Just playing at photography evening class. this one is a crystal globe in front of a background I printed off the web. It's one of a series I took this week. I had great fun. I think I may try a different lens in future, to try and get the background in sharp focus as well as the lens ball. We shall see....

(Ploceus castaneiceps)

Leganga - Arusha

Tanzânia

 

We just returned from about two weeks spent in Tanzania, and I have to say it was by far our worst trip ever. The country, the people, the landscapes, and the birdlife and wildlife in general warrant a return visit — but the guide we somewhat naively chose was an absolute disaster.

 

A presumptuous, egocentric, narcissistic, arrogant, Trump-supporting, climate-change-denying, constantly self-flattering individual who fancies himself a great photographer (he describes his own photos as "fucking good").

 

His photos are mediocre, some even out of focus, but for a birder just looking to document sightings, that’s normal, and I accepted it. If only he’d had the humility to simply show us the birds and let us handle the photography. Instead, every time we had a chance to photograph a bird, he’d lecture us on how we should do it—even scolding us for checking our shots on the camera. He never did that himself, using his Nikon D850 (what a waste) almost in point-and-shoot mode (his own words).

 

He kept insisting he was a photographer and knew all about the importance of light, but every single day, we saw it was pure theory—he had zero practical skills. He’d constantly forget and sulk when we pointed it out. Basically, if the background was blue sky, the light was good; if it was cloudy, the light was bad. That was the extent of his knowledge of light and photography.

 

On the very first day, his first attempt was taking us to a lake hoping to find an African Black Duck. Well, as our friend A. Guerra would say, ironically, when things go bad, at least we didn’t see it—because the photos would have been a complete disaster. The access to the lake was directly facing the sun, with glare all over the water. It would have been a huge frustration.

 

At the middle of day, with terrible strong light, he decided show us a colony of Taveta Weavers — only for our disappointment to deepen as they were entirely backlit. When we mentioned the lighting issue, he simply ignored us (something he’d do systematically for as long as we endured him). I had to push through thick vegetation and small water ditches to find a better angle, while he seemed annoyed at how long we took to get a decent shot.

 

(Another thing that bothered him was us not knowing a species’ name or mispronouncing it.)

 

But that was just the first day. The following days were a series of unpleasant situations, multiple arguments — the last one shouting — until we gave up on his services (already paid for) and had to scramble for an alternative. I’ll talk about that in future posts.

 

I won’t name him here, but if you send me a private message, I’ll tell you who he is — so my friends don’t make the same mistake we did.

 

The only partially positive thing I can say is that, with the help of local guides, he did find the hardest-to-spot species—even if it meant risking our lives, subjecting us to two hours of being thrown around in the vehicle while completely lost off any passable trail (even for a 4x4). Not to mention his dangerously reckless driving on main roads.

 

----------------------------------

 

Acabámos de regressar de cerca de duas semanas passadas na Tanzânia e, tenho de dizer, foi de longe a nossa pior viagem de sempre. O país, as pessoas, as paisagens e a avifauna e fauna em geral merecem claramente uma nova visita — mas o guia que escolhemos, de forma algo ingénua, foi um verdadeiro desastre.

 

Um indivíduo presunçoso, egocêntrico, narcisista, arrogante, Trumpista, negacionista das alterações climáticas, sempre a autoelogiar-se, que se julga um grande fotógrafo (descreve as próprias fotos como “fucking good”).

 

As fotos dele são medianas, algumas até desfocadas, mas para um observador de aves que só quer registar os avistamentos, isso é normal — e eu aceitava. Se ao menos tivesse tido a humildade de simplesmente nos mostrar as aves e deixar a fotografia connosco. Em vez disso, sempre que havia uma oportunidade para fotografar uma ave, fazia questão de nos dar uma lição sobre como o devíamos fazer — chegando mesmo a ralhar connosco por vermos as fotos no ecrã da câmara. Ele próprio nunca o fazia, usando a NIkon D850 (que desperdício) quase em modo point-and-shot (palavras dele).

 

Insistia constantemente que era fotógrafo e que percebia a importância da luz, mas todos os dias víamos que isso era só teoria — não tinha qualquer implementação prática. Esquecia-se de coisas básicas e ficava amuado quando lho fazíamos notar. Basicamente, se o fundo era céu azul, a luz era boa; se estava nublado, a luz era má. Esse era o nível do seu "conhecimento" sobre luz e fotografia.

 

Logo no primeiro dia, a primeira tentativa foi levar-nos a um lago à procura do pato-preto-africano. Bem, como diria o nosso amigo A. Guerra, ironicamente, quando as coisas correm mal, ao menos não o vimos — porque as fotos teriam sido um desastre completo. O acesso ao lago era de frente para o sol, com irritantes reflexos de luz sobre cada molécula de água. Teria sido uma frustração enorme.

 

A meio do dia, com uma luz fortíssima e péssima, decidiu levar-nos a uma colónia de Tecelões-de-cabeça-ruiva — apenas para a nossa desilusão aumentar ao vermos que estavam completamente contra a luz, já de si péssima devido à hora do dia. Quando mencionámos o problema da iluminação, simplesmente ignorou-nos (algo que passou a fazer sistematicamente enquanto o aturámos). Tive de abrir caminho por vegetação densa e atravessar pequenos regos de água para conseguir um ângulo melhor, enquanto ele parecia irritado com o tempo que demorávamos a conseguir uma fotografia decente.

 

(Outra coisa que o incomodava era não sabermos o nome de uma espécie ou pronunciá-lo mal.)

 

Mas isso foi só o primeiro dia. Os dias seguintes foram uma sucessão de situações desagradáveis, várias discussões — a última já aos gritos — até que desistimos dos seus serviços (já pagos) e tivemos de procurar uma alternativa à pressa. Falarei disso em publicações futuras.

 

Não o vou nomear aqui, mas se me enviarem uma mensagem privada, direi quem é — para que os meus amigos não cometam o mesmo erro que nós.

 

A única coisa parcialmente positiva que posso dizer é que, com a ajuda de guias locais, ele de facto encontrou as espécies mais difíceis de localizar — mesmo que isso implicasse pôr a nossa vida em risco, sujeitando-nos a duas horas aos solavancos num veículo completamente perdido fora de qualquer trilho transitável (mesmo para um 4x4). Sem falar da condução perigosamente imprudente nas estradas principais.

==================***==================

All my photos are now organized into sets by the country where they were taken, by taxonomic order, by family, by species (often with just one photo for the rarer ones), and by the date they were taken.

So, you may find:

- All the photos for this trip Tanzânia (2025) (377)

- All the photos for this order PASSERIFORMES (3553)

- All the photos for this family Ploceidae (Ploceídeos) (114)

- All the photos for this species Ploceus castaneiceps (1)

- All the photos taken this day 2025/04/22 (4)

==================***==================

   

Let's jump into the Dolomites with this shot that was only made possible after snowshoeing up above the fog bank in the valley. And I was certainly glad we did so, as it afforded these types of scenes that morning. You get a hint of the mountains in the distance, and they will certainly be featured more prominently in future posts.

 

Going thigh, and up to waist, deep in the snow this morning reminded me of needing to get in better shape. That certainly tires you out quickly.

 

Thanks for looking!

 

_________________________________________________

Comments and constructive criticism always appreciated.

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jeaniewaydelich.wordpress.com/2016/05/27/lotd-714/

Southern US states are known for a lot of things, their food, their vibe and character, their architecture, their easy going life mentality and in the past for their vivid support on human slavery. Back in the day, at least in Lousiana, slaves used to work under brutal conditions in plantations like the one shown in my picture. Oak Alley plantation is probably the most famous among them. Built in 1837 it was a sugarcane plantation that occupied more than 220 slaves during its peak times. It is well known for the alley created by these massive southern live oak trees that runs from the majestic house all the way to Mississippi river. A visitor can take a tour of the plantation and the luxurious house, which follows the Greek revival architecture, where the Roman family, owners of the plantation, used to live. In future posts I will provide more info about slavery in Louisiana, perhaps along with a photo of the house where the slaves lived. Today, Oak alley plantation is considered a national historic landmark and it's dedicated in the memory of those people that lived under horrible conditions and were treated like nothing more than common objects or furniture.

 

PS: i was illegally parked outside the Plantation when I took this photo. A State Police trooper pulled over so I had to rush and take a shot as quickly as possible so my camera settings are quite wrong affecting the clarity of the photo.

 

Οι Νοτιες πολιτειες των ΗΠΑ ειναι γνωστες για πολλα πραγματα, για την κουζινα τους, τον παλμο και το χαρακτηρα τους, την αρχιτεκτονική τους, τον χαλαρο τροπο ζωης τους και στο παρελθον για την ενθερμη υποστηριξη τους στο θεσμο της σκλαβιας. Στα παλια χρονια, τουλαχιστον στην πολιτεια της Louisiana, οι σκλαβοι ζουσαν και εργαζονταν κατω απο απανθρωπες συνθηκες σε φυτειες οπως αυτη της φωτο. Η φυτεια Oak Alley ειναι πιθανοτατα η πιο διασημη μεταξυ αυτων. Χτιστηκε το 1837 και ηταν μια φυτεια ζαχαρης στην οποια απασχολουνταν περισσοτεροι απο 220 δουλοι. Ειναι ευρεως γνωστη για τον ιδιαιτερα εντυπωσιακο δρομο που σχηματιζεται απο τις θηριωδεις βελανιδιες ο οποιος εκτεινεται απο το κεντρικο κτηριο μεχρι την οχθη του ποταμου Mississippi. Οι επισκεπτες μπορουν να κανουν ενα tour στο πολυτελες σπιτι, το οποιο ακολουθει Αρχαιοελληνικη αρχιτεκτονική, εκει που η οικογενεια Roman, ιδιοκτητες της φυτειας, ζουσε και χρησιμοποιουσε ως "διοικητηριο" της φυτειας. Σε μελλοντικες αναρτησεις θα παραθεσω περισσοτερες λεπτομερειες για τη δουλεία στη Louisiana, πιθανον με καποιες φωτο απο τα σπιτια που ζουσαν οι σκλαβοι. Σημερα, η φυτεια Oak Alley αποτελει ιστορικο αξιοθεατο και ειναι αφιερωμενη στη μνημη αυτων των ανθρωπων που εζησαν κατω απο φρικτες συνθηκες και αντιμετωπιστηκαν στη ζωη τους ως τιποτα παρπανω απο απλα αντικειμενα η επιπλα.

