June 25-28                     Sandwich, Massachusetts

As we were almost ready to depart Payne’s Marina, a small boat approached with a sign stating “Bakery.”  In several boxes and insulated bags, they had a good assortment of rolls, bagels, yogurt and fruit, and breakfast sandwiches.  Of course, we made no effort to resist.  It was delicious!  With hundreds of boats in the pond, they were doing a good business.

We departed as part of a flotilla of boats heading out to the sound for the races.  The weather was perfect with just enough wind to fill their sails and not so much to make the waters choppy for us.  Our six hour cruise to the Cape Cod Canal and Sandwich Marina was uneventful.  The marina, located just inside the east entrance to the canal, is a great stop to escape unfavorable weather or rest before heading north to Boston.

Sandwich Marina had floating docks and good internet service!  Dwight, the dockhand was a genial fellow and he and David quickly became friends.  The rain began as we completed docking so dinner was on the boat.

We wanted to see more of the Cape Cod area so we called Enterprise and had a car delivered by 1:30 PM on Thursday.  We returned to the marina area for lunch at Seafood Sam’s, a local favorite (it was not ours).  The clams were gritty with sand and the ambiance reminded us of a school cafeteria.  The car made it possible for us to go to a nearby shopping area for haircuts and provisions.  After heaving bags of groceries, etc. down the dock to the boat, we decided to do our sightseeing later.

Friday was rainy and foggy but we were assured it would clear.  When we left the boat, we could already see improvement in the weather.  We took the scenic route part of the way to Hyannis and admired the lush greenery of the countryside and blooming plants.  The huge hydrangea bushes were filled with pink and blue flowers and hanging baskets of petunias and impatiens on porches and posts added to the profusion of color.

Hyannis lacks the charm of its neighboring villages.  Larger, busier, and filled with tourists, the downtown looks very much like similar beach towns in Florida with souvenir and t-shirt shops. The cool weather made us hungry for Mexican food.  Gringo’s was recommended but we found it lacking.  The guacamole was defrosted green goo, the chips were stale, and the enchiladas were skimpy.  We should have known better than to order Mexican food in Massachusetts! 

Automobile traffic on Cape Cod is horrendous—exactly as we remembered it from eighteen years ago on our first visit.  The one main traffic artery is four-lane but all others are two lanes.  There are multiple driveways entering already congested streets and roads.  Drivers tend to be aggressive and impatient.  David handled it well but I thought at least twice we were going to be killed.   

We stopped in Sandwich to admire the magnificent old churches and lovely shops and inns.  The downtown area is designated a National Historic District and is beautifully maintained.  The extensive Heritage Gardens, established by the founder of Lilly Pharmaceuticals more than a century ago, is a treasure for photographers.  We were disappointed the weather prevented us from strolling its warren of paths,  banked with blooming rhododendrons and hydrangeas and leading to  rock-lined ponds and small waterfalls.

The Weather Shop, in downtown Sandwich,  was closing but the owner allowed us to enter and admire his magnificent collection of antique and new weather items.  He also had a beautiful display of Nantucket baskets, new and old, all of exceptional quality.  After pricing them in Nantucket, I knew I was not going to buy one—but I was tempted.  One large one, without a lid, had a discreetly written price tag of $4,675. 

Ice cream shops are everywhere on Cape Cod.  The small mom-and-pop ones are reputedly the best.  We opted for a lovely shop, in a former home, surrounded by an expansive lawn and beautiful flowers.  Supposedly “homemade,” the ice cream was delicious (and expensive).  We agreed it was no better than Blue Bell or Costco’s Kirkland Vanilla.

We had asked to stay another two days at Sandwich Marina but they needed our space for earlier reservations.  We would have to go to Boston regardless of the weather.  Forecasts were for thunderstorms and 15-20 mph winds.  Not our kind of cruising weather.