Cape Cod Maritime Days, sponsored jointly by the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, the Cape Cod Commission, and the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, celebrates the region’s rich maritime history. Now in its17th year, Maritime Days are comprised of numerous special events and activities held throughout the region during the entire month of May that salute our unique maritime traditions. Highlights include lighthouse tours, nautical art exhibits, lectures on maritime lore, boat-building exhibits, kayaking excursions, and a Maritime History Symposium.

With more than 500 miles of coastline, the ocean has been the defining spirit of Cape Cod throughout its history. To the mariner, the region can be both a hazard and a haven. On a balmy summer day, with light winds and calm seas, boaters can be lulled into a sense of complacency, blissfully unaware of the treachery that lies beneath. But the shallow sand bars that lurk several hundred yards off the coast of Cape Cod can present great danger to a mariner. Countless storms have driven ships aground over the years, breaking them into pieces under tons of water pressure, and spilling their fragile contents and hapless occupants into the bone chilling surf. So many ships have piled up off the coast that the fifty miles of shoreline between Chatham and Provincetown have been labeled an “ocean graveyard.”

In the early 1800s, an average of two ships wrecked every month during the winter months. It was not, however, until 1872, that a really efficient lifesaving service was put into operation by the United States government. Special lifesaving stations were erected at five mile intervals along the beach. Six or seven surfmen, as they were known, plus a keeper lived at each station and kept a continuous watch for floundering vessels. When a ship in distress was sighted, a red signal was fired from shore to let the crew at sea know they’d been spotted. At that point the lifesavers went into action.

If the seas permitted, the men would launch special surfboats. These were equipped with air chambers to help keep them afloat, cork fenders to keep them from being smashed against the sinking ship, and righting lines to use in case the boat capsized. When the surf was too violent to launch a surfboat, a “breeches buoy” was deployed to the rescue. The breeches buoy consisted of a pair of canvas breeches fastened to a life ring and suspended from a life line. A pulley system was launched between the stranded ship and shore via a small cannon. The cannon was used to shoot a lightweight line to the ship, which was pulled on board by the ship’s crew. Simultaneously, the surfmen would erect a twelve-foot wooden structure to suspend a hawser line to hold the breeches buoy above the surf. In practice, the whole operation had to be done in less than five minutes. Only after the breeches buoy was in place could the sailors be rescued as the crude lifesaving equipment was tediously pulled back and forth between ship and shore one victim at a time.

One of the few remaining life-saving stations, the Old Harbor Life-Saving Station at Race Point, was originally erected in Chatham. In 1977 it was obtained by the National Park Service and moved by barge to its present location in Provincetown. On Thursday evenings in the summer, breeches buoy rescue re-enactments are conducted on the grounds.

For a schedule of events planned for the17th Annual Cape Cod Maritime Days, visit the Events Calendar.

We are delighted to share with you a few of our favorite spring and summer events that showcase the region’s culinary delights and prolific arts community. And stay tuned for Cape Cod Celebrates Its Bountiful Harvest, Part II: Fall in an upcoming blog post.

Herb Festival, May 14-16, 2010

Held at the Green Briar Nature Center in East Sandwich, this festival focuses on the use of herbs through exhibits, lectures, demonstrations, and an extensive plant sale of herbs, perennials, wildflowers, everlastings and annuals. A delightful herb luncheon is served on Friday (reservations are required).

Nantucket Wine Festival, May 19-23, 2010

Over the past 13 years the Nantucket Wine Festival has blossomed into one of the nation’s most celebrated wine and food events. This year’s festival will be staged entirely in the heart of downtown Nantucket. Events include wine luncheons, dinners, receptions, seminars, auctions, and the Grand Tasting.

Cape Cod Maritime Days, month of May

Cape Cod Maritime Days is a celebration of the Cape’s rich maritime history comprised of lighthouse and walking tours, nautical art exhibits and maritime lectures, boat-building exhibits, and kayak excursions. The month-long celebration also features the Cape Cod Maritime History Symposium and Annual Cape Cod Maritime Festival.

Cape Cod Life Food & Wine Festival, late May/earlyJune 2010

Cape Cod Life Publications celebrates Cape Cod’s distinguished culinary world with its annual Food & Wine Festival in late May/early June. The week-long festival showcases the region’s finest chefs and restaurants through a series of wine dinners and “cultural” happy hours. More than forty restaurants from Provincetown to Bourne will hold dinners each evening highlighting their chef’s best. Joining the restaurants will be local and international winemakers who will offer pairings of spectacular wines from around the world.

Cape Cod Chowderfest, June 2010

A Cape Cod tradition, the annual Chowder Fest is held at the Cape Cod Melody Tent in Hyannis. Sample chowder from many of the Cape’s best restaurants, all competing for the coveted “WCOD Chowder Bowl.” Spend the afternoon savoring the quintessential seaside flavor of Cape Cod, while being serenaded by some of the best bands in the region.

Cape Cod Quahog Day, June 2010

The centerpiece of this fun and offbeat event, marking the first day of Summer, is the prognostication from the Secretary General of Quahog Republic on how many weeks of beach weather lie ahead.