 

ΥΓ: Στο σημειο απο το οποιο εβγαλα τη φωτο δεν επιτρεποταν το παρκαρισμα και καθως προσπαθουσα να την τραβηξω εμφανιστηκε ενας αστυνομικος οποτε, στην προσπαθεια μου να κανω οσο γρηγοροτερα γινεται δεν προσεξα τις ρυθμισεις της μηχανης με αποτελεσμα η ευκρινεια της φωτογραφιας να μην ειναι αυτη που επιθυμουσα.

Lotus is one of my favorite flowers. It is not only its beauty but also beautiful meaning in Buddhism. I found this lovely shot in Wat Phra Kaew. I love something on this beautiful flower. It seems like there is a small party there. ^__^

 

*****************************************************************************************************

The lotus flower has a unique characteristic in that it blooms and sheds its seeds at the same time. In the context of Buddhism, the theory of karma says that, just like the lotus flower, our life is made up of cause and effect. Every cause.. be it action, word or thought.. will imprint an effect that can be seen in this lifetime or in future lives.

 

The lotus produces a beautiful flower even with its roots in the dirtiest water. The symbolism is that a person can rise above being rooted in the ugliness and suffering of this world, and should try to be pure and help others with the beauty of the spirit.

 

Scientific classification....

 

Kingdom: Plantae

 

Division: Angiospermae

 

Class: see text

 

Order: Nymphaeales

 

Family: Nymphaeaceae

 

For more information, please visit : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nymphaeaceae

 

******************************************************************************************************

 

SMILE...SMILE..SMILE...SMILE...HAPPY...HAPPY....HAPPY :-)....

 

We will stick together....

In the time of hardship and moreover....

We will smile together...

Built new hope when all are falling over...

We will still be together now and forever...

 

Ich liebe dich..I LOVE YOU now and forever, my dearest :-)..

J-A-S-M-I-N-E..

A pretty little girl in Thailand..

 

***NO INVITES PLEASE***...Thanks so much for your visits and also for any comments and faves. I am so appreciated for all. All your words are nice awards for me. Thank you..thank you :-)..

 

Wat Phra Kaew, Bangkok, Thailand...

This is, in fact, an image of a journey through long ages of geological time. It's a macro-style view of a mudstone layer between thick sandstone layers in the wall rock of the Malaspina Gallery, on Gabriola Island in the Salish Sea of British Columbia. This distinctively-coloured layer will be very prominent in future images of mine from the gallery. You can see that many smaller layers, of different colours, textures, and minerals, make up this one thicker layer.

I was scrambling round here erratically looking for a composition when I found a bit of a bowl in the ground. I thought, if I lay on the grass, I could get a nice low angle on the limestone, with bush and sky above me. But as I lay, the skin of my cheek on the dry fresh grass, a thought flitted across my mind. What if another tog who thought they owned this bit of land, and freshly filled with hot coffee from a flask, had decided they had to have a wee and had hovered a while in this private little place that I now rubbed up against? I've seen the footprints of togs who have gone before me, and thankfully not noticed anything else, but I do know some have to make more frequent visits than others. Now the thought is there, I shall be more wary in future.

 

Anyhow this was a strange little tree/bush, a bit spikey...and then I thought....no, I'm not going to tell you what that one was. So many strange thoughts going through my head at the moment. It must be down to Lockdown3. Here's some music to cheer the soul. Damn that lyric "There must be some kind of way out of here, Said the joker to the thief, There's too much confusion, I can't get no relief!" Listen, this is GOOOOOD!! Very good! www.youtube.com/watch?v=-UHHc7POovg OK, got you thinking? Change!

 

Haven't we got change, had a helluva change in the last year? Who's going to buy a new petrol or diesel car? Who's going to travel...go anywhere, meet? Who believes any more? Who, trusts the Government, politicians, the experts, the banks, the vaccine? Who's confused, fed up, feeling beaten into submission?

 

Change is happening. Something very weird is going on? Is it all down to a virus which if you could scoop it all up.... all of it in the world, even at the height of the pandemic would amount to one and a half teaspoons.....apparently.

 

"No reason to get excited"

The thief, he kindly spoke

"There are many here among us

Who feel that life is but a joke

But you and I, we've been through that

And this is not our fate

So let us not talk falsely now

The hour is getting late"

 

Is the Great Reset a myth? Or is there something really scary about all this? Take a look (only the Aussies tell it like it is)

www.bing.com/videos/search?q=the+great+reset+agenda&d...

 

and I wondered that all a man could ever want could be found near a bush.

THANK YOU ALL! We value you SO MUCH.

 

We have 200 random winners. Each one gets 1000L$ in store credit. We already added store credits so winners can already spend them.

 

If you have not won this time please do not be upset.

 

We will have more giveaways in future and we are also working on something where every participant will get a prize :)

 

200 random winners:

 

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One of a few shots I took of the Palace of Westminster on New Year's Day. This shot is an experimental 314 sec exposure using a B + W ND110X filter and wireless cable release.

 

Conclusion - I'll only use this filter for 'daylight' hours but maybe use ND2, ND4 or ND8 filters for sunset captures in future although the choppy water has been flattened quite successfully.

The date is late September 2014 and I’ve planned out a fall color adventure in Colorado. But to get there of course I must first traverse Utah. I factored in a little exploration time on the way out and meandered through parts of Fishlake National Forest. I knew that somewhere in these vast lands lives the largest aspen colony in the world, one of the largest and oldest living things on the planet. But of course that is a secret I had no hope to discover. What I did discover was a vast beautiful landscape highlighted by spectacular autumn color from the aspen trees. Here I found a river winding through the topography, crossed by a road also winding along form here to there. I hope to revisit this spectacular region in future trips.

Still desperately on the hunt for a good crop of Bluebells this year, I decided to do some research. Very quickly I found the words, Kinclaven Bluebell Woods, Perthshire, Scotland. This was therefore a no brainer. Veronica, Fara and I got in the car and drove the relatively short distance to this total gem of a location. This year is considered, poor, for Bluebells. Just imagine what this place must look like in a good season! I shall have to return in future years and capture them in full bloom...

Swamp (Rose) milkweed seedpod bursting open exposing it's seeds in my flower garden. Some of the seeds have separated, and are ready to float away on their parachutes to create more plants in future years.

...in future!*

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The much maligned (and deservedly so in my opinion) 20 Fenchurch St tower reflecting the last of the sunset on mid-Summers day.

 

It's nickname is the Walkie-Talkie but I think a better name would be the 'Sore Thumb' as that's what it looks like against the skyline of the other City skyscrapers.

 

Taken during the recent 'London 24in24' event. Click here to see more from this event and previous Photo24 events : www.flickr.com/photos/darrellg/albums/72157667520181380

 

For those anywhere near London, you can find details of the next London Flickr Group Photowalk on Saturday July 20th here : www.flickr.com/groups/londonflickrgroup/discuss/721577219...

 

From Wikipedia, "The building won the Carbuncle Cup in 2015, awarded by Building Design magazine to the worst new building in the UK during the previous year. The chairman of the jury that decided the prize, Thomas Lane, said "it is a challenge finding anyone who has something positive to say about this building", whilst a town planner at the nearby Royal Town Planning Institute described the building as "a daily reminder never to let such a planning disaster ever happen again."

 

During the building's construction, it was discovered that for a period of up to two hours each day if the sun shines directly onto the building, it acts as a concave mirror and focuses light onto the streets to the south. Spot temperature readings at street-level including up to 91 °C (196 °F) and 117 °C (243 °F) were observed during summer 2013, when the reflection of a beam of light up to six times brighter than direct sunlight shining onto the streets beneath damaged parked vehicles, including one on Eastcheap whose owner was paid £946 by the developers for repairs to melted bodywork. Temperatures in direct line with the reflection became so intense that City A.M. reporter Jim Waterson managed to fry an egg in a pan set out on the ground. The reflection also burned or scorched the doormat of a shop in the affected area. The media responded by dubbing the building the "Walkie-Scorchie" and "Fryscraper".

 

In September 2013, the developers stated that the City of London Corporation had approved plans to erect temporary screening on the streets to prevent similar incidents, and that they were also "evaluating longer-term solutions to ensure the issue cannot recur in future". In 2014, a permanent awning was installed on the south side of the higher floors of the tower."

 

© D.Godliman

"Entelodon" is one of the most common armored vehicles in service in Yagoshikha Mining Co. (or YMC) private military division. YMC uses countless types of older or even obsolete machines and equipment from different manufacturers, Neolith corporation is one of them. "Entelodon" was one of their best-selling products for a while and decades after start of its production T37 serve in many armies and PMCs around the galaxy.

