YOU ARE INVITED TO: THE 16th Annual Meeting of the Orleans Pond Coalition October 26, 2019 at 10:00 AM The Church of the Holy Spirit 204 Monument Road, Orleans, MA Guest Speaker: Robert L. Zimmerman, Jr.Zimmerman Environmental, LLC Bob Zimmerman served as Executive Director of the Charles River Watershed Association from 1990 to 2018. Under his direction, CRWA expanded its focus to include scientific research and analysis, ecosystem and land-use planning studies, land … [Read more...]
📌 STEEP Science Day – What’s In My Water?
The Silent Spring Institute Invites You To PFAS in Drinking Water on Cape Cod Get the Facts on October 2nd at STEEP Science Day The Silent Spring Institute hopes you will join them on Wednesday October 2nd for a presentation by STEEP Center scientists on hazardous chemicals called PFAS and their occurrence in U.S. drinking water supplies, including on Cape Cod. The event will include updates from the team—what scientists are learning about the health effects from exposures and how the chemicals move through the … [Read more...]
Friday Evening Arey’s Pond Sunset Paddle
Friday 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Arey's Pond Landing (Map location #2) Under the expert guidance of Supfari Adventures tour Areys Pond and the Namequoit River on a paddleboard that lights the water beneath you. The tour departs at 6:00 P. M. from the Areys Pond Boat Yard, 45 Areys Lane, Orleans MA on Friday, September 15th, 2023. Participation is limited to 10 individuals. All equipment is provided. If you are not comfortable on a stand up paddleboard, 6 people may substitute a kayak for a paddleboard. Please … [Read more...]
Ponderings Spring 2019
Click to View Ponderings Spring 2019 … [Read more...]
📌 An Afternoon with the Conservation Law Foundation
Jay and Christy Cashman Invite You To:An Afternoon with the Conservation Law Foundation Strong Island, Chatham, MA Friday, August 9, 2019 2-7 PM Please join us in this spectacular island setting to learn about the Conservation Law Foundation’s work to safeguard New England’s coastal waters and to address the threat of global climate change. Hear from our President, Brad Campbell, while enjoying cocktails, appetizers, and live music on the water. To RSVP, please contact Katie Ardrey at kardrey@clf.org or … [Read more...]
📌Orleans 2019 Town Meeting
Your voice and vote are important! Town Meeting starts Monday, May 13 at 6pm at the Nauset Middle School Vote Tuesday, May 21, from 8am to 8pm at the Orleans Senior Center ON THE WARRANT: ARTICLE 16: Fund Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan (CWRMP): This is the critical vote to build the new sewer system. If approved, $47,382,800 will be allocated. Orleans is taking advantage of all available financial assistance to minimize taxpayer Impact. Once approved, Orleans will qualify for interest-free loans from the MA State Revolving … [Read more...]
📌 Promises of Spring 2019
The Orleans Pond Coalition is pleased to announce the receipt of a $10,000 grant from the Fred J. Brotherton Charitable Foundation for OPC’s demonstration project of ultrafine bubble oxygenation technology that will begin in May in Sarah’s Pond. OPC is taking a leadership role in bringing this cutting edge water quality remediation strategy to New England that promises to be a sustainable, affordable option for healing impaired lakes and ponds, both freshwater and marine.Oxygen is deployed in tiny bubbles, invisible to the naked eye, that … [Read more...]
📌 Save the Date: Septic Systems at Nauset Estuary
Wednesday March 6, 2019 at 1:00 pm at Eastham Town HallJoin us to discuss Site Specific Septic System Pilot Options for Nauset Harbor Estuary with George Heufelder from the Barnstable CountyDepartment of Health and Environment How are these systems working on Cape Cod?How are these systems installed?Is the Layer-Cake System a possible option for Nitrogen Reduction in Eastham?Is this a cost effective alternative for Eastham?Please call Jane Crowley at 508-240-5900 x3229 for more information. … [Read more...]
📌 Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for 2019
AN UPDATE ON OPC’S UFB DEMONSTRATIO PROJECT IN SARAH’S POND Sarah's Pond Sarah’s Pond with demo area outlined in white.Red star indicates shoreline equipment location. On December 7, the Orleans Pond Coalition formally teamed up with SOLitude Lake Management on a demonstration project of ultra-fine bubble (UFB) oxygenation in Sarah’s Pond, to begin next May in Orleans, MA. This will be a significant debut for UFB in New England where the accepted pond and lake remediation practices … [Read more...]
📌 Orleans Town Meeting October 29, 2018
Please attend the Orleans Town Meeting on Monday, October 29 6:30 P.M. at the Orleans Middle School! Here are five Articles with environmental impact worthy of your support. Article 3: Fund the Water Meter Technology Replacement Program: $1,980,000. With new cellular technology, water usage can be monitored continuously and more accurately at less cost, offering opportunities to conserve water, provide better customer service, improve revenue flow, and manage water infrastructure more efficiently. Quarterly water billing would be possible … [Read more...]
📌 OPC 2018 Annual Meeting
📌 Celebrate Our Waters 2018 is now Live
Spread the Word: Celebrate Our Waters Goes Live! Orleans Pond Coalition is happy to announce the weekend schedule for its popular Celebrate Our Waters festival in Orleans September 22nd & 23rd. With the Nauset Beach Bonfire and 50+ other activities, you'll enjoy old favorites and many new ones. Watch your mailbox for a compact schedule. For the full schedule, event details and locations, and the latest updates, visit … [Read more...]
