Women's Coastal Multisport Escape: Whales, Hiking, Kayaking and Yoga in Plymouth, Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts

The Trip

On this women’s multisport retreat, we’ll discover the natural, maritime, and human history of the New England coastal town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, ‘America’s Hometown,’ and its surrounding area. We’ll explore on foot, kayak, whale watching boat and ferry.

The town and county of Plymouth boasts some of the best whale watching, dining, history, and cultural activities in a quaint New England setting, much of it along the seashore. Plymouth is set among splendid land and water resources and is steeped in early American history and heritage. It features ocean and lake waterfronts, kettle ponds, historic landmarks, cultural institutions, summer fairs, concerts, museums and shops.

This trip includes moderate hiking, paddling, and yoga, all suitable for beginners. Included in the trip price are all programmed activities, most meals, gratuities, a whale-watching cruise narrated by a marine biologist, naturalist presentations and tours. Some participants elect to give extra tips for excellent service and/or contribute to the non-profit organizations we interact with. You’ll want to bring some extra money to sample ice cream, saltwater taffy, or other local treats to support local businesses.

Transportation: While we strive to minimize our ecological and climate footprint, the logistics of this outing require us to drive to and from our excursions. Participants will drive or ride in carpools in participant’s vehicles to our off-site activities. We will need volunteers willing to drive others to and from our excursions. Driving distances average between 10 and 30 miles, one way, and may include back roads and highways. Typically, passengers contribute to cover gas/mileage expenses for drivers. Sierra Club Outings policy discourages leaders from driving participants.

Our trip takes places on the ancestral and historic lands of the Wampanoag people. Wampanoag, means People of the First Light. In the 1600s, we had as many as 40,000 people in the 67 villages that made up the Wampanoag Nation. These villages covered the territory along the east coast as far as Wessagusset (today called Weymouth), all of what is now Cape Cod and the islands of Natocket and Noepe (now called Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard), and southeast as far as Pokanocket (now Bristol and Warren, Rhode Island). 

Approximate daily schedule:

• Breakfast: 7:30 a.m.
• Activities/excursions (half or full day)
• Lunch: ~12:30 p.m.
• Afternoon activities 
• Free time before dinner
• Dinner: 6:30 p.m.

This is seven-day/six-night trip. Our itinerary below is tentative and subject to change depending on weather, pacing, the group, safety, and other conditions. Participants need to be flexible and adapt as circumstances change. To enjoy and get the most out of the outing, be ready for the unexpected! For the safety and enjoyment of all, participants are expected to stay together and contribute to a convivial, supportive atmosphere. Good humor and a positive attitude are invaluable. The leaders reserve the right to make changes as necessary, both before and during the trip. Please be aware Sierra Club specifically empowers the leader to exclude individuals from a trip activity in the interest of safety or health of individuals or the group.

The trip leader will send more detailed directions, parking instructions, itinerary, packing suggestions, and other information to confirmed participants prior to the trip.

Day 1: Arrive at our lodging beginning at 3:00 p.m.  After settling in, we’ll have  a welcome and introductions followed by a family style dinner at 6:30 p.m. where we’ll continue to get to know each other and discuss our itinerary for the week. Naturalist presentations this week may include discussions on whales, dolphins and marine life, native plants, local birds and the environmental challenges of the local area.

Day 2: After breakfast we’ll carpool to a former working cranberry farm that has undergone the largest freshwater ecological restoration ever completed in the Northeast. We’ll explore the trails together and take in the opportunity to appreciate the vast cold-water streams, ponds, forest and woodlands that are now permanently protected. This will be a great opportunity to look for birds and wildlife! After our hike, we’ll have our packed lunch before driving to the Plimoth Patuxet Museum, including Historic Patuxet, where we’ll learn about the Native peoples who have lived here for over 12,000 years, and the 17th Century English Village, a re-creation of the small farming and maritime community built by the Pilgrims along the shore of Plymouth Harbor. We will return to our lodging for some free time before our family style dinner. After dinner we will enjoy a naturalist presentation.  