 

Just spontaneously started building vehicles for a new faction in my universe. Mostly for the purpose of using those as enemy vehicles in future dioramas.

I’m back to introduce to you my first release, the Genevieve dress. This sweet and sexy little dress comes with many features that I hope you’ll love. You can find it at my mainstore, please be sure to try a demo!

 

★ Body Compatibility ★

Ebody Reborn - Inithium Kupra - Legacy (F) - Maitreya Lara

 

★Fatpack features ★

2 Cuff colors

2 Button colors

2 Apron colors

+

6 Dress colors

6 Apron colors

6 Ribbon colors

6 Petticoat colors

Modify

 

★Single color features ★

2 Cuff colors

2 Button colors

2 Apron colors

Modify

 

———— ★ ————

 

What are we wearing? (Left to Right)

 

Camo - Asa Dreads

M. Birdie - cream on face (gacha)

Insomnia Angel - girlmade headdress

Momochuu -Rona panties

 

Doux- Karol Hairstyle

Insomnia Angel - girlmade headdress

Rouly - Musthave stockings

  

Oracle Mainstore

 

- Join us in-world: secondlife:///app/group/4e1b2e89-198a-0986-5317-090e0e3ca171/about

 

PS - Please feel free to share with me in the comments what bodies/add-ons you'd like to see me include in future releases. I'll do my best ♥

 

i made the updated version for my older piranha, but in this version, i can't find any paper that suitable, maybe in future i'll do it again ( ver 3.0 ? )

 

paper size : 40x40 cm

color change on the teeth and eyes

Four times a year, at the end of each quarter, the notebooks are collected and graded. Of course I want to see everthing --- class notes, vocabulary sheets, cultural info, verb info, tape recorded practice sheets --- everthing completed and in the specified order. Now is that asking too much?

 

It takes a while to grade the notebooks, but it is worth the time and effort, and I feel good knowing that, when the students leave me, they have a great "resource of information" to use in future Spanish classes.

Hello you lovely people! ♡

 

Today we are celebrating the special anniversary of the Gallant Magazine with it's new Spring Issue. I feel incredibly honored to be included in this issue together with so many talented and amazing artists and creators. Everyone did an amazing job and I loved reading it! Please feel free to check out the Magazine here:

• Gallant Magazine - Spring Issue •

 

Let's continue with a huge "THANK YOU!" to our special guest in this picture: Dahvie Gloom, for participating in this picture and sponsoring eyes to everyone! Thank you very much for your kindness and generosity, Dahvie. You're amazing! It was a blast to have you in this picture and I hope we'll get the chance for more collaborations in future!

 

Also, I want to give a huge "THANK YOU!" (look how huge it is!) to the Kagune Brothers: Dexy & Yubly! Damn, you two are my favorite people. Thank you so, so much for your patience, while I tweak background sceneries, poses and lightings for hours. Your company means everything to me. You're always supporting me and have my back when creativity is a bitch. In all honesty: Thank you. Thank you so fucking much! (The British & American way of saying 'Thank you' xD!)

 

Last but not least I want to thank all the creators for being damn amazing at what they're doing! What would SL be without you guys. Damn, I'm glad each of you is here to make this world a bit better and more colorful! Also, I want to thank the readers. Yes, you! Exactly. Oi! Where are you going? Stay here when I am talking to you >:O

 

Thank you for reading my nonsense and following my pictures! You are the BEST. It means a whole lot. You put a smile on my face. So... Thank you. Thank you very much for all of your support and kindness. You are amazing!

  

- Credits -

 

on Dahvie:

 

Hair: Dura - B&G 82

Face Mask: [TNK] - Yotssu Mask Cross

Katana: [TNK] - Denki Katana - Marble

Harness: V-Tech - Harness

Mesh Shirt: [House of Ruby] - Wild Spring Crop Top

Pants: xJax - Steampunk Skinny Jean

Shoes: [Vale Koer] - Retro Dunk

Ear & Tail: Sweet Thing

  

on Hikaru:

 

Hair: [Burley] - Joe

Mask: [ContraptioN] - The Modified Mask

Prosthetic Arm: [ContraptioN] Compass Hideout - SK3LET0 Series

Glove: //Ascend// - Trevor Bento Glove

Eyes: Clemmm - Marks the Spot & Mutated Coal

Eye Chest: {aii} - TOXIC DreamWeaver's Eye

Face Mask: [TNK] - YOTSSU MASK - DARKSIDE

Backpack: AITUI - Bagged Boards - Savage

Goggles: :Zombie Suicide:: - Steampunk Goggles

Shirt: RIOT - Cole Harnessed Tank

Pants: GUTCHI - Streetwear Joggers

Waist Wrap: +HILU+ - NUREGOTO

Boots: [Cubic Cherry] - {Lenn} combat boots

Arm Band: [CerberusXing] - Spiked Fury

Owl: [ContraptioN] - Messenger Owl

  

on Yubly:

 

Body Piercing: +ARTIFICIAL HALLUCINATION+ - Hellraiser

Necklace: [Gild] - Chain Loop

Mask: [TNK] - Hashono Gas Mask

Gloves: [ContraptioN] - Rosssa Buster Gloves

Backpack: AITUI - Bagged Boards

Shoes: Anxiety - Oscar Soles

Pants: GUTCHI - Bandana Denim

Top: ::Gabriel:: - Strap open shirt black

  

on Dexy:

 

Hair: Foxy - Lovesick

Ears: [MANDALA] - STRETCHED Ears

Top: BTTB - kort shirt

Backpack - DAPPA - Yami Backpack

Boots: [omnis] - Shi-Boots

Arm: [omnis]- BlackWidow

Garter/Fishnets: [Cynful] - Lucid Dream

Halo: BTTB - holy heartache halo

  

Decoration:

 

Backdrop: VARONIS</a - StarDust Background

Neon Signs: OLQINU - cyber survivor

Cigarettes: Apple Fall - 'Lucky Numbers'

  

• Soundtrack •

  

- Salt&Pepper S&P Poppy Top (2 version sheer and solid) and Pant with denim and color textures Now at @ Uber event

- Serenity Style Old Water Tower 2 versions Now at @ Uber event

 

- IKON Chimaera Nymph Eyes @Mainstore

 

- Rise Design [ rD ] Byzantina Necklace with hud now at FaMeshed Event!

- Rise Design [ rD ] Byzantina Bangles and Earrings

 

- Tulssy Studio Bloom Bento Nails @ Mainstore

 

- DRD: Flower Power - Bus soft link with all furniture inside

In future it will be updated to drive able - Mainstore

 

My most cheerful character Gwen in my most gloomy pic) (I think, she must be rehabilitated after the latest work with flame thrower in hands and red boots)

Mood: lazy and very bad (hope that I’ll become more adequate in the spring, but now I want only to sit in corner and to spoil mood for everybody XDD).

I really wished to make something colourful and mad, but could master only half-dresses of dancing hippie. Well, I probably will complete this in future.

Music: Depeche Mode - Dressed In Black

Cairngorms, Scotland

 

Now it's January I have a perfect excuse to post this picture from our visit three years ago.

 

Last week I announced I'd be posting to our joint Flickr account in future. After a frustrating week of trying to achieve this successfully we have had to accept defeat and revert to our original way of posting. Sorry for the confusion.

 

All comments and favs sincerely appreciated.

 

The new website is now live and has full details of our special rate all inclusive Kenyan Safaris in 2020 & 2021.

 

Follow me on Facebook and Twitter

 

More images on the website

 

#wildlifephotography #wildlife #nature #naturephotography #2togs #ianlocock

Thank you to those who voted on my photo quiz (2 photos back, for those who may still vote - I'll post some more requests in future!).

 

About the venue the chap is standing in front of: 1960's The Flamingo, 1980's The Wag club, now a pub. www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/jul/08/the-wag-c...

Even more pertinent now with the closure of Fabric en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fabric_(club)

Added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995, it remains under restoration by the Stewartstown Railroad for use in future excursion service. Taken on the sunny and railroad side of the station. The photo was taken in 2018, last visit it was progressing.

I discovered a nice little vantage point that i'd never been to on the shores of Grasmere .. it was whilst travelling up Redbank rd that i hopped over a wall and found a spot that'll i'll no doubt use again in future :) Thankyou for viewing , your comments and advice are always greatly appreciated :)

Discovered that my Canon Bridge camera not only has the 65x optical zoom but also digital 'zoom plus' to 130x and normal digital zoom to 260x, so I decided to get out with it this morning and see how much quality is lost at the high zooms. Canon claim no loss of quality with the 'zoom plus' but warn that there will be a reduction at more than 130x. I can certainly vouch for that!! The 260x photo is a crap shot anyway because the heron had flown to the other side of the river and was in full sun: the camera couldn't cope with that and I couldn't do much in PhotoShop without introducing even more noise. An interesting exercise though (especially trying to keep the camera still enough at the extreme ends of the range without a tripod - I couldn't be bothered carrying one and settled for bracing against trees!) but somehow I don't think I'll be using the 260x zoom very much in future...!

Went on a night photography course last night, hoping to kick start myself back into it and also possibly to meet some like-minded people for future night shooting.

 

What the course taught me is that, for me personally, the key is to keep shooting…that's where most of my lessons in photography have been found so far (rather than blindly following the guru).

