Our Deck Post Irene

Hurricane Irene came and Hurricane Irene went, but the High Pointe Inn,our Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast Inn,  remains fully functioning with all amenities and very little to show for all that wind save a few downed saplings that we wanted to get rid of anyway. Cape Cod as a whole did well also, and most beaches, restaurants, and local businesses were up and running in the gorgeous sunshine that we all awoke to on Monday morning.

Two brave couples braved the storm with us last Sunday: Nadia and Marco from Switzerland and Rosemary and Joseph from Washington, D.C. Apart from losing power for a few hours in the afternoon, the Inn weathered the storm like a trooper. The six of us gathered for an impromptu spaghetti and meatball supper in the evening, as many restaurants were temporarily without power that night. Lots of wine and beer was consumed, and stories traded of travels near and far by each of us. It was a memorable night to be sure.

Thank you to everyone who called and emailed us (including an email from Paris and a call from Germany on Monday morning) inquiring about our safety and well-being. We are well, and look forward to seeing many of you in the not-too-distant future!

We still have some availability in September and October, our favorite season to be on Cape Cod. So give us a call at 888-362-4441 to reserve or book online with our secure internet booking engine.

We hope each and every one of you enjoy a picture-perfect Labor Day weekend filled with family, friends, and fun!

Sometimes a 24-hour escape from the routine is all you need to recharge the batteries. And sometimes our reservations fall in such a way that it leaves a room available at the High Pointe Inn for just one night between other bookings. We call these our “one hit wonder” nights and offer them at a last minute reduced rate to “fill in the gap” if you will. This is our 3rd season offering this very popular special to our previous guests and we’ve decided to open it up to the general public this year as well.

So if you need a 24-hour escape to Cape Cod on any of the following nights, you are in luck: JULY 6, 14, 20, 24, and 30th. Stay one night in our best available room for $199.00 complete. Our previous guests know that our rates include Rich’s fabulous cooked-to-order breakfasts with a choice of at least six entrees, plus a special each morning; Debbie’s afternoon beverages and sweet treats, and a complimentary after-dinner drink from our cordials bar.

Come enjoy our beautiful deck, our spacious and casually elegant rooms, our spectacular perennial gardens, and of course, the view. If you want to really relax, refresh, and renew you can add a one-hour in-room relaxation massage for just $120.00 additional.

Call early for best availability, toll free at (888)362-4441 and ask for the “one hit wonder“ deal. Or book online on our secure booking engine.

Guests often asked us why/how we became innkeepers on Cape Cod. It’s a long story, too long for this missive at any rate. But an easier question to answer is why do we continue to be innkeepers? And the simple answer is that magic happens here.

To wit: We received an email message from some frequent guests yesterday that epitomize the joy we get from inn keeping. Over Memorial Day weekend this year, we had a couple from Scotland visiting for six nights of their honeymoon. We also had one of our longtime favorite couples from the Boston area who come every year for a 3-night getaway over the long holiday weekend.

The two couples seemed to get along well over breakfast, trading stories and laughing easily with one another. The Boston couple left on Monday morning, but the honeymoon couple were with us for several more nights. On the day of their departure, we asked where they were going for the last few days of their trip. “We’re off to Boston,” they answered. “Any plans?” I asked. “We’re meeting Jamie and Mithra for lunch on Saturday.” How nice I thought. We always love it when strangers meet over our breakfast table and become friends by the time they leave us.

Just yesterday I got an email from Mithra, with the following message:

“I wanted to send you a picture of Colin, Cathy, Jamie and I when we met up in Boston the Saturday after Memorial Day weekend. We had such a great time that afternoon. We first walked to the North End and ate lunch there (that’s where the picture was made), and then we walked around the North End, and the entire harbor area. We didn’t want them to leave!”

I smiled broadly and continued to read:

“It’s a rare occasion when you meet people you get along with so well so quickly. It feels like we have made two instant lifelong friends! We hope to be able to plan some trips together in the future. We were all still aglow from our stay at the High Pointe Inn and we agreed wholeheartedly that you guys are awesome! They were jealous that we get to come to the inn every year. In any case, thanks for bringing us all together at the breakfast table!”

Goosebumps pricked my arms. “Magic.” I said to my husband, “Magic happens here.”

For more good reasons to chose a bed and breakfast inn for your next vacation or holiday, read Marti Mayne’s story,  “To B or not to B&B?” in the Examiner.