Event Headquarters Celebrate Our Waters 2024
Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Rock Harbor, Orleans (Map location #2) At event headquarters you will find weekend schedules, helpful people happy to answer your questions, and information about Orleans Pond Coalition, the all-volunteer nonprofit organization that organizes and sponsors Celebrate Our Waters each year. Come learn more about our mission and our other important activities. Presented by the Orleans Pond Coalition. … [Read more...]
En Plein Air Painting and Artist Reception.
Saturday 4:00 to 6:00 at Addison Art Gallery (4, 11, and 25) Paul Batch painting on the Addison Art Gallery lawn Their wet paintings will be brought to the Addison Art Gallery for an exhibition and reception from 4 to 6 pm. Watch award-winning painters as they create work inspired by the shores of Orleans. En plein air, French for “open air,” describes paintings created outdoors. French Impressionists, including Claude Monet and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, advocated en plein air painting. Charles Webster Hawthorne, who started the art … [Read more...]
Yoga on the Beach
Saturday, Sept. 14th, and Sunday, Sept. 15th, 8:30-9:30 at Nauset Beach Parking Lot (north side) (Map location #4) Start your day with Dawn Spunzo of Orleans Yoga and enjoy early morning yoga on Nauset Beach. Replenish and recuperate after a busy summer and make the transition from the fiery energy of summer to an introspective fall with grace and ease. Geared for everyone, from the total novice to the experienced practitioner. Bring a towel or two and water. No yoga mat needed. Meet at the north side of the Nauset Beach parking lot (near … [Read more...]
Family Fun at Rock Harbor
Saturday, September 14th, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. in the tent at Rock Harbor (Map location #2) Don't miss these free, fun for all activities! Ocean Water Activities with Carol "Krill" Carson;Make your own fish print T-shirt;Pot up and take home a native plant with Pollinator Pathway of Cape CodA Scavenger Hunt (starts at 10 am at Rock Harbor)Explore fish bycatch - yucky and fun!A Watershed Primer by Wood's Hole Group;Shell Painting with Dianne Fromm;Science fun with Lucy Gilmore of the Cape Cod Children's PlaceHop on board and … [Read more...]
A Turtle’s Journey with Susan Baur
Family Fun Tent at Rock Harbor 10-30 (11) Make a daily journal for a turtle. Learn to identify and draw our local pond turtles. Susan Baur, author and illustrator of the turtle sisters books, will show her fans how to draw a convincing snapping turtle, painted turtle, and stinkpot turtle. There’s nothing like drawing to teach you how to really look at turtles! See Susan Baur's website The Turtle Sisters of Cape Cod Pond … [Read more...]
Bakers Pond Hike
Photo by Tunny Lee Saturday, September 14th, 9:00-10:30 at Bakers Pond Conservation Area, 80 Bakers Pond Road (Map location #5) Join OPC and members of Friends of Bakers Pond on this 2+ mile hike through conservation land owned by the towns of Orleans and Brewster and the Brewster Conservation Trust. Meet at the town of Orleans' conservation area at 80 Bakers Pond Rd, bordering this beautiful, 32 acre kettle pond. We'll explore Orleans' 1,250 feet of pond shoreline, then make our way to the Brewster side of the pond, including … [Read more...]
Rock Creek Oyster Farm Tour – Draft
Walk the flats at low tide to the successful oyster farm owned and operated by Wendy & Kyle Farrell. Learn how oysters are grown and harvested for sale to high-end restaurants in the Northeast. Tours run continuously. Wear shoes that can get wet. On the flats at Skaket Beach. by Rock Creek Oysters … [Read more...]
Beach Dioramas
Saturday 10:00-1:00 at Rock Harbor (9). Form a team or do it alone. Bring your shovels and pails to Rock Harbor. Categories: Kids (ages 12 & under), Mixed Aged Teams, and Adults (13 & older). Come to create a sand masterpiece or just watch the fun. Sponsored by Orleans Pond Coalition … [Read more...]
Model Boat Regatta
Saturday, September 14th, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon at Crystal Lake (Map location #7) Join the Nauset Model Sailing Club to watch and possibly participate in this miniature sailboat regatta. While there, you might look to the sky and see a remote-control model seaplane. At Crystal Lake Beach on Monument Road. … [Read more...]
Robert Finch Book Signing – Draft
Saturday 4-6 at Addison Art Gallery (1) Come meet Cape Cod nature author, essayist and radio commentator, Robert Finch who will be signing copies of his books, including his latest book released this summer, The Outer Beach: A Thousand-Mile Walk on Cape Cod's Atlantic Shore, apoignant, candid chronicle of a beloved nature writer’s fifty-year relationship with an iconic American landscape. Those who have encountered Cape Cod – or merely dipped into an account of its rich history – know that it is a singular place. Robert Finch writes … [Read more...]
Coast Guard Motor Lifesaving Vessel CG36500
Saturday, September 14th, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Rock Harbor (Map location #2). Come aboard and hear the amazing story of the 1952 rescue of the crew from the stricken vessel Pendleton, star of the Disney movie, "The Finest Hours". Dick Ryder, Coxswain and crew. At Rock Harbor. Sponsored by Orleans Historical Society … [Read more...]
Concert and Bonfire at Nauset Beach
Saturday, September 14th, 4:30 p.m. - Nauset Beach Clean-Up with Surfriders Foundation Concert and Bonfire, 5:30 p.m. - dark at Nauset Beach (Map Location #4) Biriba Union Band Saturday evening - Bonfire Come early, enjoy friends, food trucks and help with a beach clean up sponsored by Surfriders Foundation at 4:30. Pre-concert music with DJ – JD Thomas starts about 5:30 p.m. Our Concert featuring Grammy award winning artist David Block and his Biriba Union Band. begins around 6:30 with the bonfire at dusk. … [Read more...]
