DAY 7- THURSDAY 13th SEPTEMBER 2007

Marconi Site and Skaket Beach (Miles to date: 302)

It is amazing how quickly the Hobbs can create havoc in a pristine environment. When we awoke our campsite looked like someone had herded several hundred cattle around our tent. We decided to do a bit of clearing up after breakfast. It has taken a few days to get ourselves organised and into a routine - just remembering where we have put things is a challenge as things have not really go a home when you are living a nomadic lifestyle. Karen is using carabinas to to attach everything to anything - which is okay when you remember where you attached what to what. Having every meal outside every morning is wonderful (apart from when it rains) - we are still using up supplies that we bought with us on the trip and have dreamt up some wonderful concoctions ( mainly due to a weird collection of ingredients that found their way in to our van).

After our sort out we decided to go on another cycle ride - this time the opposite way up the Cape Cod Railway Trail - towards Orleans. The trail was equally as pleasant as going South West - with only one small section on the road. As is our way we found a wonderful coffee shop in Orleans - the Hot Chocolate Sparrow. It serves a great selection of coffee, cakes and chocolate ... and ice cream. And of course we chose ice cream ... what else after a hard cycle.

With our mornings exertions behind us we decided to go out for trip up the coast. We decided to visit the site of the Marconi Wireless Station, in Wellfleet. This is where in the early 20th Century Marconi built a wireless station and in 1903 a 48 word message was transmitted from this site (from Theodore Roosevelt) to England (Podhulu in Cornwall) for the attention of King Edward VII. Unfortunately due to coastal erosion the original site was claimed by the sea but the there is the memorial of the achievement as modeled by Jack Hobbs (left).

To end the day we went to Skaket Beach, which is on the Cape Cod Bay side of the Cape. These are very protected waters and the wave action is minimal which makes it safe for bathing. This beach is part sand and part salt marsh which makes it a great place for kids to explore the tide pools. When we were there the tide was going out leaving wonderful tide pools full of hermit crabs and small fish. Jack and Emily were fascinated by the sand bars (or sand banks as we might refer to them in dear old Blighty). So they were wading out up to their trunks one minute and then further out were only ankle deep. Certainly a great place to explore.