Longpasture Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s facilities which is located near our Cape Cod Bed and Breakfast, just released their 2011 Kayak Adventure dates for the spring season. These 3-hour guided kayak trips feature some of Cape Cod’s most scenic waterways and are a great way to get out on the water with expert guides who will introduce you to the local flora and fauna. No need to bring your own equipment, as everything you’ll need will be provided. Kayak adventures are priced at $40 for members and $45 for non-members. Call 508-362-7475 for reservations.

Sat., May 21st, 9 am -12 pm Sampsons Island, Cotuit

Sat., May 28th, 10 am – 1pm Herring River, W. Harwich

Sat. June 4th, 10 am -1 pm Barnstable Harbor/Sandy Neck

Sat. June 11th, 9 am – 12 pm Gray’s Beach, Yarmouthport

Wed. June 15th, 8 pm – 10 pm Full Moon, Mashpee

Sat. June 18th, 11 am – 2 pm Osprey Paddle, Westport

Sat. June 25th, 9 am – 12 pm Barnstable Harbor/Sandy Neck

The High Pointe Inn supports the efforts of the Longpasture Wildlife Sanctuary through annual donations. Book your kayak trip now and then reserve a room at the Inn, located just 15 minutes from the facility, for a fabulous weekend getaway.

View Great Sunsets On Cape Cod in a larger map

When I was working on cruise ships, in a pre-innkeeping lifestyle, sailors would tell me stories of seeing the “green flash”, a phosphorescent burst of greenish hue that supposedly occurs just as the final remnants of the sun disappear into the water. In all my days at sea, above and below the equator, I paused at day’s end to watch intently as the sun set. Try as I might, however, in my five years at sea, I never witnessed the “green flash”.

Part of me thought it was an old wives tale, or in my case, old sailors. But part of me, the romantic “I believe in Santa Claus and the good fairy” part, really, really wanted to see it. Years later, after my swashbuckling seafarer days, I was on a cruise with my husband, Rich, that took us south to Guatemala. Leaving port at the end of the day, we were on deck just beneath the bridge waving goodbye to the locals who had gathered to see us off. As we steamed toward the horizon, for some strange reason, I recounted the tale of the “green flash” and my disappointment in never having seen it myself.

Caught up in the moment of wistful recollections, but with some circumspection, he indulged my romantic notion and stopped to watch the sun sink slowly in the sky. Perhaps it was the warm trade winds, or the gentle swell of the ocean beneath us, or even the effervescence of the bubbly in our glasses, but at the very moment the sun slipped softly below the horizon…there it was. Ever so brief, but none the less brilliant, a flash of emerald green. And though we’ve never seen it since, every time we watch the setting
sun, no matter where we are in the world, we hold our breath and hope that it appears.

Very few places on the  east coast of the continental U.S. have a view of the sun setting over water, save for the west coast of Florida, some offshore islands, and parts of Cape Cod. We invite you to witness this phenomenon the next time you visit us at the High Pointe Inn. Even if you don’t see it, it sure is fun trying. Here are some of our favorite spots to catch the sunset on this magnificent peninsula we call home:

Gray’s Beach, Yarmouthport
A long boardwalk across the marsh leads to a viewing platform. Along the way, you might spot a crab or two in the tide pools.

Chapin Memorial Beach, Dennis
Right across the town line from Gray’s Beach. Bring a blanket or a beach chair for comfort.

Wychmere Harbor, Harwichport
Wychmere is considered by some to be one of the prettiest harbors on the Cape. Pull into the little observation area off Rt. 28, but remember that parking is limited to 15 minutes.

Skaket Beach, Orleans
Set right in the crook of the Cape’s elbow, Skaket offers you that rare East Coast treat of seeing the sun set on water.

Great Island, Wellfleet
This secluded section of the National Seashore overlooks Cape Cod Bay to its west and Wellfleet Harbor to the east.

Cape Cod Light, Truro
The view from this vantage point includes dunes, ocean, bay, Pilgrim Monument, and Cape Cod Light to frame your sunset.

Race Point, Provincetown
Race Point sits on the very tip of the Cape, surrounding by water on three sides.

From Sea or Sky
Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard also have beautiful sunsets, but our favorite treat is to catch the sunset from the back of the ferry on our return trip from one of the islands. Even better is to catch it in-flight aboard a Cape bound plane.