Birds of the Shore – Nauset Beach
Sunday, September 15th, 8:30-10:30 a.m. at Priscilla Landing (Map location #15) Join Bob Prescott, Sanctuary Director Emeritus for the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary, to watch for migrating shorebirds feeding along the water’s edge, seabirds and sea ducks off-shore, herons and egrets in the marsh, and perhaps even a Peregrine Falcon zipping by on the hunt. Bring binoculars and meet at Priscilla Landing. Sponsored by Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary … [Read more...]
Amy Sanders Pastel Demonstration – Draft
Saturday 4-6 at Addison Art Gallery (1) Amy Sanders will demonstrate building depth and luminosity with pastel as she works towards bringing a painting to life through multiple layers. Pastel particles retain their individuality within layers. If carefully layered using strokes in a variety of colors, weights and direction, light bounces among the particles creating a unique radiance. Questions and comments from audience member of all ages will be encouraged and add to the event. The soft pastel medium can trace its roots back to … [Read more...]
Stand Up Paddle Board Lesson and Tour * – Draft
Sunday 12-1:30 at Goose Hummock Docks Led by members of the Goose Hummock staff, begin with a 30 minute lesson followed by a 90 minute paddle around scenic Town Cove, weather permitting. Paddleboarding offers a different and fun way to get out on the water and experience paddling this gorgeous area. This tour is best suited for people 15 years of age and over, and a guardian is required to accompany all minors. Warm dress is recommended, as it is likely that participants will get wet while on the tour. Paddleboarding is a full-body workout, … [Read more...]
Birds of the Shore – Skaket Beach
Saturday, September 14th, 8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. at Skaket Beach (Map location #3) Join Bob Prescott, Sanctuary Director Emeritus for the Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary, to search for sandpipers, plovers, and other shorebirds along Skaket Beach in Orleans. Bring binoculars and meet at the Skaket Beach parking lot. This is a relaxed walk along beautiful Cape Cod Bay. Sponsored by Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary … [Read more...]
River and Little Pleasant Bay Kayak Tour *
Sunday 12:30-4:00 at Meeting House Landing (24) Come join our trip with Johnathan Palino of Cape Kayaking in East Orleans for a paddle into Little Pleasant Bay. Our excursion will start on Meeting House Pond and then take us into Little Pleasant Bay. Reserve a kayak or bring your own. Limited number of kayaks available. Children must be in double with supervising adult. PFDs provided with reserved kayaks. The event will be free, however, gratuities are welcome. *Reservations required for kayaks. Please email opc@capekayaking.com with subject … [Read more...]
Sail on Pleasant Bay *
Saturday, September 14th, 9:30-11:00, 11:30-1:00, and 1:30-3:00 (Map location #6) Event Description Pleasant Bay Community Boating is offering sailing experiences on Pleasant Bay. Sign up for a sail with one of our PBCB skippers. Located at Pleasant Bay Community Boating, 2287 Rt 28 on the Orleans/Brewster/Harwich line. Park in lot. *Reservations required to sail. Please click on the Reservation button below, which will take you to the Pleasant Bay Community Boating website. Follow the prompts for "Celebrate Our … [Read more...]
Town Cove Kayak Tour *
Saturday, Sept. 14th, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. -3:00 p.m. at Goose Hummock Docks (Map location #8) Enjoy a fun, family-oriented tour of Town cove. In addition to some basic instruction on paddling safety and techniques from our guides, you will be taken on a kayak tour around Town Cove, observing birds and sea life. We will stop for a visit to Hopkins Island before returning to our docks. This tour is offered free of charge, we just ask for a simple gratuity for Goose Hummock guides. Kayaks supplied by Goose Hummock. *Reservations … [Read more...]
Stand-Up Paddle Board Clinic *
Saturday 9:30-10:30, 11:00-12:00, and 1:00-2:00 at Arey's Pond Boat Yard (19) Once again this year Supfari Adventures has kindly offered three free clinics to introduce you to the joy of gliding over the water on a stand up paddle board. Clinics depart from Arey's Pond Boat Yard, 45 Arey's Lane, Orleans, MA at 9:30 A.M., 11:00 A.M., and 1:00 P.M. On Saturday, September 17, 2022. Each clinic accommodates 10 individuals. All equipment and instruction is provided. Reservations must be made in advance through Supfari … [Read more...]
Draft: Nauset Marsh Kayak Tour *
Saturday and Sunday 11-2 at Goose Hummock Docks Led by members of the Goose Hummock Outdoor staff. Kayaks supplied by Goose Hummock. Our guides will lead you through Nauset Salt Marsh Estuary located within the Cape Cod National Seashore, replete with winding creeks and coves. It is home to a wide array of marine and avian species and offers amazing wildlife viewing. This tour is slightly more demanding than our Town Cove Tour and is recommended for conditioned paddlers with prior kayaking experience. Age 15 and up with minors accompanied by … [Read more...]
Introduction to Rowing for Adults and Middle Schoolers
Sunday, September 15th, 10:00am-12:00noon at Town Cove Landing at the end of Cove Road (Map location #16) Interested in learning to row? Come learn about the equipment, the skills and conditioning required, and where local classes are offered for adults and youth. Experienced rowers will tell you why they love the sport and demonstrate sculling. Wear shorts and prepare to get wet if you want to get into a shell. Ages 12 and up. Meet at the town landing next to the Orleans Yacht Club. Parking available at the town landing and at 31A … [Read more...]
