Photo: Leslie Stormes

Dating all the way back to the 1600s, Marblehead is known for its narrow streets and centuries-old buildings. It’s seafaring history, however, is what put the town on track to being named the “Yachting Capital of Massachusetts”.

If you ask some, though, it may really be the “Yachting Capital of the World”. For generations Marblehead Harbor has served as the starting and ending port for international races.

To this day, the once prosperous fishing port remains a renowned location for sailing. While only about 20,000 people live in Marblehead, the town boasts around a half-dozen different yacht clubs, catering to grownups and kids alike.

The oldest yacht club in Marblehead dates back to the late 1800s. The town,

Coast Guard Beach is once again ranked as one of the best. The beach recently took the number six spot when it comes to the annual list of the best beaches in the country, compliments of Dr. Beach. Last year Coast Guard Beach sat in the number five spot.

Not only is the beach special for its unique attributes, but it’s also the only New England beach to grab a spot on the list this year. Beaches are ranked in terms of everything from water temperature and cleanliness to safety and the softness of the sand.

In fact, 50 different criteria are taken into consideration. The professor behind the ranking system has been coming out with the list for decades, with his selections based on personal visits and federal data collected by the EPA.

As for

Now the destination of curious visitors to Cape Cod, the North Truro Air Station maintains a unique history. Spurred by Russia testing its first atomic bomb, the North Truro Air Station was born in the early 1950s. Its location was utilized to monitor Soviet bombers, as one of the first radar listening stations.

Decommissioned, however, in the mid 1990s at the end of the Cold War, most of the land of the abandoned military site came under control of the National Park Service, and part of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Still though, its old barracks, officers’ quarters, buildings and even a bowling alley remain. While the radar dishes are no longer there, the concrete pads where they used to stand remain in the ground.

Some buildings have been

One of Cape Cod’s most prominent landmarks is closed for the time being. Truro’s Highland Light just closed down for at least a year, part of a $1.2 million project to address safety and structural concerns with the lighthouse.

Known as Cape Cod’s tallest and oldest lighthouse, the Highland Light currently sits on the National Register of Historic Places. Also known by some as Cape Cod Light, it is traditionally open for guided tours during select months of the year, with its grounds open all year long.

Owned by the National Park Service and part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, a non-profit operates the lighthouse as a tourist attraction, while the Coast Guard operates the light. It’s a landmark, though, that’s served Cape Cod for centuries, with

With good waves for boogie boarding and for surfing, Ballston Beach presents a quiet, less crowded option for beachgoers on Cape Cod. This Truro beach also allows for some outstanding views, not just of the ocean but also of the nearby hills.

Nature isn’t just responsible for the scenery, though, it’s also gradually changing the beach itself. For years now the beach has been at the mercy of Mother Nature, with hurricane force winds just a few years ago heavily damaging the dune and flooding the nearby parking lot.

That was followed up by yet another winter storm and another overwash, creating an even wider opening in the dune. It’s a theme that’s repeated itself over and over again. That’s led area leaders and residents to question the future of the

Efforts to protect Nauset Beach from future erosion likely include a proposal to construct a new dune at the beach. It’s a temporary solution Orleans town selectmen are pondering as the winter season quickly approaches.

Recently town selectmen looked at a number of different backup plans in anticipation of another rough winter season ahead. Last winter the beach took a real beating, and it’s hoped that the beach administration building will at least make it through one more summer.

Several months ago a popular snack shack had to be relocated to higher ground, and a beach office, parking lot and restrooms could be next. Constructing a new dune, alone, could total at least $1 million, still a much lower cost than moving everything that currently sits in the

Nauset Beach, viewed from 200 feet above the dunes.  Photo Courtesy Altametry

It may sound kind of low-tech, but a somewhat simple idea could be the solution to making a high-tech shark tracker off the coast of Cape Cod actually work. Researchers are looking at expanding a pilot program that used balloons to help spot sharks off the coast of Chatham last summer.

The idea comes from a company called Altametry SmartBalloon out of Miami. Their specialized balloon uses high-def cameras, specialized lens filters and video streaming to look into the ocean and notify officials when sharks are close to the shoreline.

Crews tested out the equipment off Cape Cod with a trial project in early August 2017. While the program seemed to work as planned, there

A favorite of locals and visitors alike, Ballston Beach just gained top honors when it comes to the Cape’s best beaches. The designation from Cape Cod Magazine details the ’20 Best Beaches on Cape Cod’, with Truro’s Ballston Beach listed in the top spot.

The Atlantic-facing beach is praised for its endless sand, stretching out along the Cape Cod National Seashore. It’s also pointed out that this picturesque beach is quiet and peaceful, with small waves, cliffs, and even sandbars at low tide.

Situated at the end of a residential road and flanked by hills, the large beach is also praised for its soft sand and its spacious appeal. A great place for boogie boarding and for surfing, you won’t find a boardwalk or space to picnic, but you will find plenty of room

With plenty to see and experience, the summer season is the ideal time of year to enjoy the Cape Cod National Seashore. It’s the place of beaches, woods and ponds, with all of it stretching along Cape Cod’s eastern shore.

In fact, the Cape Cod National Seashore exists within the towns of Chatham, Orleans, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro and Provincetown. With that in mind, it’s no surprise then that the Cape Cod National Seashore includes around a half-dozen beaches.

This includes Herring Cove Beach and Race Point Beach in Provincetown, Head of the Meadow in Truro, Marconi Beach in Wellfleet, plus both Nauset Light Beach and Coast Guard Beach in Eastham. Despite some current limitations due to nesting piper plovers and some limited off-roading options,

A favorite spot for surfers on Cape Cod, White Crest Beach is Wellfleet could soon offer up more parking to locals and visitors. Plans call for expanding the parking lot at the beach by hundreds of spaces, but it may not be as many as previously thought.

Right now the lot has room for around 200 vehicle spaces, but future plans could make additional room for a total of 460 cars to park in the area. Originally, planners set out to make a lot for up to 600 parking spaces, but its been reported that engineers weren’t able to add that many spaces to their plan.

Some had also previously suggested making space for 1,000 vehicles, initiating concerns about how that could lead to increased traffic in the area, and mean a drain on the efforts of local police