Our second big storm of the winter blew through Falmouth today leaving behind a beautiful blanket of snow. As the wind settled down mid morning, innkeepers served warm breakfasts and then bustled outdoors to clear snow from walkways, stairs and sidewalks. Visiting Cape Cod in snow is one of the greatest parts of winter, and you will find locals clustered in coffee shops swapping storm tales, sharing a Guiness or two at the pubs on Main Street, and headed out on the bike path in cross country skis.
There are so many great reasons to visit the Cape in winter, especially on the eve of a snowfall, but here are our top five:
1) Beaches are wide open and gorgeous for winter walks
2) No line at Maison Villatte Bakery (real french croissant au chocolat!)
3) Warm welcome from Falmouth innkeepers
4) Snuggling by the fire with a complimentary hot cocoa at your friendly B&B
5) Taking the Martha’s Vineyard ferry in snow offers stunning vistas of the island.
Here are photos of some of the Falmouth B&B’s in this lovely snow fall. Captain Tom Lawrence House, Palmer House, Woods Hole Passage and Woods Hole Inn are all open at this time of year. Captains Manor and Inn at Siders Lane are beautiful in snow, but not open for guests until closer to spring time.
Enjoy this photo essay capturing Falmouth B&Bs on this Cape Cod Snow Day, January 22, 2014.
Palmer House Inn
Romantic Queen Anne style Cape Cod B&B with beautiful woodwork, warm fireplaces and elegant antique furnishings, located in Falmouth’s historic district.
(508)-548-1230
81 Palmer Avenue
Falmouth, MA 02540
www.palmerhouseinn.com
innkeepers@palmerhouseinn.com
- Early Morning Tea/Coffee upon request
- Full Breakfast
- Afternoon Refreshments
[/custom_list]
- Air Conditioning (window)
- Beach Chairs | Beach Towels
- Bicycles available
- Board Games
- Cable TV
- Hairdryers
- Alarm Clock
- Refrigerator
- Queen Beds, King beds
- Iron, Ironing Boards
- Gardens or Outdoor Guest areas
- Free Parking (limited to 1 car per guest room)
- Free WiFi
- Easy Walk to Village
- Fireplaces
- Whirlpool Tubs
[/custom_list]
- Cash Accepted
- Travelers Checks Accepted
- Visa
- Non-smoking Property
- Childrens 12+ welcome
- Master Card
- American Express
- Discover
[/custom_list]
Palmer House Inn
Romantic Queen Anne style Cape Cod B&B with beautiful woodwork, warm fireplaces and elegant antique furnishings, located in Falmouth’s historic district.
(508)-548-1230
81 Palmer Avenue
Falmouth, MA 02540
www.palmerhouseinn.com
innkeepers@palmerhouseinn.com
- Early Morning Tea/Coffee upon request
- Full Breakfast
- Afternoon Refreshments
[/custom_list]
- Air Conditioning (window)
- Beach Chairs | Beach Towels
- Bicycles available
- Board Games
- Cable TV
- Hairdryers
- Alarm Clock
- Refrigerator
- Queen Beds, King beds
- Iron, Ironing Boards
- Gardens or Outdoor Guest areas
- Free Parking (limited to 1 car per guest room)
- Free WiFi
- Easy Walk to Village
- Fireplaces
- Whirlpool Tubs
[/custom_list]
- Cash Accepted
- Travelers Checks Accepted
- Visa
- Non-smoking Property
- Childrens 12+ welcome
- Master Card
- American Express
- Discover
[/custom_list]
Our second big storm of the winter blew through Falmouth today leaving behind a beautiful blanket of snow. As the wind settled down mid morning, innkeepers served warm breakfasts and then bustled outdoors to clear snow from walkways, stairs and sidewalks. Visiting Cape Cod in snow is one of the greatest parts of winter, and you will find locals clustered in coffee shops swapping storm tales, sharing a Guiness or two at the pubs on Main Street, and headed out on the bike path in cross country skis.
There are so many great reasons to visit the Cape in winter, especially on the eve of a snowfall, but here are our top five:
1) Beaches are wide open and gorgeous for winter walks
2) No line at Maison Villatte Bakery (real french croissant au chocolat!)
3) Warm welcome from Falmouth innkeepers
4) Snuggling by the fire with a complimentary hot cocoa at your friendly B&B
5) Taking the Martha’s Vineyard ferry in snow offers stunning vistas of the island.
Here are photos of some of the Falmouth B&B’s in this lovely snow fall. Captain Tom Lawrence House, Palmer House, Woods Hole Passage and Woods Hole Inn are all open at this time of year. Captains Manor and Inn at Siders Lane are beautiful in snow, but not open for guests until closer to spring time.
Enjoy this photo essay capturing Falmouth B&Bs on this Cape Cod Snow Day, January 22, 2014.
The historic Candle House.
The Candle House, built in 1829, is a great historic stop, even if it’s just to admire the stonework from the outside. The Candle House is all that remains of mid-nineteenth-century whaling in Woods Hole. It was part of a series of structures where whale oil was rendered. Today the Candle House is used by the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) for offices and is frequently used to display some of the exhibits for the annual Model Boat Show.
Whaling in Woods Hole
Woods Hole in the 1700 and 1800?s was a quiet and relatively unsettled spot on the South Western corner of Cape Cod.
“These quiet, rural conditions, devoid of adventure, persisted until about 1815, when Woods Hole became an important whaling station from which ships operated on the high seas. The whaling industry in the United States became a very profitable business, and Woods Hole was a part of it. In 1854, the total receipts for the American whaling fleet amounted to $10.8 million, the largest part of this amount resulted from whaling carried out by Massachusetts captains. Woods Hole participated in these activities and prospered. It is known that between 1815 and 1860, not less than nine whaling ships were making port at the Bar Neck wharf, which was located where the U. S. Navy building of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution now stands.” – www.nefsc.noaa.gov/history/stories/whistory.html
The Candle House and Spermaceti Production
Spermaceti is a wax that is found in the head cavities of the sperm whale. After killing the whale, the whalers would sever the head, pull it on deck and cut a hole in order to bail out the matter. The primary source of the oil is from the spermaceti organ. This matter was boiled and strained of impurities to prevent the oil from going rancid. A large whale could yield as much as 500 gallons (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spermaceti). The raw spermaceti would then be stored in casks and brought back to Woods Hole for processed on land in buildings like the Candle House.
At the Candle House the casks were allowed to chill during the winter. The spermaceti would congeal into a spongy and viscous mass. This mass could then be placed into wool sacks and pressed. The resulting liquid was bottled and sold as the mos valuable spermaceti product – “Winter-Strained Sperm Oil,” an oil that remained liquid in freezing temperatures. In the warmer seasons, the left over spermaceti was allowed to partially melt, and the liquid was strained off to leave a fully solid wax. This was bleached and sold as “Spermaceti Wax.”
Other Woods Hole attractions include: