Free Adventures at the Cape Cod National Seashore in Eastham

The first official weekend of the season, Memorial Day Weekend, was certainly a lot of fun. The Memorial Day Picnic and first ever Scavenger Hunt went really well.

Kevin did a superb job with the ribs and chicken and the brisket was done to perfection. Tried a new German potato salad with bacon and a sweet and sour dressing, which was served warm. The whole 5 pounds was eaten. Erika, one of my friends from Germany, really liked it and asked for the recipe. She said in Germany they never had it warm. Showed her the old family cookbook from 1947. Now she can't wait to make it for their next gathering. We had a corn salad, Navy beans with parsley, scallions and white wine vinegar, sweet potato salad with peanut dressing, lemon vinaigrette pasta salad, watermelon and brownies for desert.

Dinner was followed by the awarding of Scavenger Hunt prizes. The grand prize went to Alan and Karla who earned the most points and gave us ideas for some new questions for the Labor Day Scavenger Hunt. They were pleased with their two-night stay gift certificate at the Inn. Better make your reservations early for Labor Day and get in on all the fun.

The next picnic coming up is Friday, July 3rd. This picnic will be held in conjunction with the fireworks at Rock Harbor. Come and enjoy all the great food and beautiful fireworks. After dinner we walk down to Rock Harbor, and the fireworks are right over head. You feel like you can almost touch them. Those that boom kind of reverberate through ones bones.

While waiting for the Whalewalk Inn summer events, the Cape Cod National Seashore has some programs to get summer rolling. The Seashore has a host of weekly events that are free and informative. Some do require advance reservations, and a couple do have fees (Canoe and Kayak trips).


SUNDAYS

Tour the Three Sisters Lighthouse. Tours are 3:00 PM in May and 4:00 PM in June. Beach fees may apply.

MONDAYS

Walk: Life on the Edge at 3:00 PM for 1 hour for 1 mile. Witness the impact the sea has on the shore and the species that live there. Explore the beach below the bluff and discuss the issues associated with an ever-changing shoreline. Meet at Nauset Light Beach parking area. Beach fees may apply.

Walk: Stormy Nights at 10:00 AM, for 1 hour for 1 mile. Join a ranger for a short walk to discuss some of the more famous ship wrecks that came ashore and discover whether anything remains of the Newcomb Hollow wreck that mysteriously appeared in the winter of 2007/2008. Meet at the Newcomb Hollow Beach parking area, off Ocean View Drive, Wellfleet. Through June 8 only.

Tour the Captain Penniman House and learn about the their home, stories, and travels. Tour starts and 11:00 AM by reservation only. Call 508-255-3421, ext. 0 for details.

TUESDAYS

Call the Salt Pond Visitor Center, 508-255-3421, EXT.0 for hiking information. Explore your Park leaves at varying times and the hike is 3 to 4 miles and takes up to 3 1/2 hours. You will join an experienced ranger and explore the beauty and variety of park destinations, resources and stories. You must be a good walker. Dress for the weather. Bring water, sunscreen and bug spray.

Tour the Three Sisters Lighthouses. See Sunday for details.

WEDNESDAYS

Walk: Fort Hill: Window into the Past at 10:00 AM for 1 1/2 hours for 1 1/2 miles. Learn about the history of the various people who inhabited the lands at Fort Hill and surrounding Nauset Marsh. Meet at Hemenway Town Landing (one road north of Fort Hill off Route 6, Eastham. Through June 10 only.

Open House at the Captain Penniman House. Browse through this home. Meet at the Penniman House at Fort Hill, Eastham. Limited Parking.

THURSDAYS

Walk: Shoreline Stroll at 10:00 AM for 1 hour and for 1 mile. Explore the various habitats of forest, marsh, dunes and bay while discovering how they all work together to create a dynamic coastal barrier system known as the Great Island 'gut'. Meet at the Great Island parking area, Wellfleet. Through June 11 only.

Walk: Lore of Nauset Marsh at 3:00 PM for 1 hour for 1 mile. Meet at the terrace at the Salt Pond Visitor Center, Eastham. Learn about this alluring place and what has drawn people to its shores for thousands of years.

FRIDAYS

Canoeing: Gull Pond at 8:00 AM for 2 1/2 hours, 1 to 2 miles. Fee required. Call for reservations at 508-487-1256. Through June 12 only.

Walk: Seal Search at 9:30 AM for 1 1/2 hours for 1 1/2 miles. Hike along the Coast Guard spit and look for seals and learn about the species that might be seen. Meet at Coast Guard Beach parking area, Eastham. Through June 12 only.

Walk: Walking with Authors at 3:00 PM for 1 hour for 1 mile. Experience Cape Cod through the eyes of some of the area's most famous or most beloved authors, such as Beston, Thoreau, Hay and others. See what they saw and hear what they heard. Join local author Dana Eldridge for this stroll at the edge of Nauset Marsh. Meet on the terrace at Salt Pond Visitor Center. Through June 19 only.

