Mermaid Sightings on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket



The story behind this post: Back in March I made a quilt with a mermaid on it. Shortly after that, my husband and I went to the Springfield (Ohio) Antique Malls to ward off the winter blahs. Because these malls are so big, it's more fun to have something specific to look for. Since I'd just made the mermaid quilt, I suggested we look for mermaids. It wasn't until the second mall that we finally found two. There seems to be a lack of mermaids in Ohio. I suspected we'd see a lot in Cape Cod and on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket and I wasn't disappointed. This isn't even all the ones that we saw (for the most part I excluded the ones that were for sale in a shop unless they were exceptional). They are in the order that we found them.

 

 The first one on the shutters of "Summer Cottage: A Boutique for Mermaids" in Sandwich, MA
 

Poster at Café Chew in Sandwich, MA
 

In the Spotted Cod in Sandwich, MA (the same as the first photo)
 

Necklace by Richard Kaish at the Collections Gallery in Sandwich, MA
 

Sign for Stephanies Gifts & Hats in Sandwich, MA
 

 A Village Gift Shop which had many mermaids for sale in Sandwich, MA, photo bombed by my husband
 

 

Weathervane in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard
 

Sign for The Pequot Hotel, where we stayed in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard
 

Coffee table at The Pequot Hotel, where we stayed in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard
 

Indoor fountain at The Pequot Hotel, where we stayed in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard
 

At The Pequot Hotel, where we stayed in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard
 

At The Pequot Hotel, where we stayed in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard
 

Light at The Pequot Hotel, where we stayed in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard
 

Large Victorian light at The Pequot Hotel, where we stayed in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard
 

Repurposed sign at The Pequot Hotel, where we stayed in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard
 

Probably my favorite one, street art at Town Beach in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard
 

Weathervane in Edgartown on Martha's Vineyard
 

Sign in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard
 

Sign in Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard
 

Business card holder at Sioux Eagle Designs in Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard
 

Mirror at Sioux Eagle Designs in Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard
 

Pin by Liztech Jewelry at Sioux Eagle Designs in Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard
 

Book at Bunch of Grapes in Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard
 

Sign in Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard
 

Bath salts in Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard
 

Our only Merman sighting, at Off Main which had many mermaids for sale in Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard
 

Snow globe at Rainy Day which had many mermaids for sale in Vineyard Haven on Martha's Vineyard
 

Sign for Craftworks which had many mermaids for sale in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard
 

Vintage sign in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard
 

 Sign for Lampost Bar & Nightclub in Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard

 

 

Papier-mache mermaid in the Easy Street Cantina in Nantucket
 

 

Sailor's Valentine with a mermaid in the center in Nantucket
 

Sign for Jeanne van Etten's shop in Nantucket
 

 Garden mermaid in Nantucket

 

Mermaids that came home with us

 

(left) white Christmas tree ornament that will probably stay in the bathroom, 5" tall
(center) temporary tattoos and glow-in-the-dark stickers

(right) cast iron wall hanging, 5.5" tall

 

Mermaid pendant hand-painted on a shell made by Jeanne van Etten, a Nantucket artist

 

NANTUCKET, MA : MAY 2015 : ATTRACTIONS

The entire town of Nantucket, also known as Nantucket Town, is an official historic district with more than 800 structures built before 1840 all within one square mile.

 

Boat Basin : Since Nantucket is an island, wandering around the harbor (boat basin) in interesting.

 

 

Atheneum (Library) and Garden : There are several interesting museums on Nantucket, unfortunately most of them hadn’t yet opened for the season. The Atheneum, the library, was open (and free) and has an interesting history of its own. It also has a very pleasant garden area.

 

Nantucket Shops :

We enjoyed just walking down the cobblestone streets and taking in the historic buildings, but we did a little window shopping, also.

 

’Sconset

 

We rode the bus out to ’Sconset, and knowing that the few restaurants there weren’t open for the season yet, we took along a little picnic to eat there.

 

Sconset Bluff Walk : If you walk from the downtown area to the Sankaty lighthouse, there’s a Bluff Walk path that goes behind the houses (in some cases right in the back yards). We didn’t find it on the way to the lighthouse so we just walked down Baxter Road, but we did find it on the way back and it was really neat. On one side are beautiful houses with perfectly manicured lawns and on the other side are the bluffs and the ocean. Eventually you have to leave the bluff and walk on Baxter Road because of the bluff erosion.

 

 

Sankaty Light House : The lighthouse is 1.5 miles from downtown ’Sconset. The round metal plate in the photo shows where the lighthouse used to stand before it was moved 405 feet in 2007.

 

Scott’s Big Adventure :

One of the things my husband was really looking forward to was renting a bike and riding around Nantucket. I’m not much of a bike rider myself and we’d talked about renting a tandem so he could help with my share of the pedaling, but I caught a cold so on the last day we were there, I told him to rend a bike and ride around while I stayed at the hotel and slept.

 

Madaket Beach : On the other side of the island, Madaket Beach is known for its rough surf and riptides. It was definitely too early in the year to go in the water.

 

Clark Cove / Hummock Pond : Clark Cove, Hummock Pond, and Miacomet Pond all abut the beach, so you can stand on the beach with the pond on one side and the ocean on the other.

 

Getting To Nantucket :

 

Nantucket is an island, so you need to take either a plane or a boat to get to it. Once tourist season starts, there are many options for ferries (including going from Martha’s Vineyard), with fewer options during the off season, or if you want to take your car to the island, which isn’t suggested because during peak season parking becomes an issue. And if you do take your car, you’ll need a reservation. Of course if you don’t take your car then you have to pay to park it while you’re gone.

We took the Steamship Authority slow ferry out of Hyannis, which takes about 2 hours and 15 minutes and costs $18.50 per person (one way), and since we didn’t take our car, we didn’t need reservations. There are several parking lots for the ferry including one that is two blocks away

Getting Around Nantucket :

Like Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket has public buses, but unlike Martha’s Vineyard, the buses don’t run year-round. They started running the day we arrived, but only some of the routes were running. The only one we were able to take advantage of was the one to Sconset. Had the one to Madaket been running (it started right after we left) we would have used that one, also. Many of the others ones, especially the ones going to the beaches, don’t start running until late June.

 

The tricky part was finding where they were leaving from, which was the Greenhound Stop and is located between Union and Washington Streets and between Main and Salem Streets.

NANTUCKET, MA : MAY 2015 : LODGING & DINING

Nantucket Accomodations :

Roberts House Inn : The Roberts House Inn is actually a collection of four buildings. The original house was converted to an inn and has been operating as one for over 100 years. We were in one of the less expensive rooms, the third floor queen, and got a good deal because it was early in the season. The hotel is in a great location and wakable to shops and restaurants.

Dining :

The guide book raved about the food and the high-end restaurants that woo chefs from larger cities. We didn’t eat at any of those places but even the food at the more affordable restaurants was unbelievable good.

Easy Street Cantina : the Easy Street Cantina is a great place for a quick bite with many menu options. We had the fish and chips which was great, as was the lemonade.

Starlight Café : the Starlight Café is adjacent to the movie theater. We went there on a Monday night at 7 pm, just as the movie was starting. There apparently had been a crowd before the movie so the kitchen took a little time to catch up and get our food, but it was definitely worth the wait. (And while we were waiting we got to hear the louder parts of Mad Max: Fury Road.) I had the clam chowder which was wonderful and Scott had the vegetarian versions of the grilled shrimp and grits and the roasted Brussels sprouts.