Thunderstorm, Mayflower II, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

It seemed like a nice day to visit downtown Plymouth although I did notice the darkening sky.



At one point, the Mayflower II was brightly lit against the dark cloud background.



Some folks started heading for their cars anticipating the imminent rainstorm.



Plymouth Harbor is the permanent home of the Mayflower II, a replica constructed in the mid-1950's of the original Mayflower that carried the Pilgrims from England to the "New World" in 1620. The replica was built in Devonshire, England by private donations from folks in both countries and sailed to the United States in 1957. It is a very popular tourist attraction here in "America's Hometown."

The original Mayflower journey took 66 days with 102 passengers and crew of 25-30 in a vessel approximately 100 feet long by 25 feet wide. They arrived on November 11, remained living on board the ship until spring, and when the winter ended barely half the colony was still alive. Imagine all those people living in cold New England winter conditions in a space smaller than a tennis court. Some hearty folk those Pilgrims. According to the Mayflower Society, there are approx 10 million descendants from that original group.



Yep, it was quite a big storm, most of which was passing to the north.




It made for some dramatic views.



....before I, too, headed for the dry safety of my car.

Beach Party, Plymouth Digital Photographers Club, Long Beach, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

The Plymouth Digital Photographers Club recently celebrated their 7th anniversary with a beach party on a perfect early summer evening at Plymouth's Long Beach. The attendees, almost all of them photographers, were not there just to party, they were ready to make some beautiful images.

What could be a better start than trying to capture the dog and frisbee catch.

Above, Louise provides direction to her dog, Wiley, "Okay Wiley, I'm gonna' throw this frisbee and you need to run and catch it in such a way that your whole body is off the ground, arcing majestically towards the catch, your mouth wide open, the golden light of the setting sun perfectly illuminating your head and body. Okay?"

Wiley wags in understanding and off he goes. Of course, unbeknownst to others, Wiley was secretly communicating telepathically to me throughout this event.



With some evident frustration, Wiley said, "I can catch it every time if these humans could just throw it in the right place. I really don't enjoy getting a mouthful of sand from bad throws."



"This one should be pretty good if the humans can get their cameras set-up in time. They're always fiddling with the buttons and dials and miss half the good stuff. Otherwise, I am starting to get a bit tired and hot from all this running and jumping."



"I think I'll take a breather and a quick dip in the ocean. You try runnin' and jumpin' on this rocky beach in a fur coat and see if you don't also want to lay down in the cool ocean water."



"Okay, I'm cooled off now - I'll give you people one more chance to get it right - now pay attention - it happens fast - ready - let's do it."



"Okay, you got it - now leave me alone to rest up. You go off and take pictures of the kids." And with that, Wiley returned to normal dog status and severed his communication link with me. Thanks, Wiley, it was fun.



One of the members brought his grandkids along to serve as mostly willing models. They are still young enough and willing to let a bunch of paparazzi point cameras at them as they play - not to mention dressing all the same.



Nothing like the golden light of sunset.



It wasn't just dog and kids doing all the jumping as these folks "of a certain age" demonstrate. Yep, a fun time was had by all!

Plymouth Digital Photographers Club can be contacted online at this link.

Sunset, Bartlett Pond, White Horse Beach, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Summer begins on Bartlett Pond with a beautiful sunset.

Same day, a few minutes later, the colors deepen.  Bartlett Pond is a 30-acre freshwater pond located about 500 feet inland from White Horse Beach.  In my observation, it is unusual to have a large freshwater pond so close to the ocean/coast. Another example of how special this part of the world is.

"School House Rock, Jr.," Priscilla Beach Theatre, Priscilla Beach, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Priscilla Beach Theatre (PBT) recently completed the first of five productions as part of the Summer 2016 Children's Workshop series. The show, "School House Rock Jr.," is based on the popular 1970's cartoons and this fast-paced musical was fun for both the cast and audience.

The show was directed by Theresa Chiasson and produced by Bob and Sandy Malone.

These images were made during the final dress rehearsal.































































































If you live around here, come out and support local live theatre at PBT. Contact PBT at 508-224-4888 or online for more information.

Spring Bells, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Perhaps not the type of bells you were expecting but, they nonetheless signal the end of spring.



It's amazing how beautifully nature blends different colors - when I wear purple, green, and blue together people seem to think it looks odd - of course, maybe it's the shorts with black socks and black shoes that throws off the overall look.



I never tire of the view at the top of the Manomet bluff looking out to sea.  On a clear day, the entire arc of Cape Cod is visible across the Bay.



Lots of sand and very few visitors on this weekday walk. Manomet is always a pretty special place.

Battling Bluff Erosion, Manomet, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Many/most of the property owners along the bluff in Manomet have paid big bucks to have stone seawalls erected along the base to help reduce erosion from storms and tides. It fascinates me to realize that each of these huge, heavy stones was carefully placed by the heavy equipment operator delicately selecting, orienting, and then placing the stones.



But for all that effort and cost, nature is always more powerful than heavy stones. As high tides literally suck the sand out from behind the seawall, eventually it collapses and the sand slides down. The trees at the top of this eroded bluff will topple in coming years.  A coastal bluff is a living thing subject to the ebb and flow of tide and sub-surface water in the bluff.



Even these huge purple stones that served as a stairway to the beach path were moved out of position over this past winter.

The dynamics of beach erosion have led to an array of different types of stairs.  Some install wood and have to replace it often.  Some install metal and pull it up every winter. It is my totally subjective and unscientific opinion that the above style of metal stair (welded aluminum) is the best (and probably the most expensive).  It is maneuverable by a few humans for pulling up in the winter, it looks goods, and it lasts a long time.