SATURDAYS

Canoeing: Salt Pond paddle at 9:30 AM for 1 1/2 hours for 1 to 2 miles. Fee requires. Take a leisurely paddle in the protected waters of Salt Pond and Nauset Marsh in Eastham to explore its beauty. By reservation only. Call 508-255-3421, ext. 0, for information and reservations.

Captain Penniman House Tour. See Monday for more information.

Film: "Portrait of a Coast -- 21st Century" at 1:30 PM for 45 minutes. From the Storm of 1978 to the new Chatham inlet created during the April 2007 nor'easter, Cape Cod's coastline is constantly changing. Join a ranger for a viewing and discussion of this newly-updated film. Takes place at the Salt Pond Visitor Center. No showing on May 30th.

So make your reservations today to enjoy all the beauties of nature that the Cape has to offer. Also be sure to take a whale watching adventure. The naturalists are even surprised at how great the trips have been and how many whales are spotted at each trip. So see you soon at The Whalewalk Inn & Spa (where you can get the best massage ever!)

Spring Break Discount on the Outer Cape Cod at the Whalewalk Inn

Greetings from Belize! We are resting up for the Spring season on Cape Cod, when gardens will be sprouting with daffodils, cherry blossoms, pansies, and the amazing wisteria vines. The Whalewalk Inn's kitchen will be merry with the scents of baking banana bread, frying bacon, Captain Harding's eggs and other delights. Beaches will be quiet for romantic walks, fishing, birding, and watching sunrises and sunsets. We look forward to seeing new guests and welcoming back old friends.

Remember to book your spring get away and take advantage of our 40% off discount which will also help us celebrate our 40th Anniversary. We would like to share this significant event in our lives, and also do our part to boost our economy, by offering our guests a 40% discount, Sunday through Thursday, during the months of April, May, and the first two weeks in June. We do require a three-night minimum for this celebration of Spring and our lives together.

And, once upon a time having been a teacher, those teachers coming to the Cape for spring break, bring your lesson plan book. We will give you a split of champagne for all your hard work, and you may have your own romantic toast to spring.

Do not forget to book your massages when booking your reservation.

So reinvigorate your romance with a Spring stay with us and enjoy this budding time on Cape Cod.

Cannot be combined with any other offer. Valid Sunday through Thursday with a three-night minimum. Friday and Saturday nights are regular off-season rates. Memorial Weekend begins our in-season rates. This special is valid for direct booking only and not when booking through a travel agent.

Guided Hikes at National Seashore and Museum of Natural History

Tuesday, September 23rd, visit the Salt Pond Visitor Center, Eastham for an illustrated program by Park Ranger Jenna Sammartino, "Shifting Sands of the Shore" at 6:30 PM.

Wednesday, September 24th, there will be a guided hike with the Eastham Hiking Club at 9:00 AM. It is free and open to all. Call 508-255-3808 for more details. Meet at the entrance parking lot at Nickerson State Park, Route 6A, Brewster.

Guitta Blau, member of Boston Mycological Society will host a foraging walk and talk at 10:00 AM at the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, Route 6A, Brewster. The cost is $5 for members and $7 for non-members. Call 508-896-3867 for more details.

Cape Cod National Seashore Passes for Seniors

WOW! Did you Know 62 Isn't so Bad? Here are three really important items for those turning (or have already turned)62 years of age. First of all, the National Parks offers, for a one-time fee of $10, a National Park Pass that is good for any National Park in the USA, and it is good for the whole of your life.

Secondly, Cape Cod National Seashore, which is a nationally recognized premier destination for those visiting the Cape, is a place where you can use this great little pass.

Created by an act of Congress in 1961, here is what the National Seashore has to offer: 43,000 acres of coastline, dunes, kettle ponds and trails. It is a vibrant source of education and entertainment for locals and visitors alike. You can sightsee by car, canoe, bicycle, kayak, or backpack. There are six beaches, 11 self-guided nature trails, nine lighthouses, numberous picnic areas and countless breathtaking views. At the Salt Pond Visitor's Center, open from 9 to 4:30 daily, pick up trail maps, event calendars, and knowledge of the area. There is also a visitor center in the Province Lands in Provincetown, where the bicycle trail offers a challenge.

Third, you can spend your vacation at the Whalewalk Inn on our three acre compound. Become a part of the history of this 1830s whaling captain's house. Also, check out our wildlife -- bunnies, coyote, deer, and birds galore: Gold Finch, Red-tailed Hawks, Robins, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Chickadees, the Phoebe bird, Bob Whites, Orioles, Red-winged Blackbirds, Crows, Morning Doves, Sparrows, Grackle, and squirrels, who think they are birds.

September is a beautiful time of year on the Cape. It is warm in the day, cool at night, and the water is actually the warmest of the whole summer. Get into the nature of the Cape by also visiting the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History 508-896-3867, Green Briar Nature Center 508-888-6870, Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary 508-362-7475, Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary 508-349-2615, and the Woods Hole Science Aquarium, which is the country's oldest acquarium for public education and scientific research 508-495-2267.