Pochet Island Hike *
Sunday, September 15th, 9:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. at Nauset Beach South (Map location #4) Join Stephen O'Grady, Executive Director of Orleans Conservation Trust, on a five mile hike from the south end of Nauset Beach parking lot to Pochet Island. A member of the Payson family will join the group at the island's bridge to walk the island and share the Payson family's history, its recent restoration of the sandplain grassland habitat, and extraordinary views of ocean and bay. This is a long and challenging hike through loose sand and … [Read more...]
Bike: Tour de Orleans and Tour de West Orleans Waters
Saturday, Sept. 14th, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. meet at Rock Harbor (Map location #2) or Depot Square (Map location #9). There are 2 great bicycle rides to choose from: 1. Tour de Orleans - 13-15 miles On Saturday September 16th, 2023 join local cyclist John Smith in search of spectacular local water views. This ride will visit several of our local waterways and pond landings in East Orleans. The ride is about 13-15 miles and there will be several hills. Park and meet at 10:00 AM at Rock Harbor, where we will start. Or, if … [Read more...]
Tour a Working Cranberry Bog
Sunday, September 15th, 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. at 128 Monument Road (Map location #18) JP Vario, Bog Manager, will guide you through the historically restored cranberry bog. You will learn about the challenges and rewards of growing cranberries in an environmentally friendly manner. A special thanks to the owners, Maureen and Craig Boyce, who are opening the bog to visitors during Celebrate our Waters weekend. 128 Monument Road. Park at Crystal Lake and along Monument Road. ~Sponsored by Maureen and … [Read more...]
Get to Know Orleans through its Historical Markers (self-guided)
Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. starting at Rock Harbor Fun Tent (9) Pick up a pamphlet showing Historical Sites of Interest in Orleans at our Celebrate Our Waters Event Headquarters, Rock Harbor Fun Tent, or download the app at CHOCENTERS.ORG. Choose among three walking tour options. "Orleans’ Historian Bonnie Snow's Walking Trails: Main Street," “East Orleans," or her map of “Historical Sites of Interest in Orleans." Learn about the founding of Orleans and its proud lifesaving, commercial, and battle history. Check out Academy Place, Depot … [Read more...]
Jonathan Young Windmill
Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Jonathan Young Windmill (Map location #12). Jonathan Young Windmill -JD Bowman Join John Knowles, mill historical expert, to tour an authentically restored windmill and its many historical uses. On Rte 6A near the Orleans Waterfront Inn. Parking available next to the windmill. The windmill will be open from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon for both Saturday and Sunday. Stop by! Sponsored by Orleans Conservation Department & Orleans Dept of Public Works & Natural … [Read more...]
📌 OPC is Looking for a Few Good People…
Water Samplers, Mutt Mitt Stockers, and Celebrate our Waters Volunteers Needed. Do You Love Our Waters? We Need Water Samplers... Every summer since 2000, citizens of all ages from teens to nineties have volunteered a few hours to collect scientific data on estuary waters of Orleans. This summer more volunteers are needed sample Town Cove, Nauset Estuary, and Little Pleasant Bay on five mornings. We will teach you the skills for collecting water samples and taking measurements of temperature and dissolved oxygen. Please volunteer and … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Bridging Jeremiah’s Gutter
By Mon Cochran Dateline: May 22, 2050 Commonwealth engineers met today with the Selectmen from Orleans and Eastham to discuss the design of a Rt. 6 bridge spanning Jeremiah’s Gutter, also known as the Outer Cape Canal. During the past several years the Rt. 6 rotary on the Orle-ans/Eastham line has repeatedly flooded at high tide, caused by sea water flowing from Cape Cod Bay into Town Cove. Scientists predict that the steady annual increases in sea level that have occurred over the past thirty years will continue through the … [Read more...]
📌 Election
Please Vote “Yes” on Question 3 at the Orleans Election this Tuesday Question 3 would authorize $4.2 million for the final design of the downtown sewer system, for non-traditional approaches like aquaculture, and for Town adaptive management practices such as water quality monitoring and storm water run-off management to clean up Orleans estuaries and freshwater ponds. A “Yes” vote is a vote for clean water! At the Orleans Town Meeting last Monday night, there was a unanimous vote of approval for Warrant Article 14 that is Question 3 on … [Read more...]
📌 Town Meeting
Please attend Orleans Town Meeting on Monday, May 7 at 6:30 P.M. at the Orleans Middle School! Here are six Articles with environmental impact worthy of your support. Article #14: (Fund CWRMP Implementation – Planning, Engineering and Adaptive Management: $4.2 million). Please approve funding for the final design of the downtown sewer system and for non-traditional technologies, including $200,000 for freshwater pond cleanup . Approval will keep the Town on track to qualify for 0% interest loans from the State Revolving … [Read more...]
📌 Earth Day
Celebrate Earth Day - April 21st and 22nd In this Bulletin: Rock Harbor Cleanup Arts for the Earth for Orleans Conservation Trust Love Thy Nature with Association for the Preservation of Cape Cod W.H.A.T.'s Wrong with Plastic Straws? Cape Cod Canal Cleanup Actions to Take on Your Own Divide in Concord - a Film at Snow Library on Plastic Bottles Town Meeting Reminder April 22 marks our nation’s 48th Earth Day, proclaiming a national theme to “End Plastic Pollution.” In a year when national environmental progress seems … [Read more...]