 

Also, in terms of shooting in central London at night: 1) There's almost too much light, and 2) It's really hard to make the familiar sights in any way interesting

 

Will have to get off the well-worn track to find interesting things to shoot in future

I took the shot of the foreground and trees back in April 2007 and mistakenly had the camera set to store the file as a jpeg rather than raw. This meant that I passed it by for further work for the next 15 years.

Last week (July 2022) there were a few great sunsets and I took some shots for use in future sky replacement projects.

Today they met each other. In a nice coincidence, both shots are taken facing exactly the same direction, with a similar angle of view and only a few hundred metres from each other. Only time separates them.

The EXIF data is from the foreground elements.

© Daniela Hartmann, flickr.com

 

Photographed at the trade fair "CeBIT" in Hannover, Germany. Brave New World. Pushing the shopping cart in future just virtual? Online-shopping. But I like it to go shopping... ;-)

"Brave New World" is a novel by Aldous Huxley. The ironic title ultimately derives from Miranda's speech in Shakespeare's The Tempest, Act V, Scene I: "O wonder!

How many goodly creatures are there here! How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world! That has such people in't!"

__________

La foto es una perspectiva de la CeBIT (feria de informática más grande de Europa que se celebra en Hannóver).

comercio electrónico.

Un mundo feliz (Brave New World en inglés, literalmente ‘Un Nuevo Mundo Valiente’) es la novela más famosa del autor británico Aldous Huxley. El título tiene origen en una obra del autor William Shakespeare, La Tempestad, en el acto V, cuando Miranda pronuncia su discurso.

__________

Aufgenommen auf der CeBIT in Hannover (übrigens am Stand vom Beschaffungsamt; ich habe das Foto dann noch ein wenig nachbearbeitet).

Schöne neue Welt. Wird der Einkaufswagen in der Zukunft nur noch virtuell geschoben? Einkaufen per Mausklick im Internet.

Aber ich mag das Einkaufen gehen..... ;-)

"Schöne neue Welt" ist ein Roman von Aldous Huxley. Ursprünglich stammt der Ausdruck jedoch aus dem 5. Akt von Shakespeares Drama "The tempest": O Wunder! Was gibt's für herrliche Geschöpfe hier! Wie schön der Mensch ist! Schöne neue Welt, die solche Bürger trägt!

  

All my images are copyrighted.

If you intend to use any of my pictures for non-commercial usage, you have to sign them with © Daniela Hartmann, flickr.com. Please write a comment if you have used it and for what purpose. I would be very happy about it. I am curious about the context in which the image is used.

 

If you have any commercial usage, you need to contact me always first. USE WITHOUT PERMISSION IS ILLEGAL.

 

You find some of my photos on Getty Images.

My name there is "alles-schlumpf".

    

Quite local to me strangely this is somewhere I rarely seem go to, Carr Mill just outside St Helens. I'll be making more of an effort in future, the lighting here today was fantastic, bringing out the last of the autumn colour on the trees, and the water was very calm allowing for some great reflections. This one presented as a 9 shot panorama

 

View my most interesting shots on Flickriver here: www.flickriver.com/photos/pete37038/popular-interesting/

guyz if u r still in school so just tell us in which grade u r ?!

and what would u like to study in future ?!

 

and for ppl whose working =Pp 5broona where u r working

and what u had studied ?! w km # el mktb =Pp

  

here we go

  

A hare has just sprinted in front of us at 50 miles an hour. Freddie took off in pursuit at 48.5 miles an hour, so by all known laws of physics the hare got home safely but will be more careful in future. Meanwhile Freddie takes a cooling dip in the fleet and contemplates revising his ambitions.

 

Fobbing Marshes, Essex UK

An der Grenze der Hochfläche des Barnim zur Niederungslandschaft Oderbruch, etwa 60 km von Berlin entfernt,

überwinden Schiffe den Höhenunterschied von 36 m mit einem Fahrstuhl. Das alte Schiffshebewerk Niederfinow ist das älteste seiner Art in Deutschland, das noch in Betrieb ist, und das schon seit dem 21. März 1934. Nach einer Bauzeit von sieben Jahren und Kosten von 27,5 Millionen Reichsmark konnte so die benachbarte vierstufige Treppenschleusenanlage abgelöst werden. Der Schleusengang verkürzte sich von zwei Stunden auf 20 Minuten. Das Schiffshebewerk befördert in seinem Trog (82,5 m lang, 12 m breit und 2,50 m Wassertiefe) Schiffe innerhalb von nur fünf Minuten über eine Hubhöhe von 36 Metern innerhalb des Oder-Havel-Kanals am Rande einer Hochfläche. Mit einer Länge von 94 Metern, einer Breite von 27 Metern und einer Höhe von 52 Metern ist das bestehende Schiffshebewerk aufgrund der modernen Bauweise der heutigen Lastschiffe an seine Kapazitätsgrenze gestoßen. So entstand gleich neben dem „Alten“ seit 2008, das nach zweijährigem Probebetrieb im Oktober 2022 eingeweiht wurde. Es wird mit 133 Metern Länge und 55 Metern Höhe zukünftig auch größeren Schiffen das Passieren des Eberswalder Urstromtals ermöglichen. Sein Trog erhält eine nutzbare Länge von 115 Metern, eine Breite von 12,5 Metern und eine Trogwasser-Tiefe von 4 Metern. Wassergefüllt wiegt er 9.800 Tonnen gegenüber 4.300 Tonnen bei dem alten Schiffshebewerk, das aber parallel noch weiter betrieben wird.

 

Quellen: bad-freienwalde.de/schiffshebewerk-niederfinow/

und de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schiffshebewerk_Niederfinow_Nord, beide gekürzt und leicht bearbeitet

 

On the border between the Barnim plateau and the Oderbruch lowlands, about 60 km from Berlin. ships overcome the difference in height of 36 m with a lift. The old Niederfinow Ship Lift is the oldest of its kind in Germany still in operation, and has been since 21 March 1934. After a construction period of seven years and costs of 27.5 million Reichsmarks, it replaced the neighbouring four-stage flight of locks system. The lock passage was reduced from two hours to 20 minutes. The ship lift transports ships in its caisson (82.5 metres long, 12 metres wide and 2.50 metres deep) over a lift height of 36 metres within the Oder-Havel Canal at the edge of a plateau in just five minutes. With a length of 94 metres, a width of 27 metres and a height of 52 metres, the existing ship lift has reached its capacity limit due to the modern design of today's cargo ships. This led to the construction of a new lift right next to the ‘old’ one in 2008, which was inaugurated in October 2022 after two years of trial operation. With a length of 133 metres and a height of 55 metres, it will enable even larger ships to pass through the Eberswalde glacial valley in future. Its caisson has a usable length of 115 metres, a width of 12.5 metres and a water depth of 4 metres. When filled with water, it weighs 9,800 tonnes, compared to 4,300 tonnes for the old ship lift, which will continue to operate in parallel.

 

Sources: bad-freienwalde.de/schiffshebewerk-niederfinow/

and de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schiffshebewerk_Niederfinow_Nord, both abridged and slightly edited

 

At the beginning of quarantine I re-watched Cowboy Bebop, and since I have been working on a model of Spike's iconic fighter/racer, the Swordfish. The sleek nature of the racing ship combined with the roughly tacked on cannon has always been a compelling design to me, and I am pretty satisfied with my recreation of it. In future iterations I would love to integrate the folding wings and landing gear as well as a more accurately shaped engine.

 

Thank you for viewing!

jeaniewaydelich.wordpress.com/2016/05/27/lotd-714/

Sandhill Cranes used to be in the same genus (Grus) as European Cranes, but genetic studies in 2010 resulted in Sandhills and four other crane species being placed in a separate genus Antigone. Antigone by the way, was the daughter of King Laomedon of Troy who was metamorphosed into a Stork for presuming to compare herself to the goddess Hera. Now more recent genetic studies have shown that the population of Pacific coastal Sandhill Cranes are very different genetically and ecologically from those inland birds breeding east of the Rockies, and may even be a separate species, though more work would be needed to establish that: www.rarebirdalert.co.uk/v2/Content/Dividing_Lines_in_the_...

 

They are called Sandhill Cranes after one of their most important migration stopover sites at the Platte River in Nebraska, which is a habitat of inland sand hills. Being migratory they are prone to occasional vagrancy and a handful of birds have reached Britain. I was fortunate enough to see one of these vagrants while visiting Shetland in September 1991. So if the species is split in future, my Scottish sighting might be my only bird of the interior (eastern) population.

 

These were a coastal breeding pair at the George C Reifel reserve near the mouth of the Fraser River in British Columbia. There is a difference in size of the red head patch but this is just natural variation among adults (young birds lack the red head patch) as the sexes are similar, though males are a bit larger. So the left bird here looks like the male.

Hello everyone,

 

Pleased to announce the winners of the black and white, March photography contest! First place goes to - 1. Mei Vohn and her amazing shot!

flickr.com/photos/191294111@N03/54340287761/in/dateposted/

 

Followed by 2. ๖ۣۣۜLєєƖᴏᴏ Ʋᴏη ƤєяᴋєƖє and the inspiring shot

flickr.com/photos/144629741@N07/54307339796/in/dateposted/

in second place!

 

And 3. Clary C. and her incredible shot

flickr.com/photos/138366083@N04/54330641140/in/dateposted/ in third place!

 

Congratulations to all! Your prizes will be sent to you inworld.

