Did you know that the First Cape Cod Canal connected the Orleans Town Cove with Cape Cod Bay via Boat Meadow Creek? It is a very interesting story. (Click on blog link for other photo.)
“Jeremiah’s Gutter, also called Jeremy’s Dream was a canal located on the border of Orleans and Eastham, Massachusetts, the first canal to cut across the peninsula of Cape Cod. It connected Cape Cod Bay in the west to the Atlantic Ocean in the east. It was active for over 100 years, although it gradually fell out of use and was replaced by the Cape Cod Canal.” (Wikipedia)
The first whaleboat transit through the canal began in 1717 and it was very useful in the War of 1812 in helping elude the British blockaders.
You can see the marker for the canal on Canal Rd. in Orleans across the street from Wendy’s. Have you ever seen it there?
Interesting (former) short cut!
Yes, a good friend who lives in Eastham told me all about it. They used “PACKET” boats to transport shipments.
The whale boat transit in 1717 was by Capt. Cyprian Southack of Her Majesty’s Navy attempting to recover the treasure that was aboard the pirate ship Whydah which sank in April 1717.