"Beach Landing Place" as you can see by the endless beach on the shore. Lotsa folks gather here for the water.
From Onset we transited the Cape Cod Canel at a blazing 9+ knots. That really IS blazing for us!
We had considered going across the bay to Provincetown or straight up the bay to Gloucester. But, the winds were not for that - too much windpredicted from the wrong direction. SO --- we opted for Plymouth, MA, home of the Pilgrams in 1620.
It's a long way in through the channel into Plymouth - past the first light house on the high rocks in the Atlantic coast.
Then past the secondary light house towards the channel into Plymouth.
We ended up in a 400+ mooring field of various boats. No mind --- we are in Plymouth! Home of the Pilgrams! And the origional landing site of Miles Standish and all. We are assured that the Plymouth Rock is the one in this monument. I did take a picture, but it didn't turn our so well. The rock is engraved "1620" and covered by seawater at high tide, uncovered at low tide.
Plymouth has lots of historic places, like these old houses. Interesting --- all of the doors are placed away from the ocean. Pretty smart, I think....
Next, a visit to the Mayflower II, a reproduction built in England in 1956 and sailed to Plymouth.
I have to admit , I never thought of the "Mayflower" as anything but a name until I saw this on the stern...duh....
Look at how long and narrow she was! 90-ish feet long and 25 ft wide. We are half that length and carry 2 people and a cat comfortably. For 66 days she carried 102 passengers (2 babies born aboard), all of their belongings to settle a new world, 25 crewmen, a few goats, chickens, horse, sheep, etc., all in the same "below" compartment. Here is a shot of that, but it cannot do justice.
A little more about her... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayflower
In addition, a 33 ft boat was cut into quarters and stored in the same living conditions - had to get ashore somehow when they reached the new world.
And land they did.... straight into native Indian territory, which the Pilgrams believed rightfully was ceded to them by the king of England. Many natives and modern day Native Americans feel differently....
We visited the Plimoth Plantation (yes, it is spelled correctly) where interpreters give both the Indian and Pilgram views of the time. Here is the entrance...no, I don't understand...
First, there is a presentation of Indian life in the 1600's, starting with the winter huts, usually housing 2-3 generations (or "fires").
Indian speakers describe the life in the 1600's - fully self-sufficient and comfortable. I thought it was interesting that families were limited to 3 children. More was considered "greedy". Children were spaced from 5-7 years apart and birth control was through a local herb.
Unfortunately, the entire tribe was wiped out by European born diseases after the Pilgrams arrived. The fort of Plymouth was founded on the Indiand lands.
A family of 6 lived in this house, plus two local Indians. No, there is no more room.
The Pilgrams eventually won out, as we know, and Plymouth was settled and expanded. Here is the oldest Uniterian Church in New England.
We met one sailing couple in Onset, then three more couples at different times in Plymouth. Finally we all realized that they are traveling together (same yacht club) so we all met to tour Plimoth Plantation. Here we are with two of the native American children, playing in a log canoe. We expect to see them more as we sail Maine (the sailors, not the children!)
It was a great visit to Plymouth - a real eduation in the truth of the Indian/Pilgram relationships.
Onward for us tomorrow - hopefully to Portsmouth, NH.
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