Day 3: After breakfast, we’ll discover history of Plymouth’s with a guided walking tour. We’ll learn about the people, places, and events of the beginning of our country. Lunch is on your own, providing you an opportunity to explore the local restaurants, coffee shops and ice creams shops of downtown Plymouth. We’ll return to our home base for an early dinner before heading out on a guided sunset kayak paddle, suitable for novices, where we’ll discuss nature and history. After kayaking, we’ll relax with our tour guide and other local kayakers under the night sky.

Day 4: An all-day excursion by ferry to renowned Martha's Vineyard. After an early breakfast, we will carpool in participant’s vehicles to Woods Hole, a village in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Rachel Carson, marine biologist, environmentalist and writer, once said, “I had my first prolonged contact with the sea at Woods Hole…That wonderful place of whirlpools and eddies and swiftly racing water.” Here we will board the ferry to Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard. After a 45-minute ferry ride to Oak Bluffs we will meet a local docent for a tour of the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Community and learn about the local “gingerbread” cottages. As described in Sally Dagnall's book, Circle of Faith: "This is the story of a place founded in 1835 as a wilderness religious retreat, that is unlike almost any community in America. Stand amid the colorful painted cottages of the Martha's Vineyard Camp-Meeting Association, just a few yards from the busy commercial center of Oak Bluffs on Martha's Vineyard, and you just might hear echoes from the past: The “fervid whooping” of old-time ministers demanding souls be saved and devils cast out. The sound of chatting women and men sitting in elaborate tents, or visitors complaining about their own close quarters in rooming tents strewn with straw for bedding. The sounds of a bell beginning and ending each day, and the hymns sung at services and prayer meetings held throughout the day." After our tour there will be time to explore Martha’s Vineyard, visit the beach or enjoy lunch at a local restaurant (on your own). We'll return to our house by dinnertime. Free time this evening or a naturalist presentation. 

Day 5: After an early breakfast we’ll carpool to scenic Plymouth Harbor to board our whale-watching board. Our boat ride will pass dunes and island homes in the Cape Cod Bay before reaching the Stellwagen Bank where the on-board naturalist will narrate while we try to spot the rarest, most graceful mammals in the world. No guarantees, but sightings may include humpback, finback, minke, right, and pilot whales! We’ll eat our packed lunch either onboard or once we are back on land. Afterwards, we’ll stroll historic downtown Plymouth including a visit to the Mayflower II, the Plimoth Grist Mill, a local park and free time to explore local shops and restaurants. Dinner will be on your own in downtown Plymouth. Free time or naturalist presentation in the evening at the lodge.   

Day 6: After breakfast, on our final full day together, we'll enjoy guided hike with yoga and meditation, the perfect way to start our last full day together. After lunch, we will carpool to the town of Sandwich, Mass where we will visit the Cape Cod Canal Visitor Center for a National Park Ranger presentation to learn the fascinating history of the Cape Cod Canal. Afterwards enjoy a packed lunch and some time on the beautiful Cape Cod Canal trail, overlooking the canal, and an opportunity to watch boats, birds and wildlife. We’ll enjoy one final dinner together as we reminisce about our favorite experiences and memories from the week. 

Day 7: We will share our final breakfast together before departing by 10:00a.m.

Getting There

The trip is based in Plymouth, Mass. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to our lodging, the Wildlands Trust Stewardship Training Center in Plymouth, Mass, which is approximately a one-hour hour drive from Boston’s Logan Airport, the Providence, Rhode Island airport, the South Station Bus Terminal, and the Amtrak Southampton Yard Station. We encourage carpooling to and from our lodging. The leader will share contact information with confirmed participants so you can coordinate carpooling if you wish. Please avoid making non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader. Sierra Club strongly recommends purchasing travel insurance.

Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

Our lodging for the week is in the Wildlands Trust Stewardship Training Center, a 12,000-square-foot building, the former estate of a prominent cranberry grower. The center includes 14 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms. While every effort will be made to accommodate roommate requests and other rooming preferences, desired rooming arrangements may not always be possible due to limited room availability or other factors. Private rooms and private bathrooms are not available, you will share a room with at least one other participant. Leaders will work with participants to arrive at the most agreeable rooming arrangements possible.

