Today is a gorgeous, mild winter day on Cape Cod - and a fabulous change from the snow-freeze-ice pattern that we’ve been in since before Christmas. (It’s a myth that it never snows on Cape Cod.) So I got up early and laced up my sneakers and took off for a walk. I live about a mile from the Sandwich Marina which is right on the Cape Cod Canal. It’s a winter treat to be able to walk in this direction. Usually the winter wind blows too cold for me to choose this route and I walk in the Sandwich Town Square area. I’m not the kind of person who gets in my car to drive some where so I can walk.

Coffee One of my favorite places to stop in for coffee is Marylou’s. The Marylou’s coffee chain is a Massachusetts phenom. All of the coffee chops are bright pink and quite frankly their barristas are gorgeous. I’ve heard it called “Hooters for the Coffee Lover.” I’m not a guy, but I know the coffee and pastries are excellent.  There’s also a Dunkin Donuts on Route 6-A. Right now we don’t have a Starbucks in Sandwich. Though the rumor is that there will be one at the Stop and Shop grocery store, which is just a stones throw from the Sandwich Marina.

On summer days, I’ll often sit on a bench at the marina and watch the boats come and go - pretend I’m the one on vacation. But today isn’t that warm so I just kept moving and kept my heart rate up. Even in the winter, the Marina and Canal is a busy place. I’m not the only one who walks around here. And I see all the regulars. I also see a huge number of birds. I love watching them, but despite my efforts I can’t identify them. Because Cape Cod juts out into the ocean, we get a lot of birds stopping in during their migration. They often become local celebreties during their brief stays.

The first thing you’re going to notice about Cape Cod is that you have to cross the Cape Cod Canal to get to it!  In essence, Cape Cod is a man-made island.

There are two ways over the Canal - the Sagamore Bridge to the north and the Bourne Bridge to the south. This is usually enough access unless you’re trying to arrive on Friday afternoon or leave us on Sunday afternoon during June, July or August. In that case, I’m afraid that you’re going to wade through 10 or 15 miles of heavy traffic depending on your route.

But if this is your first trip to the Cape, don’t rush past it, please stop in at the Canal Visitor Center run by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. You’ll find out that the Pilgrims were the first folks who wanted to construct a short-cut through the Cape for ships, but it wasn’t until 1914 that the Canal was actually finished. It was  privately constructed by August Belmont, but evenually for engineering and economic reasons was taken over by the U.S. government. Today at 500 fet wide and 32 feet deep it is the widest sea-level canal in the world.

The area surrounding the canal has become a favorite recreation area of many residents. There are paved pathways along the canal that are a great place for walking, running, or biking. You’ll always find something interesting to look at on the canal.  You’ll find tot lot for smaller kids to play in. Picnic tables are a convenient place to eat. There are also restrooms.