📌 Sewering Starts
Sewer Construction Begins On March 12th, as another nor’easter approached and heavy equipment worked in the background, members of the Orleans Pond Coalition met in the Friends Marketplace parking lot, walked to the work site and unfurled their banner that read “The Orleans Pond Coalition Says Thank You.” The brief standout was to celebrate the commencement of construction of the collection system for Orleans' future sewer system. Len Short, a former OPC President and a member of both the Orleans Water & Sewer Board and the Cape Cod … [Read more...]
📌 Plastic Cleanup and APCC Rainbarrels
Join Us For The Orleans Construction Kick-off! Monday, March 5th, 10 A.M. at Friends Market Parking Lot The first steps in sewering downtown Orleans are about to begin! On next Monday, March 5, the street work to install the main sewer collection pipe commences at the intersection of Main Street and Route 28, adjacent to Snow Library and the Orleans United Methodist Church. OPC plans a brief “stand-out” with a thank-you banner to show support for this important project. We will meet in the Friends Market parking lot at 10 A.M. and walk to the … [Read more...]
📌 Join Us to Celebrate Progress in Orleans
Join Us For The Orleans Construction Kick-off! Monday, March 5th, 10 A.M. at Friends Market Parking Lot The first steps in sewering downtown Orleans are about to begin! On next Monday, March 5, the street work to install the main sewer collection pipe commences at the intersection of Main Street and Route 28, adjacent to Snow Library and the Orleans United Methodist Church. OPC plans a brief “stand-out” with a thank-you banner to show support for this important project. We will meet in the Friends Market parking lot at 10 A.M. and walk to the … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: The Seven Sides of Orleans
By Per John Ostman Like many towns of Cape Cod, Orleans is defined by its waters. However, you may never have thought about it this way before - Orleans is surrounded on seven sides by water. If you live in Orleans there are four “sides” you know well, Cape Cod Bay (think Rock Harbor and Skaket Beach), the Atlantic Ocean (think Nauset Beach), Pleasant Bay (think, well, Pleasant Bay) and Nauset Harbor (think Town Cove and Nauset Marsh). But, there are a few not quite as obvious. Now consider all the salt and fresh water Ponds … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Kayaking in the Nauset Estuary
By Cameron Gardella Anyone who has been to Fort Hill in Eastham and looked out over the Nauset estuary just has to be struck by its beauty and diversity. There’s always something new to see whether it’s seasonal changes, wildlife, or shifting dunes. The view is always spectacular. It’s no less spectacular for on-the-water activities. The prominent channel from Town Cove in Orleans towards the ocean cut is well marked and accessible by most boats. But, you’ll need a small boat with a shallow draft to get around many other … [Read more...]
📌 Important Upcoming Town Committee Meetings
Update on Uncle Harvey's Pond Tuesday, February 6th at 7 pm Orleans Town Hall, Nauset Room The Marine and Fresh Water Quality Advisory Committee, after considering a wide range of alternatives, recently voted to recommend the use of alum in Uncle Harvey’s Pond to control the phosphorous that contribute to the blooms of dangerous cyanobacteria in the water. The study of Uncle Harvey’s Pond found that 67% of the phosphorus load is generated by existing sediment in the pond. Alum treatment is often the “go to” strategy for moderate to severely … [Read more...]
📌 Climate Change on the Cape — Join Us this Sunday
Climate Change On Cape Cod On behalf of Lower Cape Indivisible, OPC invites you to hear Paul Niedzwiecki, the Executive Director of the Cape Cod Commission, talk about the affect Climate Change is having on the Cape Cod economy. Paul's presentation will take place this Sunday from 3:00 to 4:30 at the Chatham Community Center. Evidence of Climate Change surrounds us on Cape Cod. The waters are already rising along the marshes on Cape Cod Bay. Our lobsters are migrating north to Maine's colder waters. If you haven't already seen the … [Read more...]
📌 OPC Annual Meeting — Members
OPC's Annual Meeting Just a quick reminder. Our annual meeting is this Saturday morning, October 28th, at the Orleans Waterfront Inn. Refreshments will be available at 9:30 and our meeting will start at 10 a.m. First, we'll take a few minutes to thank OPC's members who were instrumental in helping the town approve laying sewer pipes downtown. After all the years of study and design, we're delighted with the support! We'll then give an update on what we've done this year and we'll also get to hear from Dr. Mayur Dev from Gaia Water. … [Read more...]
📌 Town Election Results
The Results Are In . . . . . . and the ballot question approving construction of our downtown sewer pipes passed by a solid majority of 1,102 in favor of moving forward and 412 opposed! Many thanks to all of you who went out and voted, who encouraged their neighbors to vote, who offered rides to the polls for any who needed it, and, most importantly, to everyone who offered their time and energy to protect our waters. This is an important step for the future in Orleans. Our town will move from studies, plans, and designs to actually … [Read more...]
📌 Orleans Special Town Meeting Results
We're Almost Finished! Thank you to everyone who showed up at our Special Town Meeting Monday night. The room was full and, after more than an hour of discussion and debate, Orleans voters overwhelming approved the project to install sewer pipes in the center of Orleans. More than three quarters of our voters endorsed the decision to move forward, At last, Orleans will start to move from studies and designs and start actually building something. By coordinating this project with Mass DOT's work to rebuild the streets in the center of … [Read more...]