 

I would like to express my sincere gratitude not only to the winners but also to all participants who invested their time and effort to share their incredible works. Your creativity and enthusiasm made the contest an unforgettable experience. Thank you for being a part of the community, and I hope to see you all again in future initiatives!

 

Best regards,

Angelyn

 

angelynsblog.mystrikingly.com/blog/winners-of-the-black-a...

 

Excerpt from the plaque:

 

Sanctuary of Salt by Homan Ho Man-chung

 

“Sanctuary of Salt” is a laboratory that studies salt as a creative medium. It exhibits the forms and records of salt crystals, along with a series of works on the relationship between human and salt as well as nature at large. This year’s work presents three people who are indissoluble with Yim Tin Tsai, from salt workers to scientists, collaborating to explore the possibilities of salt, recording the process and the story, and documenting their common endeavour in search of tales of salt in future.

A summer return to a previous post. In future posts the inside will be shown.

tested another variable ND filter this day. it was much better than the first from a few days before but not as good as fixed filters are. conclusion: fixed ND filters are best and the only filters I'll use for long exposure photos in future.

Well, here you see what I've been working on the past few weeks: A fully playable and accurate M4A3E8 Sherman Tank. The best part for you? Instructions will be going up for sale. Not only once, but I'll be making several models. It would come in a format of a few hundred pictures compressed into a zip file (or in future, a PDF file) for about 7$.

 

Photo editing done by Thunder-blade.

Big thanks to Brickmania, Captain Ordo Studios, Aaron Morse, Darthpineapple and Thunder-blade for helping me throughout the way.

Species: Tringa glareola.

Location: Greece.

 

The wood sandpiper is a medium-sized wading bird, with a fine straight bill, yellowish legs and a conspicuous long white stripe from the bill over the eye to the back of the neck. In flight, it shows no wing-stripes and a square white rump.

It is a passage migrant in spring and autumn, breeding in Northern Europe and wintering in Africa. A few pairs breed in the Scottish Highlands. The flooding of some previously drained traditional marshes in Scotland may help this species in future. Wood sandpipers are listed in UK as a Schedule 1 species. Info: RSPB.

  

Many thanks to people who view or comment on my photos.

Project: Story of my days

 

La serenità, la buona coscienza, la lieta azione, la fiducia nel futuro, dipendono [..] dal fatto che si sappia tanto bene dimenticare al tempo giusto, quanto ricordare al tempo giusto.

 

(F. Nietzsche, Considerazioni inattuali)

 

------------------------------

Oblivion

 

The serenity, the good conscience, the pleased action, the trust in the future, they depend [..] from the fact that is known so much good to forget to the correct time, whether to remember to the correct time.

 

(F. Nietzsche, Old-fashioned considerations)

  

BR Standard 4MT 2-6-0 between Whitby and Ruswarp pulling a North Yorkshire Moors Railway service to Grosmont.

 

Interesting day at the NYMR steam gala that was cut short when I got a particle of chimney ash in the eye whilst photographing from the footpath between Goathland and Grosmont. Vision is returning four days later, including a visit to A&E. In future I'll carry an eye wash when going near steam engines.

Here is another re-process of a shot from before. I am REALLY happy with how this one came out.

This was the last re-edit after an entire day of re-processing. Man, I was ready to say "fo-getta-bout-it!" and just call it a day, but I knew there was some real good stuff in this one, so I gritted my teeth and kept at it. I am very happy I did :-) I keep getting distracted staring at the screen imagining walking down these tracks again in the middle of the night...

 

There is lots going on lately. Made the announcement that Workshops are coming this year (!!) and thank you to everyone that messaged me about being part of the first one. I am really excited to show you all what your camera can do under a starry sky :-)

For those interested in future workshops, send me a message and I'll put you on a mailing list for updates.

 

And, also, prints of just about all my star images are available now!

Head on over to the website for orders- including this one :-)

 

www.thestartrail.com/prints

 

Thanks for looking, and have a great Wednesday

Information from: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Cod

 

Cape Cod

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to: navigation, search

This article is about the area of Massachusetts. For other uses, see Cape Cod (disambiguation).

For other uses, see Cod (disambiguation).

 

Coordinates: 41°41′20″N 70°17′49″W / 41.68889°N 70.29694°W / 41.68889; -70.29694

Map of Massachusetts, with Cape Cod (Barnstable County) indicated in red

Dunes on Sandy Neck are part of the Cape's barrier beach which helps to prevent erosion

 

Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is an island and a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States. It is coextensive with Barnstable County. Several small islands right off Cape Cod, including Monomoy Island, Monomoscoy Island, Popponesset Island, and Seconsett Island, are also in Barnstable County, being part of municipalities with land on the Cape. The Cape's small-town character and large beachfront attract heavy tourism during the summer months.

 

Cape Cod was formed as the terminal moraine of a glacier, resulting in a peninsula in the Atlantic Ocean. In 1914, the Cape Cod Canal was cut through the base or isthmus of the peninsula, forming an island. The Cape Cod Commission refers to the resultant landmass as an island; as does the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in regards to disaster preparedness.[1] It is still identified as a peninsula by geographers, who do not change landform designations based on man-made canal construction.[citation needed]

 

Unofficially, it is one of the biggest barrier islands in the world, shielding much of the Massachusetts coastline from North Atlantic storm waves. This protection helps to erode the Cape shoreline at the expense of cliffs, while protecting towns from Fairhaven to Marshfield.

 

Road vehicles from the mainland cross over the Cape Cod Canal via the Sagamore Bridge and the Bourne Bridge. The two bridges are parallel, with the Bourne Bridge located slightly farther southwest. In addition, the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge carries railway freight as well as tourist passenger services.

Contents

[hide]

 

* 1 Geography and political divisions

o 1.1 "Upper" and "Lower"

* 2 Geology

* 3 Climate

* 4 Native population

* 5 History

* 6 Lighthouses of Cape Cod

* 7 Transportation

o 7.1 Bus

o 7.2 Rail

o 7.3 Taxi

* 8 Tourism

* 9 Sport fishing

* 10 Sports

* 11 Education

* 12 Islands off Cape Cod

* 13 See also

* 14 References

o 14.1 Notes

o 14.2 Sources

o 14.3 Further reading

* 15 External links

 

[edit] Geography and political divisions

Towns of Barnstable County

historical map of 1890

 

The highest elevation on Cape Cod is 306 feet (93 m), at the top of Pine Hill, in the Bourne portion of the Massachusetts Military Reservation. The lowest point is sea level.

 

The body of water located between Cape Cod and the mainland, bordered to the north by Massachusetts Bay, is Cape Cod Bay; west of Cape Cod is Buzzards Bay. The Cape Cod Canal, completed in 1916, connects Buzzards Bay to Cape Cod Bay; it shortened the trade route between New York and Boston by 62 miles.[2] To the south of Cape Cod lie Nantucket Sound; Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, both large islands, and the mostly privately owned Elizabeth Islands.

 

Cape Cod incorporates all of Barnstable County, which comprises 15 towns: Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth, and Mashpee, Barnstable, Yarmouth, Dennis, Harwich, Brewster, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown. Two of the county's fifteen towns (Bourne and Sandwich) include land on the mainland side of the Cape Cod Canal. The towns of Plymouth and Wareham, in adjacent Plymouth County, are sometimes considered to be part of Cape Cod but are not located on the island.

 

In the 17th century the designation Cape Cod applied only to the tip of the peninsula, essentially present-day Provincetown. Over the ensuing decades, the name came to mean all the land east of the Manomet and Scussett rivers - essentially the line of the 20th century Cape Cod Canal. Now, the complete towns of Bourne and Sandwich are widely considered to incorporate the full perimeter of Cape Cod, even though small parts of these towns are located on the west side of the canal. The canal divides the largest part of the peninsula from the mainland and the resultant landmass is sometimes referred to as an island.[3][4] Additionally some "Cape Codders" – residents of "The Cape" – refer to all land on the mainland side of the canal as "off-Cape."

 

For most of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, Cape Cod was considered to consist of three sections:

 

* The Upper Cape is the part of Cape Cod closest to the mainland, comprising the towns of Bourne, Sandwich, Falmouth, and Mashpee. Falmouth is the home of the famous Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and several other research organizations, and is also the most-used ferry connection to Martha's Vineyard. Falmouth is composed of several separate villages, including East Falmouth, Falmouth Village, Hatchville, North Falmouth, Teaticket, Waquoit, West Falmouth, and Woods Hole, as well as several smaller hamlets that are incorporated into their larger neighbors (e.g., Davisville, Falmouth Heights, Quissett, Sippewissett, and others).[5]

 

* The Mid-Cape includes the towns of Barnstable, Yarmouth and Dennis. The Mid-Cape area features many beautiful beaches, including warm-water beaches along Nantucket Sound, e.g., Kalmus Beach in Hyannis, which gets its name from one of the inventors of Technicolor, Herbert Kalmus. This popular windsurfing destination was bequeathed to the town of Barnstable by Dr. Kalmus on condition that it not be developed, possibly one of the first instances of open-space preservation in the US. The Mid-Cape is also the commercial and industrial center of the region. There are seven villages in Barnstable, including Barnstable Village, Centerville, Cotuit, Hyannis, Marstons Mills, Osterville, and West Barnstable, as well as several smaller hamlets that are incorporated into their larger neighbors (e.g., Craigville, Cummaquid, Hyannisport, Santuit, Wianno, and others).[6] There are three villages in Yarmouth: South Yarmouth, West Yarmouth and Yarmouthport. There are five villages in Dennis including, Dennis Village(North Dennis), East Dennis, West Dennis, South Dennis and Dennisport.[7]

 

* The Lower Cape traditionally included all of the rest of the Cape,or the towns of Harwich, Brewster, Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown. This area includes the Cape Cod National Seashore, a national park comprising much of the outer Cape, including the entire east-facing coast, and is home to some of the most popular beaches in America, such as Coast Guard Beach and Nauset Light Beach in Eastham. Stephen Leatherman, aka "Dr. Beach", named Coast Guard Beach the 5th best beach in America for 2007.[8]

 

[edit] "Upper" and "Lower"

 

The terms "Upper" and "Lower" as applied to the Cape have nothing to do with north and south. Instead, they derive from maritime convention at the time when the principal means of transportation involved watercraft, and the prevailing westerly winds meant that a boat with sails traveling northeast in Cape Cod Bay would have the wind at its back and thus be going downwind, while a craft sailing southwest would be going against the wind, or upwind.[9] Similarly, on nearby Martha's Vineyard, "Up Island" still is the western section and "Down Island" is to the east, and in Maine, "Down East" is similarly defined by the winds and currents.

