early guide book. It is also mentioned in The Stranger's Guide in the City of Boston, published by Andrew's and Co. (A Public Domain Book).

Evidently, at this point in history, as we watch the land recede on our imagined voyage, the Mount Washington House would be visible looming on the hills. A charitable institution of historic import. I look landward in this journey in my mind, my back to a pleasant gale, seagulls visible, in a vessel designed for comfort. At this time Mount Washington House would be The Massachusetts Asylum for the Blind; as it is mentioned in The Stranger's Guide in the City of Boston

Cape Cod

I recently purchased Cape Cod Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket -by Kim Grant (ISBN:0-88150-632-X) It mentions the more scenic lighthouses, what towns have the best historic houses, and nature preserves with walking trails.

Don't just arrive there without at least a rough sketch of a plan. Your vacation time is too valuable. New England is nothing if not historic, and this guide begins listing them in the early pages.

Study Your Maps:

Then, look at them again. This is how I spend my time on the plane. I am never bored.

Grant believes in excellent maps, (as do I), and says so, as she recommends Cape Cod, Matha's Vineyard & Nantucket Street Atlas. (Published in April 2004, Arrow Map, Inc.) -Link The guide doesn't provide the link to purchase the map. But I do.

Museums are listed with the towns they are located in, And another guide is recommended for visiting nature preserves that are away from the developed/populated areas: Walks and Rambles on Cape Cod and the Islands -by Ned Friary and Glenda Bendure. (ISBN 13: 9780881504248)


Try this link to discover ponds, parks and trails while browsing the internet. It is not mentioned in Kim Grant's guide. Also, this link is to Mass Audubon. This is an organization that began protecting birds in 1896.

Kim's guide does provide plenty of websites.

Provincetown, MA

(July, 2009)
We were recently in Provincetown, MA, a.k.a. p-town. This delightful getaway from the Houston weather is a sand spit which gets more exciting the closer you get to the tip. It is an impossibly fun town built on a location formed by sand bars, waves and grass. And there is plenty to do, on land or in the water.

The in-beach is Herring Cove Beach. This is the strip of sand I recommend for losing yourself in, finding someone else in, or gazing at the sparkling ocean lapping at the pebbles.

Provincetown began as an artist colony. And it still is. See Miss Richfield (1981) in the Art House. He/she is a sputtering and dependable volcano of hilarious off-hand remarks. 214 Commercial Street, Provincetown.

Stay in the most GLBT friendly bed and breakfast that is so close to the ocean it is almost under-water: The Prince Albert Guest House.

Provincetown, MA is filled with friendly tourists and a party atmosphere 'till Labor Day. When you are worn out from too much sun and refreshing salty waves at the beach, take in a gallery, or two, or many. See the Julie Heller East and Julie Heller Gallery.

Bring plenty of sun-block and allow enough time to soak in the beach which gently curves towards the light-house.