Ask the Experts Forum: Orleans Sewer Planning
What are the TMDLs? Who utilizes the TMDL’s to determine the remedial action needed? The State has been empowered by the Federal Clean Waters Act* to set TMDLs (Total Maximum Daily Loads) for each waterbody. This standard determines how much nitrogen that waterbody may receive on a daily basis in order to maintain or improve the water quality. The State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has contracted with SMAST to utilize the Massachusetts Estuaries Project to establish the TMDLs. Once a TMDL has been set for a waterbody, the … [Read more...]
📌 Special Town Meeting
A Vote For the Future of Orleans On Monday, Orleans voters will set the direction for the town's future wastewater efforts. We can decide to move forward and demonstrate our commitment to the future of Orleans. Or we can vote to delay or derail our wastewater efforts, sending a clear message that we are unwilling to invest in our future. We urge Orleans voters to look to the future and approve Article 1, a request to fund the construction of a downtown sewer system. Orleans Special Town Meeting Monday, October 16, 2017 6:30 PM Nauset … [Read more...]
📌 OPC Annual Meeting — New Members
OPC's Annual Meeting Please join us for this year's annual meeting. We'll provide you an update on everything we've been working on and our plans for the coming year. As you'll see below, you'll have an opportunity to meet with Dr. Mayur Dev and Wayne Brummet, executives from Gaia Technologies, a firm with some emerging technology which OPC is looking at to see if they can help clean up our freshwater ponds. This year's annual meeting will take place on Saturday morning, October 28th at the Orleans Waterfront Inn. Refreshments will be … [Read more...]
📌 OPC Annual Meeting — Expiring Members
OPC's Annual Meeting Please join us for this year's annual meeting. We'll provide you an update on everything we've been working on and our plans for the coming year. As you'll see below, you'll have an opportunity to meet with Dr. Mayur Dev and Wayne Brummet, executives from Gaia Technologies, a firm with some emerging technology which OPC is looking at to see if they can help clean up our freshwater ponds. This year's annual meeting will take place on Saturday morning, October 28th at the Orleans Waterfront Inn. Refreshments will be … [Read more...]
📌 OPC Annual Meeting for Members
Please join us for this year's annual meeting. We'll provide you an update on everything we've been working on and our plans for the coming year. As you'll see below, you'll have an opportunity to meet with Dr. Mayur Dev and Wayne Brummet, executives from Gaia Technologies, a firm with some emerging technology which OPC is looking at to see if they can help clean up our freshwater ponds. This year's annual meeting will take place on Saturday morning, October 28th at the Orleans Waterfront Inn. Refreshments will be available at 9:30 and our … [Read more...]
📌 Celebrate Our Waters 2017 — Thank You!
Celebrate Our Waters - Thank You Celebrate Our Waters 2017 is now behind us and we want to thank everyone who came out and joined in the festivities and, more importantly, the many many people and organizations who helped make this happen. This was the eighth year the Orleans Pond Coalition put on our annual festival, and we certainly hope everyone enjoyed the weekend as much as we enjoyed orchestrating it. If you run into them in town, please thank Anne Sigsbee and Carol Counihan, the two key individuals who co-chaired this year's weekend. … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: River Herring and Why We Count Them
By Judy Scanlon A quote from one mother who brings her children to count herring when asked" why do they count herring?" "I do subscribe to the notion that if you learn about something in the natural world, you appreciate and love it, and then that leads to you fighting for it. The Cape is magical but a lot of times it's hard to enjoy the magic because you are running from commitment to commitment, so by signing up (to count herring) we basically carved out time to hang out with Mother Nature, and see what she is up to. … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywgere: Cat Boat Regatta
By Fran McClennen It’s over! The season, I mean. It’s always sad when we have to put the boats away, pull the moorings and hunker down for winter. However, it’s also time to think back and enjoy the memories from the past summer. One of my favorite memories this year is the Cat Boat Regatta sponsored by Arey’s Pond Boat Yard. This year was the 25th year that Tony Davis of Arey’s Pond Boat Yard has invited Cat Boats sailors from all over to join in an informal regatta starting in Little Pleasant Bay and heading south to … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: The Future of Nauset Beach
By Leslie Fields Nauset Beach holds the heart of many seaside enthusiasts, whether they are year-round Cape Codders or occasional summer visitors. The beach is one of the Town’s most important natural assets, supporting nearly 1.2 million visitors each year. It is the only public beach in the Town of Orleans with direct access to the Atlantic Ocean, offering a range of excellent outdoor recreational opportunities and natural scenic beauty. As a public facility maintained by the Town of Orleans, beach goers have access to … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: The Secret of Baker’s Pond
By Per John Ostman There are mysteries in our waters. Some are primal directives that draw us near to contemplate, to revel, to discover and to be. But there’s always more. Some of our waters have more secrets than others. My father always talked about the proper Viking send off upon death - the Valkyrie (handmaidens of Oden) would lift your soul from the battlefield and take you to Valhalla, while your friends would set your body aflame in a boat and send you off on the waters. Per Olof passed away in 2002, and no, we didn’t … [Read more...]