 

Over time, the reasons for the traditional nomenclature became unfamiliar and their meaning obscure. Late in the 1900s, new arrivals began calling towns from Eastham to Provincetown the "Outer Cape", yet another geographic descriptor which is still in use, as is the "Inner Cape."

[edit] Geology

Cape Cod and Cape Cod Bay from space.[10]

 

East of America, there stands in the open Atlantic the last fragment of an ancient and vanished land. Worn by the breakers and the rains, and disintegrated by the wind, it still stands bold.

“

”

Henry Beston, The Outermost House

 

Cape Cod forms a continuous archipelagic region with a thin line of islands stretching toward New York, historically known by naturalists as the Outer Lands. This continuity is due to the fact that the islands and Cape are all terminal glacial moraines laid down some 16,000 to 20,000 years ago.

 

Most of Cape Cod's geological history involves the advance and retreat of the Laurentide ice sheet in the late Pleistocene geological era and the subsequent changes in sea level. Using radiocarbon dating techniques, researchers have determined that around 23,000 years ago, the ice sheet reached its maximum southward advance over North America, and then started to retreat. Many "kettle ponds" — clear, cold lakes — were formed and remain on Cape Cod as a result of the receding glacier. By about 18,000 years ago, the ice sheet had retreated past Cape Cod. By roughly 15,000 years ago, it had retreated past southern New England. When so much of Earth's water was locked up in massive ice sheets, the sea level was lower. Truro's bayside beaches used to be a petrified forest, before it became a beach.

 

As the ice began to melt, the sea began to rise. Initially, sea level rose quickly, about 15 meters (50 ft) per 1,000 years, but then the rate declined. On Cape Cod, sea level rose roughly 3 meters (11 ft) per millennium between 6,000 and 2,000 years ago. After that, it continued to rise at about 1 meter (3 ft) per millennium. By 6,000 years ago, the sea level was high enough to start eroding the glacial deposits that the vanished continental ice sheet had left on Cape Cod. The water transported the eroded deposits north and south along the outer Cape's shoreline. Those reworked sediments that moved north went to the tip of Cape Cod.

 

Provincetown Spit, at the northern end of the Cape, consists largely of marine deposits, transported from farther up the shore. Sediments that moved south created the islands and shoals of Monomoy. So while other parts of the Cape have dwindled from the action of the waves, these parts of the Cape have grown.

Cape Cod National Seashore

 

This process continues today. Due to their position jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, the Cape and islands are subject to massive coastal erosion. Geologists say that, due to erosion, the Cape will be completely submerged by the sea in thousands of years.[11] This erosion causes the washout of beaches and the destruction of the barrier islands; for example, the ocean broke through the barrier island at Chatham during Hurricane Bob in 1991, allowing waves and storm surges to hit the coast with no obstruction. Consequently, the sediment and sand from the beaches is being washed away and deposited elsewhere. While this destroys land in some places, it creates land elsewhere, most noticeably in marshes where sediment is deposited by waters running through them.

[edit] Climate

 

Although Cape Cod's weather[12] is typically more moderate than inland locations, there have been occasions where Cape Cod has dealt with the brunt of extreme weather situations (such as the Blizzard of 1954 and Hurricane of 1938). Because of the influence of the Atlantic Ocean, temperatures are typically a few degrees cooler in the summer and a few degrees warmer in the winter. A common misconception is that the climate is influenced largely by the warm Gulf Stream current, however that current turns eastward off the coast of Virginia and the waters off the Cape are more influenced by the cold Canadian Labrador Current. As a result, the ocean temperature rarely gets above 65 °F (18 °C), except along the shallow west coast of the Upper Cape.

 

The Cape's climate is also notorious for a delayed spring season, being surrounded by an ocean which is still cold from the winter; however, it is also known for an exceptionally mild fall season (Indian summer), thanks to the ocean remaining warm from the summer. The highest temperature ever recorded on Cape Cod was 104 °F (40 °C) in Provincetown[13], and the lowest temperature ever was −12 °F (−24.4 °C) in Barnstable.[14]

 

The water surrounding Cape Cod moderates winter temperatures enough to extend the USDA hardiness zone 7a to its northernmost limit in eastern North America.[15] Even though zone 7a (annual low = 0–5 degrees Fahrenheit) signifies no sub-zero temperatures annually, there have been several instances of temperatures reaching a few degrees below zero across the Cape (although it is rare, usually 1–5 times a year, typically depending on locale, sometimes not at all). Consequently, many plant species typically found in more southerly latitudes grow there, including Camellias, Ilex opaca, Magnolia grandiflora and Albizia julibrissin.

 

Precipitation on Cape Cod and the islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket is the lowest in the New England region, averaging slightly less than 40 inches (1,000 mm) a year (most parts of New England average 42–46 inches). This is due to storm systems which move across western areas, building up in mountainous regions, and dissipating before reaching the coast where the land has leveled out. The region does not experience a greater number of sunny days however, as the number of cloudy days is the same as inland locales, in addition to increased fog. Snowfall is annual, but a lot less common than the rest of Massachusetts. On average, 30 inches of snow, which is a foot less than Boston, falls in an average winter. Snow is usually light, and comes in squalls on cold days. Storms that bring blizzard conditions and snow emergencies to the mainland, bring devastating ice storms or just heavy rains more frequently than large snow storms.

[hide]Climate data for Cape Cod

Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year

Average high °C (°F) 2.06

(35.7) 2.5

(36.5) 6.22

(43.2) 11.72

(53.1) 16.94

(62.5) 23.5

(74.3) 26.39

(79.5) 26.67

(80.0) 25.06

(77.1) 18.39

(65.1) 12.56

(54.6) 5.44

(41.8) 26.67

(80.0)

Average low °C (°F) -5.33

(22.4) -5

(23.0) -1.33

(29.6) 2.72

(36.9) 8.72

(47.7) 14.61

(58.3) 19.22

(66.6) 20.28

(68.5) 15.56

(60.0) 9.94

(49.9) 3.94

(39.1) -2.22

(28.0) -5.33

(22.4)

Precipitation mm (inches) 98

(3.86) 75.4

(2.97) 95

(3.74) 92.5

(3.64) 83.6

(3.29) 76.7

(3.02) 62.2

(2.45) 65

(2.56) 74.7

(2.94) 84.8

(3.34) 90.7

(3.57) 92.7

(3.65) 990.9

(39.01)

Source: World Meteorological Organisation (United Nations) [16]

[edit] Native population

 

Cape Cod has been the home of the Wampanoag tribe of Native American people for many centuries. They survived off the sea and were accomplished farmers. They understood the principles of sustainable forest management, and were known to light controlled fires to keep the underbrush in check. They helped the Pilgrims, who arrived in the fall of 1620, survive at their new Plymouth Colony. At the time, the dominant group was the Kakopee, known for their abilities at fishing. They were the first Native Americans to use large casting nets. Early colonial settlers recorded that the Kakopee numbered nearly 7,000.

 

Shortly after the Pilgrims arrived, the chief of the Kakopee, Mogauhok, attempted to make a treaty limiting colonial settlements. The effort failed after he succumbed to smallpox in 1625. Infectious diseases such as smallpox, measles and influenza caused the deaths of many other Kakopee and Wampanoag. They had no natural immunity to Eurasian diseases by then endemic among the English and other Europeans. Today, the only reminder of the Kakopee is a small public recreation area in Barnstable named for them. A historic marker notes the burial site of Mogauhok near Truro, although the location is conjecture.

 

While contractors were digging test wells in the eastern Massachusetts Military Reservation area, they discovered an archeological find.[citation needed] Excavation revealed the remains of a Kakopee village in Forestdale, a location in Sandwich. Researchers found a totem with a painted image of Mogauhok, portrayed in his chief's cape and brooch. The totem was discovered on property on Grand Oak Road. It is the first evidence other than colonial accounts of his role as an important Kakopee leader.

 

The Indians lost their lands through continued purchase and expropriation by the English colonists. The documentary Natives of the Narrowland (1993), narrated by actress Julie Harris, shows the history of the Wampanoag people through Cape Cod archaeological sites.

