Plymouth, Part 2

This morning, as we were tossing around in the winds and waves of our anchorage between the channel to the harbor and Plymouth Beach, I glanced out one of the ports and saw the harbormaster's boat coming up beside us.  The two people on board were quite concerned that we would be on the bottom at low tide and suggested we come in behind the breakwater; they had a mooring ball for us.  I guess we should have radioed them yesterday when we anchored; we probably could have had a more peaceful night.

We had omelettes and Mexican rice for breakfast and got ready to pull up anchor, which wass not as straightforward as usual with the winds over 20 knots and a current.  What was more tricky was picking up the mooring line on the giant, rusted mooring ball.  The harbormaster was supposed to be there to assist us, but he was just speeding away from his dock as we entered the protected part of the harbor, en route to rescue a boat with a dead engine.  We circled around it several times, but several lines were hanging from it, and we were not at all sure which one to grab with the boat hook.  Luckily, the harbormaster came back, dropped off the boat he was towing at a dock and came to our rescue.  I was able to pick up the line, but it was a challenge getting it secured on deck.  Luckily, the female harbormaster jumped on board our vessel and helped me out.  (Actually, I just got out of her way as she had things well under control.)

Mantra on a large rusted metal mooring ball off the Town Wharf

The inner harbor is much calmer, and we were practically within spitting distance of the dinghy dock.  (And there was no charge for the mooring ball!)  After a hot beverage, we got the dinghy ready and quickly made it to land.  Unlike the Pilgrims, we did not head for a rock but to a floating dock.

We had lunch at Wood's Seafood right on the wharf.  Like many places on the east coast of the U.S., particularly seafood establishments, there are no vegetarian options at all on the menu, so I had onion rings for lunch while Peter thoroughly enjoyed his lobster bisque and fresh-caught halibut.

After lunch, we walked across the street to the Visitors' Center where we obtained a walking tour map from the friendly docent.  We walked for hours this afternoon, exploring this prosperous little town that started out as a little village of huts with thatched roofs in 1621.  (Although they arrived here in November of 1620, the passengers of the Mayflower lived on the boat until they were able to establish themselves on land in the early spring.)  Of course, none of the original houses is left, but we did come across the marker for the plot of land that was alloted to Peter Brown!  There are structures dating from the 17th century, just none that were the original homes of the Pilgrims.

Peter by his lot

Normally, visitors could tour the Mayflower II here, but not now.  Fortunately for us, we saw it where it is being restored in Mystic, Connecticut.  The first highlight of our walking tour (narrated by me but punctuated with bronze plaques in stones or on walls throughout the area) was the dubiously famous Plymouth Rock.  It's a rock.  In recent history, it has been inscribed with "1620," but otherwise it is unremarkable.  It may not even be in the place where it was originally because it was moved a couple of times to protect and venerate it before being returned to the shore.

Plymouth Rock

Above and inland from the rock is Coles Hill, purportedly the secret burial place for the people who died during the first year.   Supposedly, they planted crops to conceal the graves.  The immigrants did not want the natives to realize the dire situation they were in.

Also on the hill, facing the harbor, is a large statue of Massasoit, the leader of the Wampanoag tribe who befriended the colonists.  Right beside it is a plaque recognizing the gathering of the United American Indians of New England that takes place every year on Coles Hill on Thanksgiving during which the history of this area since the early 1600's, as told in their cultural stories, is remembered.  From their perspective, it is a history of "genocide, theft of lands, and never ending repression."

Statue of Massasoit

From this sobering site, we walked up Leyden Street, which was originally called First Street, where the first houses erected by the Pilgrims stood.  Although the houses are gone, there are plaques recognizing the sites, and many of the current buildings date from the 1700's.  We walked back down the hill to Brewster Gardens, through which runs Town Brook.  This stream is fed by numerous springs and was undoubtedly one of the reasons the Pilgrims chose this site for their settlement.  In the 18th and 19th centuries, dams and mills were built along its course for supplying power to the growing industries.  In the park is the Pilgrim Maiden Statue, dedicated to "those intrepid English women whose courage, fortitude and devotion brought a new nation into being."

Pilgrim Maiden

We walked inland through the park until we came to Jenney's Grist Mill, a reconstruction of the original grist mill that John and Sarah Jenney built on the site in 1636.  We also visited the Richard Sparrow House, built in 1640, Plymouth's oldest restored house.  Sparrow came to Plymouth in the decade after the Mayflower colonists.

Jenney Grist Mill

Interior, Sparrow House

Surrounding the original small town square at the head of Leyden Street are a wooden court house and two impressive churches.   The town square, although smaller than a city block, was the focal point for civic, religious and commercial affairs form 1621 to after WWII.  The pilgrims built a fort and meetinghouse on the hill overlooking the square, and the public market was held here on Thursday beginning in 1639.

The First Parish Church (built in 1899) now facing the square is the sixth meetinghouse of the congregation brought to America by the Pilgrims, and it is the oldest continually active congregation in the country, according to the Anglo-centric view of U.S. history.  Conveniently forgotten (and not taught to me in public schools) is the fact that the Spanish established Roman Catholic congregations which have continuously held services in San Juan, Puerto Rico (1521), in St. Augustine, Florida (1565), and at San Juan Bausista in New Mexico (1598).  In addition, English settlers in Virginia established the still functioning St. John's Episcopal Church in Hampton, Virginia, in 1610.

First Parish Church

Also facing the square is the lovely white wooden meetinghouse, the Church of the Pilgrimage.  This congregation was established in 1840 after the congregation of the First Parish Church moved to Unitarianism.

Church of the Pilgrimage

We climbed the steps beside the First Parish Church up to Burial Hill, the site of the Pilgrim's first fort and meetinghouse.  The cemetery has old stones from the 17th-19th centuries; the last burial here was in the mid-20th century.  The earliest tombstones were made of wood, but most were later replaced with stone.  A small obelisk marks the final resting place of the body of William Bradford, the first governor of the Plymouth Colony.

William Bradford's stone 

Burial Hill with a view of the harbor

In addition to the many historic sites, we also encountered many lobster statues in front of various buildings.  Here are a photos of a few of them.

Lobsterman Lobster

Woman in Gold Lobster

"Claws" Monet

Peter walking by another lobster on the waterfront, with Mantra on the giant mooring ball

It was after 5 p.m. when we returned to Mantra.  We went back into town and walked to the nearby East Bay Grille for an excellent dinner in a nicely warm and pleasant environment.  Since returning for the night, we have run the space heater for about half an hour.  The temperature difference is negligible.  My fingers are quite cold, so I am ending here to join Peter in the bed, which I hope he has warmed up for me.