Water, Water Everywhere: The Waters of Cape Cod
The Waters of Cape Cod features photos submitted from our own community members. … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Feed Your Soil, Not Your Plants
By Laura Littlefield Kelley   Did you know Nitrogen is harmful to saltwater ecosystems and Phosphorus is harmful to freshwater ecosystems? The health of our fresh and salt waters depends on the choices every one of of us makes every day. We can all can make a difference by purchasing more wisely, which will create a cumulative outcome of real change. Really, this all starts with you! Do you own property on Cape Cod? Or are you a visitor? Either way, we all have a responsibility to care for the aquifer below us, don’t you … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Uncle Harvey’s Pond — A Profile
By Larry Minear [Part 2 of a two part series] Last month the focus was on the history and deteriorating condition of Uncle Harvey’s Pond, a kettle pond tucked away between Pochet and Barley Neck Roads in East Orleans. This month’s article examines the impact of human activity, negative and positive. “I visited Uncle Harvey’s Pond earlier this spring,” recalls Orleans Pond Coalition President Jim McCauley , “I was amazed at how much I learned about how everything people do affects our waters. Stormwater, fertilizers, invasive plants, … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Meet Uncle Harvey and His Pond
By Larry Minear [part 1 of a 2 part series]   ; Uncle Harvey’s Pond, a six-acre gem nestled between Pochet and Barley Neck roads, is one of Orleans’ best-kept secrets. This article explores the pond’s history and current condition; next month’s illuminates how the problems, created largely by human factors, can also be improved by human action. Uncle Harvey’s last name was Sparrow. He and his wife Betsey lived on the uphill side of Pochet Road overlooking the pond to the south. “They were uncle and aunt to … [Read more...]
📌 Is Winter Really Coming Back?
I was sure we were moving forward and went looking for the perfect photograph. Bright yellow daffodils? Forsythia? Perhaps dandelions or hawkweed, giving me a reason to be proud of my neglected, fertilizer and pesticide-free lawn? Not to be. It's been snowing for the past two days and today's temperature is in the 20s. This week's been tough. I'll keep the snowy photograph. Despite this, I'm confident spring will return next week. Within the Orleans Pond Coalition, I'm seeing a burst of activity. We're re-energizing our focus on our ponds, and … [Read more...]
Preventing Fertilizer Contamination
What can we do to prevent lawn fertilizers from contaminating our ponds and estuaries? Towns on the Cape including Orleans recently passed bylaws that reduce excess nitrogen and phosphorus from entering our surface waters and wetlands. Fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus negatively affect our ponds as they move from lawns into the watershed and into our ponds and estuaries. All forms of nitrogen fertilizers and phosphorus promote plant growth including algae in our waters. Mineral and organic substances that contain phosphorus … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Jonathan Moore – An Appreciation
By Larry Minear Jonathan Moore has had a life-long love affair with Cape Cod. Growing up in suburban Boston in the 1940s, he and his siblings spent every possible moment at their family place in Orleans. “We beat a path between our cottage on Town Cove and our grandparents’ home next to Ice House Pond,” Moore recalls. “We lived the Cape’s beauty and bounty firsthand and treasured its magic.” Assignments with the U.S. government, the United Nations, and academia have taken Moore away to Washington and abroad. But he has … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: The Tides They are A’Changin’
By Bill Romey Mill Pond occupies three small basins at the southeast edge of Nauset Harbor. It’s about a half a mile long and connects to the rest of Nauset Harbor by a long, narrow channel through Roberts Cove. On an air photo its outline looks a little like a steamer clam with its neck extended. Farmer Oliver Doane made a stone dam across the narrow opening to the pond in the late 18th century and built a gristmill there to grind his grain. The dam remains there, mostly submerged, with two narrow gaps that allow boats to … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Orleans Ponds – Windows on the Aquifer
By Carolyn Kennedy Orleans has 60 freshwater ponds. Who knew? Some are hidden in backyards known only to salamanders and spring peepers that migrate there each spring to mate and lay eggs. A few lakes are so large that we gather to enjoy swimming, fishing, and kayaking in their waters. Ponds are an important recreational resource for residents and visitors alike. But just like us, our ponds and lakes are aging. Most are over 10,000 years old. Since their birth from chunks of ice left by a retreating glacier, they have … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Ice Fishing
An excerpt from The Innermost Waters: Fishing Cape Cod’s Ponds and Lakes by Peter Budryk The ponds and lakes of Cape Cod, unlike most of the stillwaters in the rest of the Commonwealth, do not always freeze over during an average winter. The salty influence of the Cape’s weather patterns produces milder winters. This difference cuts two ways: 1- the less severe winters mean bigger fish because it results in a longer feeding and, therefore, growing season for the Cape’s freshwater fish; 2- for those who enjoy ice fishing on … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Large Pond Discovered in Downtown Orleans
A large body of freshwater was discovered last week in the heart of downtown Orleans. Town officials confirmed the find yesterday. “I don’t know how we could have missed it all these years,” one was heard to say. ‘”It was ‘hiding in plain sight,’” explained a bystander. Major efforts are now underway to capitalize on its untapped potential. The news item is of course totally fictitious, but the reality is not. Located in the heart of downtown Orleans, Boland Pond is one of the Town’s best-kept secrets. In recent months, however, it has begun … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Drawn and Quartered – Lobsters for Thanksgiving on Cape Cod
By Bill Romey As Thanksgiving approached on Mill Pond a few years ago we were intrigued to see wild turkeys parading through our yard. Having previously become extinct on the Cape, they were re-introduced to the Cape in 1972 when a couple of dozen birds were brought in from New York State, perhaps from the flocks we had seen near our New York house on the edge of the Adirondacks. Since the hunting season for wild turkeys in Massachusetts is limited to four weeks beginning in late April, you can’t get one for a Thanksgiving … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Adult Sailing at Orleans Yacht Club
By Steve Downs The Orleans Yacht Club, Town Cove, Orleans, MA was incorporated in September 1947. The charter reads: “To encourage yacht building and sailing, to promote interest in Yachting and Aquatic sports, as well as social intercourse among its members, and to secure and maintain suitable buildings & equipment to accomplish these purposes”. Well, sixty-seven years later, I believe we have been true to our charter and members, in full filling our sailing and social activities, with the exemption of boat … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Henry Marindin’s Cape Cod
By Graham Giese Some years ago - well to be honest, many years ago (it was in 1956) - I visited the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey office in Washington, D.C., to learn as much as I could about the technical details of a major survey of the outer Cape Cod coast carried out under the direction of Henry Marindin (born Henri Louis Francois Marindin in Lausanne, Switzerland) during the summers of 1887, 1888 and 1889. I was familiar with Marindin’s reports - they were printed in ponderous old government volumes stored on the shelves … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Let’s Celebrate!
