A Day at the Beach

Finally, a sunny, warm day!  This morning we drove to the Cape Cod National Seashore this morning near Provincetown.  

Yard art galore

Provincetown harbor

Provincetown

Coast Guard buildings

While at the visitor's center we went up on their observation deck and watched the whales off shore.  Although too far away to photograph we could see them clearly with binoculars and they were really putting on a show. We saw more than a dozen breeches in a short period of time. 
We then went to the beach and enjoyed the warm sunshine

Happy beach goer

More beach goers

After lunch we returned to the Highland Light since the weather was clear and took the tour of the lighthouse and took advantage of the view.

View of Highland Links golf course

Going down

Steep, narrow steps

Pretty blue water!

Whale tale

This morning Tom Lockman and I played golf at the Highland Links, a golf course built in 1892 near the Highland Light house beside the beach.  Only a 9 hole course, pretty short by today's standards but with very narrow fairways.  Didn't shoot a great score but I didn't lose any balls and I broke 50 and had a great time.

At noon the group loaded up and drove to Provincetown, MA to go on a whale watching tour. Provincetown is every bit the resort town, full of tourist shops and restaurants.  It is sometimes called Key West North because it is a mecca for people of shall we say, 'alternative lifestyles'.

Gayle and Geoff 

Pilgrim Monument

Yoda goes for a ride

Provincetown

Lots of shops

Shopping center

Leaving port

 After all the whale tours we took in Alaska we had almost decided not to take one here thinking it would not be as good. Boy, were we wrong! We saw more whales on this trip than all the Alaska trips combined and some of them were right next to the boat.

Provincetown from the boat

Some of our group

Lighthouse at entrance to harbor

Another lighthouse

Lighthouse at tip of Cape Cod peninsula

We had barely left the harbor when our guide told us that whales were located nearby.

Whale sighting!

Smiling for the camera

Almost close enough to touch

Whale coming to the surface

Flipper shot

Breaching whale!

Whales blowing bubbles to drive fish to surface

Whales enjoying a fish dinner

Mama and baby

What a Blowhole

The end

Our guide said that we saw at least 14 different whales.  We watched them almost constantly for over an hour.  It was a great trip.  The weather was a little warmer today, although still a little cool on the boat.  After the boat trip we all had dinner at a seafood restaurant in Provincetown then returned to camp.