Cuttyhunk Island, the Elizabeth Islands, Massachusetts

There's something to be said about traveling and moving around so much lately. Yes, it's tiring. Yes, it can start getting expensive. Yes, living out of a backpack with your clothes wrinkled and trying to separate those dirty from clean, planning when I can wash my clothes - it can get old pretty quickly.

At the moment, this is the extent of my belongings. Clothes, passport, wallet, computer, books to read. The rest is packed away in boxes stored at the trout club until our apartment is ready.

But then I think about the incredible experiences I've had so far as a result of these hassles, and I'd easily do it again. There's so much of the world left to explore. I've barely scratched the surface. But most of all, I've realized that it doesn't have to involve fancy flights overseas. Even within the United States, there's so much I have yet to experience. New England as a region is one such example.

A couple weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend the week at Ian's family's newly constructed summer home on Cuttyhunk Island in Cape Cod. It is one of the 14 or so Elizabeth Islands which stretch from the southern part of Cape Cod, almost all the way to the tip of Long Island. Cuttyhunk is right next to Martha's Vineyard, and a stone's throw from Nantuket. Those names are likely much more familiar than  quaint little Cuttyhunk. Of the 14 Elizabeth Islands, 12 are owned privately by the Forbes family, so Cuttyhunk is pretty special. And yet, hardly anyone knows about it ... you'd really have no particular reason to go out of your way to come here unless you have some sort of family ties (as is the case for us), or are in the middle of sailing your way around the eastern seaboard and stopping for the night in the harbor.

As you can see, Cuttyhunk is pretty small. Martha's Vineyard is much larger

Before heading out to the island, we had a few things to take care of. First, lunch at a dock on the mainland (I forget the name of this place? Captain _____'s Lobster Shack?)

My first time to try a true New England lobster roll. SO MUCH LOBSTER MEAT IN THERE. I'm talking huge chunks. Alongside we had fritters (sort of like hush puppies), onion rings, and fried cod/shrimp.

We spent the night at Ian's mother's friend's house in New Bedford and the next day had lunch at M&C's portuguese restaurant. There is a significant Portuguese population in the area, mostly from the Azores Islands in the Atlantic.

Assortment of Portuguese BBQ meats

Last stop before the island ... Market Basket to shop for three weeks of groceries since Ian's mom will be staying on the island. There is a small store on the island, but it's expensive. Therefore, islanders will haul groceries onto the ferry with them.

We had another basket

Nearing $500 for the bill... new bag boy was not happy >_<

And we're off to the boat. There is a larger ferry that runs scheduled service once or twice a day, but we opted to take J.P.'s Cuttyhunk Water Taxi.

 Significant amount of fishing still goes on here in New Bedford, MA

Arrived on Cuttyhunk: main methods of getting around are by foot and golf cart

Side note: this is a "New England style" hot dog bun. Notice how they have a cut down the top of the bun? I had never seen this before until moving up here ... they are so much better since your bun will not totally separate like a normal bun when you put hot dogs, lobster salad, or whatever other filling inside.

Yes, there is even a golf cart repair guy on the island! Like I said ... one of the two methods of transportation.

The newly constructed house is all done - except for some interior painting and the basement. Otherwise, it's beautiful.

It's actually a modular design house - the sections were shipped flat by barge onto the island, hauled up onto the land, and assembled. I've always been a huge fan of modular homes since they are fun, designed well, and easy to set up.

What a view

View from a short walk up to the lookout hill (by the WWII bunker)


Down by the dock - used to be a Coast Guard station here, however it moved to Martha's Vineyard.

After unloading all of the groceries, learning how to activate the water filter in the house (we were the first to stay in the house after the certificate of occupancy was finally issued), and loading all the groceries into the fridge, we headed down to the fish dock (2 minute walk) across Cuttyhunk's only four-way stop-sign intersection, down to see Dawn selling Captain Bruce Borges' lobsters.

Captain Borge's Lobsters

Lobster pots ready to go out

Dawn teaching us how to hypnotize a lobster

And then standing it on its head as it's hypnotized

Oyster bar on the fish dock, and they even have a floating barge to come shuck oysters directly at your boat in the harbor if you are a visiting sailboat

Around the little harbor we drive in our little golf cart and arrive at "Neck Beach" - the narrow strip of land between the two main sections of the island

"The Beast" - our 4x4 gas powered golf cart

Ian and I combing the beach for sea glass

In the distance is the island of Martha's Vineyard

The schoolhouse for the island. Currently only two students attend, but the teacher is responsible for them up to 8th grade. Then, the state provides a stipend to send the kids to a boarding high school on the mainland. Pretty crazy!

The non-denominational church

Inside the church - beautiful mosaics made out of seashells

Enjoying dinner on the patio at sunset with some neighbors visiting

Bought some sea scallops from Dawn at the lobster shack and these were THE most amazing scallops I have ever had in my life. I'm drooling now thinking about them...

Lobster dinner to celebrate receiving news that UVM would like to offer me an $80,000 scholarship!

The next morning, just wandering around the tiny little town of Gosnold (there's only one four-way intersection on the whole island)

The little market

Public Library

Back at the Neck Beach enjoying some sunshine and looking out at those beautiful dark clouds. It was surprisingly warm despite what the dark clouds might suggest.

Here's the Neck Beach where I am

Another morning ... so beautiful to wake up to this and have no plans. Look for sea glass at the beach? Swim? What to make for lunch? Hike? Read?

We chose to hike a little on the west side of the island

Finally, on our way back into New Bedford heading back to Vermont. We saw the Morgan - the last wooden whale-catching ship from New Bedford which is making its way sailing around the east coast. It happened to be in the port today.