By Ann Hanyen This spring and early summer, Orleans citizens were very divided over the issue of wastewater. Despite the strong differences of opinion about what should be done to clean up our waters, no one questioned the importance of our precious water resources to the economic vitality of the town and the special quality of life here. For many of us, the beaches, ponds, lakes, marshes, and saltwater estuaries are the primary reason we came to live or vacation in Orleans. Orleans Pond Coalition and the Town … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Protecting Orleans, Eastham, Brewster and the Cape
By Sandy Bayne for The Association to Preserve Cape Cod IMAGINE Nauset Marsh as a harbor for large ships! IMAGINE this shallow and fragile place needing to be dredged regularly to provide safe refuge! IMAGINE the loss of shellfish flourishing there today! Almost 400 years after the French explorer Samuel de Champlain sailed into this bay, passed over the dangerous shoal he dubbed the “mal barre,” and described the peaceful Nauset Indian village he found there, the Army Corps of Engineers unveiled a plan to dredge the … [Read more...]
Water Water Everywhere: Coastal Erosion and Stabilizing the Shoreline
By Seth Wilkinson Harder isn’t always better when it comes to stabilizing your shoreline In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, this is the time to consider our coastal resources and how to best manage them while also protecting coastal property. When it comes to coastal stabilization, engineers, ecologists and coastal geologists often differentiate between hard and soft alternatives. Examples of hard alternatives are stone revetments, wood, steel or vinyl bulkheads, or other similar structures. Soft alternatives usually range from … [Read more...]
What’s Happening with OPC’s Mutt Mitt Program?
It continues to be one of the most popular and effective programs we run! For the past few years, over 30,000 biodegradable Mutt Mitts have been dispensed annually from 50 locations around town including beaches (off season), walking trails, landings, bike paths and other areas frequented by residents and vistors with their dogs. 40+ volunteers stock and maintain these dispensers throughout the year. Dog waste is a serious threat to our waters in two ways: it is high in nutrients contributing to degraded water quality in our ponds and … [Read more...]
Are We Sustaining the Health of our Shellfish?
On the town level, the Shellfish Department grows between 600,000 and 1,000,000 quahaug seed and 250,000 to 400,000 oyster seed annually. Grow-out methods include bottom planting with use of protective netting, stackable trays and plastic mesh bags. The Town does not currently operate an upweller system and obtains its shellfish seed from a local hatchery. Natural oyster production ceased at least three quarters of a century ago so getting them back in Orleans waters would be cause for joy. On the private level, there are now 21 shellfish … [Read more...]
OPC, Fertilizer, and the Health of Our Waterways
What is OPC doing about the issues related to fertilizer and the health of our waterways? OPC has been committed to reducing the use of nitrate and phosphate lawn fertilizers that contribute approximately 16 percent of the excess nitrogen in our waters. Our concern is that more and more Orleans lawns are using irrigation systems that enhance the movement of nitrates and phosphates into our ponds and estuaries. Many of the lawn companies are still promoting green irrigated lawns using traditional bent grass species such as Kentucky Bluegrass. … [Read more...]
What is the Most Important Accomplishment of OPC?
In my estimation the most important accomplishment of OPC is that it has become the most respected and reliable source for scientific and fact based information on waste water and its impact on our waters, both fresh and salt. The only endorsement OPC has ever made has been of the CWMP that has also been approved by the voters of Orleans at Town meeting, the Cape Cod Commission and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. OPC has never advocated for either a centalized or de-centralized solution since the CWMP incorporates both … [Read more...]
What Water Sampling is Happening in Orleans Right Now?
Water Quality monitoring has been taking place in Orleans since 2001. Each year volunteers sample 18 named freshwater ponds in early spring and again in late summer. These are done by kayak or canoe in order to reach the deepest spot in each pond. Measurements are taken for water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and visibility into the water. Samples are taken to determine the phosphorus and nitrogen in the water column. Notes are made about changing conditions and plant and animal life. Each summer similar measurements and sampling takes … [Read more...]
What’s Happening With Cedar Pond These Days?
What’s happening with Cedar Pond these days? Cedar Pond is a brackish pond with salt and fresh layers that do not mix, and which is subject to a constant addition of nutrients. The pond is in a highly eutrophic, unstable, and unhealthy condition. Sources of pollutants include nearby septic systems, stormwater runoff, and the hundreds of cormorants that roost on the power lines over the water surface. An old weir system which regulated tidal inflows from Rock Harbor has deteriorated and no longer controls the water level. In recent years, … [Read more...]
What is a Helix Mooring?
That’s a brand-name and it’s technically more accurate to refer to it as a “screw-in mooring. A screw-in mooring consists of a galvanized shaft with various round plates designed to hold the “screw” into the substrate. Advantages of this type of system include reduced need for scope on the mooring rode and therefore reduced scouring of the substrate. In locations where the substrate consists of fine sediments or organic mud, the use of several extensions may be necessary to achieve desired holding power. It is possible that substrate conditions … [Read more...]