 

In 1974, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Council was formed to articulate the concerns of those with Native American ancestry. They petitioned the federal government in 1975 and again in 1990 for official recognition of the Mashpee Wampanoag as a tribe. In May 2007, the Wampanoag tribe was finally federally recognized as a tribe.[17]

[edit] History

Cranberry picking in 1906

 

Cape Cod was a landmark for early explorers. It may have been the "Promontory of Vinland" mentioned by the Norse voyagers (985-1025). Giovanni da Verrazzano in 1524 approached it from the south. He named Martha's Vineyard Claudia, after the mother of the King of France.[18] The next year the explorer Esteban Gómez called it Cape St. James.

 

In 1602 Bartholomew Gosnold named it Cape Cod, the surviving term and the ninth oldest English place-name in the U.S.[19] Samuel de Champlain charted its sand-silted harbors in 1606 and Henry Hudson landed there in 1609. Captain John Smith noted it on his map of 1614 and at last the Pilgrims entered the "Cape Harbor" and – contrary to the popular myth of Plymouth Rock – made their first landing near present-day Provincetown on November 11, 1620. Nearby, in what is now Eastham, they had their first encounter with Native Americans.

 

Cape Cod was among the first places settled by the English in North America. Aside from Barnstable (1639), Sandwich (1637) and Yarmouth (1639), the Cape's fifteen towns developed slowly. The final town to be established on the Cape was Bourne in 1884.[20] Provincetown was a group of huts until the 18th century. A channel from Massachusetts Bay to Buzzards Bay is shown on Southack's map of 1717. The present Cape Cod Canal was slowly developed from 1870 to 1914. The Federal government purchased it in 1928.

 

Thanks to early colonial settlement and intensive land use, by the time Henry Thoreau saw Cape Cod during his four visits over 1849 to 1857[21], its vegetation was depauperate and trees were scarce. As the settlers heated by fires, and it took 10 to 20 cords (40 to 80 m³) of wood to heat a home, they cleared most of Cape Cod of timber early on. They planted familiar crops, but these were unsuited to Cape Cod's thin, glacially derived soils. For instance, much of Eastham was planted to wheat. The settlers practiced burning of woodlands to release nutrients into the soil. Improper and intensive farming led to erosion and the loss of topsoil. Farmers grazed their cattle on the grassy dunes of coastal Massachusetts, only to watch "in horror as the denuded sands `walked' over richer lands, burying cultivated fields and fences." Dunes on the outer Cape became more common and many harbors filled in with eroded soils.[22]

 

By 1800, most of Cape Cod's firewood had to be transported by boat from Maine. The paucity of vegetation was worsened by the raising of merino sheep that reached its peak in New England around 1840. The early industrial revolution, which occurred through much of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, mostly bypassed Cape Cod due to a lack of significant water power in the area. As a result, and also because of its geographic position, the Cape developed as a large fishing and whaling center. After 1860 and the opening of the American West, farmers abandoned agriculture on the Cape. By 1950 forests had recovered to an extent not seen since the 18th century.

 

Cape Cod became a summer haven for city dwellers beginning at the end of the 19th century. Improved rail transportation made the towns of the Upper Cape, such as Bourne and Falmouth, accessible to Bostonians. At the beginning of the twentieth century, the Northeastern mercantile elite built many large, shingled "cottages" along Buzzards Bay. The relaxed summer environment offered by Cape Cod was highlighted by writers including Joseph C. Lincoln, who published novels and countless short stories about Cape Cod folks in popular magazines such as the Saturday Evening Post and the Delineator.

 

Guglielmo Marconi made the first transatlantic wireless transmission originating in the United States from Cape Cod, at Wellfleet. The beach from which he transmitted has since been called Marconi Beach. In 1914 he opened the maritime wireless station WCC in Chatham. It supported the communications of Amelia Earhart, Howard Hughes, Admiral Byrd, and the Hindenburg. Marconi chose Chatham due to its vantage point on the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded on three sides by water. Walter Cronkite narrated a 17-minute documentary in 2005 about the history of the Chatham Station.

 

Much of the East-facing Atlantic seacoast of Cape Cod consists of wide, sandy beaches. In 1961, a significant portion of this coastline, already slated for housing subdivisions, was made a part of the Cape Cod National Seashore by President John F. Kennedy. It was protected from private development and preserved for public use. Large portions are open to the public, including the Marconi Site in Wellfleet. This is a park encompassing the site of the first two-way transoceanic radio transmission from the United States. (Theodore Roosevelt used Marconi's equipment for this transmission).

 

The Kennedy Compound in Hyannisport was President Kennedy's summer White House during his presidency. The Kennedy family continues to maintain residences on the compound. Other notable residents of Cape Cod have included actress Julie Harris, US Supreme Court justice Louis Brandeis, figure skater Todd Eldredge, and novelists Norman Mailer and Kurt Vonnegut. Influential natives included the patriot James Otis, historian and writer Mercy Otis Warren, jurist Lemuel Shaw, and naval officer John Percival.

[edit] Lighthouses of Cape Cod

Race Point Lighthouse in Provincetown (1876)

 

Lighthouses, from ancient times, have fascinated members of the human race. There is something about a lighted beacon that suggests hope and trust and appeals to the better instincts of mankind.

“

”

Edward Rowe Snow

 

Due to its dangerous constantly moving shoals, Cape Cod's shores have featured beacons which warn ships of the danger since very early in its history. There are numerous working lighthouses on Cape Cod and the Islands, including Highland Light, Nauset Light, Chatham Light, Race Point Light, and Nobska Light, mostly operated by the U.S. Coast Guard. The exception is Nauset Light, which was decommissioned in 1996 and is now maintained by the Nauset Light Preservation Society under the auspices of Cape Cod National Seashore. These lighthouses are frequently photographed symbols of Cape Cod.

 

Others include:

 

Upper Cape: Wings Neck

 

Mid Cape: Sandy Neck, South Hyannis, Lewis Bay, Bishop and Clerks, Bass River

 

Lower Cape: Wood End, Long Point, Monomoy, Stage Harbor, Pamet, Mayo Beach, Billingsgate, Three Sisters, Nauset, Highland

[edit] Transportation

 

Cape Cod is connected to the mainland by a pair of canal-spanning highway bridges from Bourne and Sagamore that were constructed in the 1930s, and a vertical-lift railroad bridge. The limited number of access points to the peninsula can result in large traffic backups during the tourist season.

 

The entire Cape is roughly bisected lengthwise by U.S. Route 6, locally known as the Mid-Cape Highway and officially as the Grand Army of the Republic Highway.

 

Commercial air service to Cape Cod operates out of Barnstable Municipal Airport and Provincetown Municipal Airport. Several bus lines service the Cape. There are ferry connections from Boston to Provincetown, as well as from Hyannis and Woods Hole to the islands.

 

Cape Cod has a public transportation network comprising buses operated by three different companies, a rail line, taxis and paratransit services.

The Bourne Bridge over the Cape Cod Canal, with the Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge in the background

[edit] Bus

 

Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority operates a year-round public bus system comprising three long distance routes and a local bus in Hyannis and Barnstable Village. From mid June until October, additional local routes are added in Falmouth and Provincetown. CCRTA also operates Barnstable County's ADA required paratransit (dial-a-ride) service, under the name "B-Bus."

 

Long distance bus service is available through Plymouth and Brockton Street Railway, with regular service to Boston and Logan Airport, as well as less frequent service to Provincetown. Peter Pan Bus Lines also runs long distance service to Providence T.F. Green Airport and New York City.

[edit] Rail

 

Regular passenger rail service through Cape Cod ended in 1959, quite possibly on June 30 of that year. In 1978, the tracks east of South Dennis were abandoned and replaced with the very popular bicycle path, known as the Cape Cod Rail Trail. Another bike path, the Shining Sea Bikeway, was built over tracks between Woods Hole and Falmouth in 1975; construction to extend this path to North Falmouth over 6.3 miles (10.1 km) of inactive rail bed began in April 2008[23] and ended in early 2009. Active freight service remains in the Upper Cape area in Sandwich and in Bourne, largely due to a trash transfer station located at Massachusetts Military Reservation along the Bourne-Falmouth rail line. In 1986, Amtrak ran a seasonal service in the summer from New York City to Hyannis called the Cape Codder. From 1988, Amtrak and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation increased service to a daily frequency.[24] Since its demise in 1996, there have been periodic discussions about reinstating passenger rail service from Boston to reduce car traffic to and from the Cape, with officials in Bourne seeking to re-extend MBTA Commuter Rail service from Middleboro to Buzzards Bay[25], despite a reluctant Beacon Hill legislature.

 

Cape Cod Central Railroad operates passenger train service on Cape Cod. The service is primarily tourist oriented and includes a dinner train. The scenic route between Downtown Hyannis and the Cape Cod Canal is about 2½ hours round trip. Massachusetts Coastal Railroad is also planning to return passenger railroad services eventually to the Bourne-Falmouth rail line in the future. An August 5, 2009 article on the New England Cable News channel, entitled South Coast rail project a priority for Mass. lawmakers, mentions a $1.4-billion railroad reconstruction plan by Governor Deval Patrick, and could mean rebuilding of old rail lines on the Cape. On November 21, 2009, the town of Falmouth saw its first passenger train in 12 years, a set of dinner train cars from Cape Cod Central. And a trip from the Mass Bay Railroad Enthusiasts on May 15, 2010 revealed a second trip along the Falmouth line.

[edit] Taxi

 

Taxicabs are plentiful, with several different companies operating out of different parts of the Cape. Except at the airport and some bus terminals with taxi stands, cabs must be booked ahead of time, with most operators preferring two to three hours notice. Cabs cannot be "hailed" anywhere in Barnstable County, this was outlawed in the early nineties after several robbery attempts on drivers.