During your free time, you can take advantage of the local hiking trails, common space, patios, and screened-in porch to unwind and relax.

Healthy dishes will be provided for all included meals. Food will be varied and include local items whenever possible. We will do our best to accommodate dietary needs but those with allergies or challenging restrictions may be asked to bring or prepare some food of their own to supplement group food. Please discuss any food-related issues with the leader. Most lunches are included, we will pack our lunch in the morning and carry it with us to eat later in the day. There is one lunch not included which provides you an opportunity to explore local restaurants on your own. Vegetarian options will be available. In keeping with the cooperative spirit of the Sierra Club, participants will be asked to assist with meal preparation and clean up. For our dinners at the lodge, participants will work together to follow simple recipes to prepare our dinners. This may include chopping vegetables, cooking and/or baking and washing dishes.

Trip Difficulty

This trip is rated easy to moderate. You should be able to stand and walk comfortably during all the listed activities, hike 3 to 5 miles at a leisurely pace with some hills, and be able to get in and out of a kayak and boat. To enjoy this trip, you should prepare with regular aerobic activity such as walking and hiking, including hill walking.

Trip members are expected to participate in scheduled group activities. We have built in some free time to spend as you please. We ask you to be punctual, considerate of fellow Sierra Club travelers, and willing to help out to keep things pleasant for all. We request that all participants be understanding about differences in views, comfort levels, fitness, speed, experience, and skill in outdoor activities. We are not in a race or competition. We look out for one another, try to be welcoming and respectful of all, and strive to be sensitive and responsive to individual differences, views, and needs. Please discuss with the trip leader any issues or concerns that would affect your and others’ participation and enjoyment.

Equipment and Clothing

August/September is an exquisite month for sightseeing and nature walks. Average daily temperatures in Plymouth for this time of year range from the low-60s to high-70s (Fahrenheit) although days can still be humid. Nights and early mornings can be chilly, especially if it is wet and windy. You will need to be prepared for variable New England weather. Plan to dress in layers to help protect you from the elements and self -regulate your comfort during activities and throughout the day. Pack an umbrella and a full rainsuit (top and bottom). 

In general, you’ll want quick-drying synthetic clothing that can be layered. For comfort and safety, avoid cotton clothing for our excursions.  not wick moisture, and can speed hypothermia. Include sturdy, closed-toed (and broken in!) hiking boots or trail shoes and shower shoes. For hikes or activities in natural areas, we advise wearing long-sleeved tops and pants for protection from sun, insects, and possible exposure to poison ivy or other plants. Ticks are present in the area as well. You’ll need a daypack, headlamp or flashlight, and watertight bags or containers for some activities. 

The trip leader will send information to confirmed participants about how to prepare as well as a suggested packing list and further details.

References

LINKS

• Wildlands Trust: wildlandstrust.org
• See Plymouth | The Official Tourism Site of Plymouth County
• Native-Land.ca | Our home on native land
• Oak Bluffs: A Vibrant and Happening Town | Martha's Visit (marthasvisit.com)

Recommended Reading:

• The Sea Around Us by Rachel Carson
• Lethal Tides: Mary Sears and The Marine Scientists Who Helped Win World War II by Catherine Musemeche
• Kaufman Field Guide to Nature of New England by Kenn Kaufman & Kimberly Kaufman
• This Land Is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving by David J. Silverman

Conservation

We will learn about the cultural and natural history of the region, including about indigenous peoples, first European arrivals, resource extraction, and impacts of human development. We'll also learn about ecology, local habitats and biodiversity, current conservation concerns and issues in the region, and the efforts to restore, protect, and preserve its ecological richness. We encourage participants to share information about environmental issues in their localities and strive to follow Leave No Trace principles.

Sierra Club National Outings is an equal opportunity provider and when applicable will operate under permits obtained from U.S. federal land agencies.