Cuttyhunk

A string of islands stretch along Buzzard's Bay from Newport and New Bedford/Fairhaven are called
The Elizabeth Islands in honor of Queen Elizabeth.  We had been told stories of it's unique character and beauty by our friends Janice and David.  It is their favorite place to sail to for a break.  Cuttyhunk did not disappoint.  The island has very few year-round residents and most of the houses are owned by descendants of the original settlers.  The harbor is a natural safe haven from storms with great all round protection. It is very hilly so walking the roads was also good exercise but the views were worth it.

You just have to love a gardener with a sense of humor even if it is
bathroom humor.

Or boating humor.  This was a different house but maybe the owners
are related.

Not everything that goes bump in the night turns out horrible.  This
42 foot sailboat drug its anchor and bumped us.  There was a young family
aboard and all the adults jumped to the task of securing us from damage.
It was dark so we made sure we were secure and stayed rafted up (tied together)
until the morning.  Happily no real damage and we met some great people with
super cute kids.

Cuttyhunk grocery story.  It is as quaint and small as it looks.

The view of the harbor from a hill.

The houses are all so picturesque.

Not a lot of pavement but roads are all over the island.

Western Pond has a small break in the beach.  The water really rips
through the break at flood tide.

Fireplugs were all over the island even if no structure was in sight.

Our second day was mostly shrouded in fog.  It ranged from very dense
to about like this.  As long as you don't have to sail in it, fog can
be beautiful.

Some reeds standing out in the mist along  a pathway.

This lobster claw was from a massive catch made by the owner
of the shack.  He takes boats out for charters.  He told us the lobster
weighed in at over 100 pounds.

The highest point on the islands is home to old WWII bunkers and
modern cell antennae.

The houses going up the hills around the harbor.

This narrow spit of land is all that separates a fresh water pond from the
salty Westend Pond.

Pete's Pyramid.  Not sure who Pete is or why he needed a pyramid
but it was interesting to look at none the less.

Gorgeous and huge Oakleaf hydrangeas.

An old, abandoned chicken coop.

The inside view of one of the bunkers.

This pond is on the property of the Cuttyhunk Fishing Club.  They
have been serving guests since 1864 and it is now a Bed and Breakfast Inn.
They open up breakfast to the public and was also worth a stop.

The flowers alongside one of the trails we walked.

Not the sandy beaches of Florida we're used to but still with a rugged beauty.

The one-room schoolhouse.  They graduated their last student so the
town has turned it into a STEM academy offering intensive courses
for short terms.  They draw students from the entire region.

Being an island far from large cities, power is always an issue.  To
supplement their generators, the town has set up a solar field.  This is
only about 1/3 of the total.

This is the Gosnold Monument in honor of the original founder of
Gosnold township.  The township encompasses the entire island.

This stone road was built by a man who planned to build an equally
impressive house for his son at the top of the hill the road leads up.  Sadly,
the son was killed in an auto accident and the house was never built.

Town Hall.

A view from the highest point on Cuttyhunk.  We were both
glad that it was such a nice, clear day.