 

Most companies utilize a New York City-style taximeter and charge based on distance plus an initial fee of $2 to $3. In Provincetown, cabs charge a flat fare per person anywhere in the town.

[edit] Tourism

Hyannis Harbor on Nantucket Sound

 

Although Cape Cod has a year-round population of about 230,000, it experiences a tourist season each summer, the beginning and end of which can be roughly approximated as Memorial Day and Labor Day, respectively. Many businesses are specifically targeted to summer visitors, and close during the eight to nine months of the "off season" (although the "on season" has been expanding somewhat in recent years due to Indian Summer, reduced lodging rates, and the number of people visiting the Cape after Labor Day who either have no school-age children, and the elderly, reducing the true "off season" to six or seven months). In the late 20th century, tourists and owners of second homes began visiting the Cape more and more in the spring and fall, softening the definition of the high season and expanding it somewhat (see above). Some particularly well-known Cape products and industries include cranberries, shellfish (particularly oysters and clams) and lobstering.

 

Provincetown, at the tip of Cape Cod, also berths several whale watching fleets who patrol the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. Most fleets guarantee a whale sighting (mostly humpback whale, fin whale, minke whale, sei whale, and critically endangered, the North Atlantic Right Whale), and one is the only federally certified operation qualified to rescue whales. Provincetown has also long been known as an art colony, attracting writers and artists. The town is home to the Cape's most attended art museum, the Provincetown Art Association and Museum. Many hotels and resorts are friendly to or cater to gay and lesbian tourists and it is known as a gay mecca in the summer.[26]

 

Cape Cod is a popular destination for beachgoers from all over. With 559.6 miles (900.6 km) of coastline, beaches, both public and private, are easily accessible. The Cape has upwards of sixty public beaches, many of which offer parking for non-residents for a daily fee (in summer). The Cape Cod National Seashore has 40 miles (64 km) of sandy beach and many walking paths.

 

Cape Cod is also popular for its outdoor activities like beach walking, biking, boating, fishing, go-karts, golfing, kayaking, miniature golf, and unique shopping. There are 27 public, daily-fee golf courses and 15 private courses on Cape Cod.[27] Bed and breakfasts or vacation houses are often used for lodging.

 

Each summer the Naukabout Music Festival is held at the Barnstable County Fair Grounds located in East Falmouth,(typically) during the first weekend of August. This Music festival features local, regional and national talent along with food, arts and family friendly activities.

[edit] Sport fishing

 

Cape Cod is known around the world as a spring-to-fall destination for sport anglers. Among the species most widely pursued are striped bass, bluefish, bluefin tuna, false albacore (little tunny), bonito, tautog, flounder and fluke. The Cape Cod Bay side of the Cape, from Sandwich to Provincetown, has several harbors, saltwater creeks, and shoals that hold bait fish and attract the larger game fish, such as striped bass, bluefish and bluefin tuna.

 

The outer edge of the Cape, from Provincetown to Falmouth, faces the open Atlantic from Provincetown to Chatham, and then the more protected water of Nantucket and Vineyard Sounds, from Chatham to Falmouth. The bays, harbors and shoals along this coastline also provide a robust habitat for game species, and during the late summer months warm-water species such as mahi-mahi and marlin will also appear on the southern edge of Cape Cod's waters. Nearly every harbor on Cape Cod hosts sport fishing charter boats, which run from May through October.[28]

[edit] Sports

 

The Cape has nine amateur baseball franchises playing within Barnstable County in the Cape Cod Baseball League. The Wareham Gatemen also play in the Cape Cod Baseball League in nearby Wareham, Massachusetts in Plymouth County. The league originated 1923, although intertown competition traces to 1866. Teams in the league are the Bourne Braves, Brewster Whitecaps, Chatham Anglers (formerly the Chatham Athletics), Cotuit Kettleers, Falmouth Commodores, Harwich Mariners, Hyannis Harbor Hawks (formerly the Hyannis Mets), Orleans Firebirds (formerly the Orleans Cardinals), Wareham Gatemen and the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox. Pro ball scouts frequent the games in the summer, looking for stars of the future.

 

Cape Cod is also a national hot bed for baseball and hockey. Along with the Cape Cod Baseball League and the new Junior Hockey League team, the Cape Cod Cubs, many high school players are being seriously recruited as well. Barnstable and Harwich have each sent multiple players to Division 1 colleges for baseball, Harwich has also won three State titles in the past 12 years (1996, 2006, 2007). Bourne and Sandwich, known rivals in hockey have won state championships recently. Bourne in 2004, and Sandwich in 2007. Nauset, Barnstable, and Martha's Vineyard are also state hockey powerhouses. Barnstable and Falmouth also hold the title of having one of the longest Thanksgiving football rivalries in the country. The teams have played each other every year on the Thanksgiving since 1895. The Bourne and Barnstable girl's volleyball teams are two of the best teams in the state and Barnstable in the country. With Bourne winning the State title in 2003 and 2007. In the past 15 years, Barnstable has won 12 Division 1 State titles and has won the state title the past two years.

 

The Cape also is home to the Cape Cod Frenzy, a team in the American Basketball Association.

 

Soccer on Cape Cod is represented by the Cape Cod Crusaders, playing in the USL Premier Development League (PDL) soccer based in Hyannis. In addition, a summer Cape Cod Adult Soccer League (CCASL) is active in several towns on the Cape.

 

Cape Cod is also the home of the Cape Cod Cubs, a new junior league hockey team that is based out of Hyannis at the new communtiy center being built of Bearses Way.

 

The end of each summer is marked with the running of the world famous Falmouth Road Race which is held on the 3rd Saturday in August. It draws about 10,000 runners to the Cape and showcases the finest runners in the world (mainly for the large purse that the race is able to offer). The race is 7.2 miles (11.6 km) long, which is a non-standard distance. The reason for the unusual distance is that the man who thought the race up (Tommy Leonard) was a bartender who wanted a race along the coast from one bar (The Cap'n Kidd in Woods Hole) to another (The Brothers Four in Falmouth Heights). While the bar in Falmouth Heights is no longer there, the race still starts at the front door of the Cap'n Kidd in Woods Hole and now finishes at the beach in Falmouth Heights. Prior to the Falmouth race is an annual 5-mile (8.0 km) race through Brewster called the Brew Run, held early in August.

[edit] Education

 

Each town usually consists of a few elementary schools, one or two middle schools and one large public high school that services the entire town. Exceptions to this include Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School located in Yarmouth which services both the town of Yarmouth as well as Dennis and Nauset Regional High School located in Eastham which services the town of Brewster, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown (optional). Bourne High School is the public school for students residing in the town of Bourne, which is gathered from villages in Bourne, including Sagamore, Sagamore Beach, and Buzzards Bay. Barnstable High School is the largest high school and is known for its girls' volleyball team which have been state champions a total of 12 times. Barnstable High School also boasts one of the country's best high school drama clubs which were awarded with a contract by Warner Brothers to created a documentary in webisode format based on their production of Wizard of Oz. Sturgis Charter Public School is a public school in Hyannis which was featured in Newsweek's Magazine's "Best High Schools" ranking. It ranked 28th in the country and 1st in the state of Massachusetts in the 2009 edition and ranked 43rd and 55th in the 2008 and 2007 edition, respectively. Sturgis offers the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme in their junior and senior year and is open to students as far as Plymouth. The Cape also contains two vocational high schools. One is the Cape Cod Regional Technical High School in Harwich and the other is Upper Cape Cod Regional Technical High School located in Bourne. Lastly, Mashpee High School is home to the Mashpee Chapter of (SMPTE,) the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. This chapter is the first and only high school chapter in the world to be a part of this organization and has received much recognition within the Los Angeles broadcasting industry as a result. The officers of this group who have made history are listed below:

 

* President: Ryan D. Stanley '11

* Vice-President Kenneth J. Peters '13

* Treasurer Eric N. Bergquist '11

* Secretary Andrew L. Medlar '11

 

In addition to public schools, Cape Cod has a wide range of private schools. The town of Barnstable has Trinity Christian Academy, Cape Cod Academy, St. Francis Xavier Preparatory School, and Pope John Paul II High School. Bourne offers the Waldorf School of Cape Cod, Orleans offers the Lighthouse Charter School for elementary and middle school students, and Falmouth offers Falmouth Academy. Riverview School is located in East Sandwich and is a special co-ed boarding school which services students as old as 22 who have learning disabilities. Another specialized school is the Penikese Island School located on Penikese Island, part of the Elizabeth Islands off southwestern Cape Cod, which services struggling and troubled teenage boys.

 

Cape Cod also contains two institutions of higher education. One is the Cape Cod Community College located in West Barnstable, Barnstable. The other is Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Buzzards Bay, Bourne. Massachusetts Maritime Academy is the oldest continuously operating maritime college in the United States.

[edit] Islands off Cape Cod

 

Like Cape Cod itself, the islands south of the Cape have evolved from whaling and trading areas to resort destinations, attracting wealthy families, celebrities, and other tourists. The islands include Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, as well as Forbes family-owned Naushon Island, which was purchased by John Murray Forbes with profits from opium dealing in the China trade during the Opium War. Naushon is one of the Elizabeth Islands, many of which are privately owned. One of the publicly accessible Elizabeths is the southernmost island in the chain, Cuttyhunk, with a year-round population of 52 people. Several prominent families have established compounds or estates on the larger islands, making these islands some of the wealthiest resorts in the Northeast, yet they retain much of the early merchant trading and whaling culture.