While my allergies were bad on the island, it was such a special place. Everyone knows everyone (for better or worse), you are forced to actually relax and do as little as possible, and it was a good study environment for Ian before he took the NCLEX exam coming up in a week ...

Welcome to beautiful Vermont!

Wow, what a whirlwind past two weeks. I can't even begin to cover the list of things that I am still (a week later) trying to finish off. It seems like at least two or three weeks, but I now look back and realize that it was only last Saturday that I finally said my last goodbyes to the amazing SCH Rx family I have come to know over the past year, pinned Ian during his graduation ceremony, shipped out all our stuff, and now have arrived on the east coast (still running around).

Ian's pinning ceremony

I know Ian's personality is to not make a big deal out of these sorts of "silly" things - and I usually agree. But it is quite amazing to think of all the incredible skills he's been able to learn in such a short period of time. I'm so proud of him.

Following the ceremony and a quick dinner with some of the classmates, we headed to the airport for our red-eye flight to Boston. Fortunately, I was able to get some shut-eye. It probably had more to do with all the crazy running around the last few days. In any event, upon arrival, we got a ride down to New Bedford, MA where Ian's family's old 2001 Ford Expedition (with over 217,000 miles on it!) was waiting. We would be able to use this beast of a car while we got set up in the northeast.

Our first two days/nights were spent at the Lake Mitchell Trout Club - a private, members-only fly fishing and hunting lodge in mountains, founded in the 1800s, whose membership has been passed down through Ian's family many generations. This is the smaller of the two lodges that they have membership to, and is near Dartmouth College (the other lodge is the Lake Mansfield Trout Club where we visited last summer: see here). They are both wonderful, with so much history behind them. However, I think I really loved this smaller lake Mitchell lodge more ... perhaps it helped that there was nobody else around except for one elderly lady (a psychotherapist from Maine who was taking a break from her practice) the first night. Otherwise, it was just the wonderful caretaker Rhona and us. 

The beautiful, historic lodge 

The entrance lobby where we signed in

Of course you can check on the fishing report as you sign in

Dining room: Rhona made us maple-dijon chicken the first night, and sirloin steaks the second night. Her breakfast was wonderful as well: eggs, bacon, granola with fresh fruit and local creamy Vermont milk

This was a beautiful bathtub to soak in after a long day out in the woods

A picture of the different kind of artificial flies hanging in our room

View from our room out to Lake Mitchell

We spent the afternoon lounging about, reading, and fly fishing. Ian caught two rainbow trout the first day, and one the second day. I caught two the second day. Still, I prefer my even more simple Japanese fly fishing (Tenkara) to western-style fly fishing. But, then again, I have yet to actually catch anything in the mountain streams with Tenkara... there will be plenty of time in the future.

Ian had to do some paperwork for his nursing license registration in the capital, Montpelier, so we drove through the rolling mountains to this little town nestled in a valley along two rivers. Rhona called the capital town "Montpelier, most peculiar" 

The Vermont Medical Society 

Lots of bridges over the rivers

This scenery reminds me so much of northern Japan or even little towns in Europe, where rivers run through. This is typical "Vermont" scenery: green mountains all around, small towns in beautiful condition, tons of streams and rivers. I could get used to this. No traffic, no relentless noise (leaf blowers, car tires, honking).

Montpelier fire dept and city hall

The capitol building of the State of Vermont, where the legislature meets. So cute!

The Vermont House of Representatives. Yep - that's all of it

The Vermont Senate

Vermont Supreme Court

Stopped for lunch at The Skinny Pancake (aka a crepe).

Back at the lodge, went out in the evening after dinner for some more fly fishing and this time I actually caught a rainbow trout! We decided to release him since we had already made breakfast plans and didn't want to cook him, but next time we will definitely have some delicious trout to eat.

A lot of people don't know that you have to release fish slowly, holding them upright so they can equalize their swim bladder. Since he was also oxygen-starved from the "fight" when I hooked him, moving him back and forth while holding him upright helps him to breathe and regain strength. When he's ready, he will swim out of my hands. If you simply toss the fish back in, he may never regain his swim bladder balance, nor recover from his oxygen deprivation, and will simply die.

So much wildlife to see around Lake Mitchell. He we were on the opposite end of the lake looking back towards the lodge from the dam. Blue herons, beavers (and a beaver den), birds nests on the rock cliffs, frogs, deer.

Our two restful nights at the lodge done, we head down to Richmond VA to stay with Ian's family for a little bit.

Ugh - New York City traffic

NYC as we cross the George Washington Bridge

George Washington bridge

Arrived in Richmond, the local CSA (community supported agriculture) box had a huge elephant garlic!

We've just been killing time while Ian waits for his paperwork to process (so frustrating) so he can take the NCLEX and our apartment in Burlington is ready mid-July.

Today, we went to have manicures and pedicures:

It was the first time I had ever had my feet soaked, scrubbed, massaged, buffed, and lotioned. With cranberry tea, a hot neck pillow, and a warm wrap around my feet, it was pretty fun. So smooth now ...

Tomorrow we will head up to Ian's family's house on Cuttyhunk Island in the Cape - right next to Martha's Vineyard. Cuttyhunk is part of the Elizabeth Island chain - 14 or so islands (12 are owned by the Forbes family). 

Nothing much to do but comb the beach for sea glass, sail from the yacht club, and relax. Then it's back up to Vermont to stay at one of the two lodges while we get everything set up for our apartment soon.

I still don't quite feel "settled" - still running around, lots of things on the to-do list. But it's nice to be out here in the east as we sort everything out. Here's to more new adventures to come...