Islands of Cape Cod

There once was a Sam who visited Nantucket…and she loved it! Then she went to Martha’s Vineyard…and didn’t know who to give the reward!

Phew.

Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket are New England island vacation spots and therefore rivals. Sam approaches Martha’s Vineyard via boat, saying that is the larger of the two islands. She is dropped off by an old Methodist ground, filled with dollhouses. It’s a bit creepy. A family welcomes her on to their porch. They let her in and it looks like a dollhouse on the inside. These houses were built from the tents the Methodists used to stay in for their summer revival meetings. Sam asks the owner about Nantucket, and he recalls how during the 60s, the people in Nantucket used to meet the people coming off the boats. If they looked like hippies and didn’t have a place to stay, they were sent back on the boat.

Sam goes to a local ice cream store which sells…lobster ice cream. Eww. And there are real chunks of lobster in it. Sam tries it and has to chew it a bit. Sam then hops in a car to catch the sunset at the Outermost Inn. It had an exquisite view and Sam enjoys it while she chows down.

Sam wonders what they are doing in Nantucket.

Coming up: Wind-surfing goes wrong and Sam jumps to Nantucket.

Saturday morning: Sam decides to forgo the popular beaches to go visiting inland. She visits a farm along with several children who are learning about farm work. Sam gets to milk a goat before hitching a ride on a trailer. She talks with some of the children on the trailer as they head to feed the cows. After that, Sam goes to learn how to wind surf. Sam asks for her producer to see why they thought she could learn it in an hour. They put Sam out in the water and she wipes out. She wonders if they shot a scene from Jaws in this lagoon as they play a variation of the Jaws theme. The instructor confirms sharks could swim into the waters by Martha’s Vineyard and the fear keeps Sam on her board.

Next: Trash talking in Nantucket!

Saturday afternoon: Sam travels via ferry to Nantucket or the “Gray Lady” because of the fog that shrouds the island. After passing yachts, she starts with a cocktail (that’s our Sam!) at White Elephant Hotel before getting a tour of the yachts. Sam says that there is a tradition where when people pass a lighthouse, they throw in a penny for a safe return. Sam jokes that that is something she can afford on Nantucket. Meanwhile, her captain takes her clamming. He says they will be gathering quahogs (like Quahog, setting of Family Guy). Sam uses her feet and manages to pick a few clams. Sam mentions that all of Nantucket’s beaches are open to the public.

Sam heads back to the island for a clam bake, which is forced into a garage due to a storm. Sam enjoys a clam bar before going down to see the clam bake down on the beach. As music plays, everyone enjoys their seafood dinner. Sam sits down and talks with some of the locals. One says she likes living on the island, thirty miles away from land. Sam watches the Nantucket sunset, which is gorgeous.

Coming up: Nantucket v. Martha’s Vineyard

Sunday morning: Sam walks along the beach and talks about Moby Dick. She meets Chuck, who takes her out on a boat. He talks about the whaling industry. Sam asks him about Martha’s Vineyard and he says nothing. It doesn’t exist. He says that they (Martha’s Vineyard) gets the movie stars while Nantucket gets the CEOs.

Back on shore, Sam goes biking through a small town that looks more England than New England. Mark Donato takes Sam around Nantucket. She says she tries to never use the words “quaint” and “picturesque” but Nantucket forces her to use it. Mark says that the difference between people from Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard is that Nantucket folk have all their teeth. He reveals that there is a big football game between the two islands and Sam deduces that the rivalry is all sparked from high school football. As most great rivalries are indeed sports related. See: Yankees, New York and Red Sox, Boston.

As another storm drenches Nantucket, Sam decides to put her umbrella to good use and go shopping. She describes Nantucket’s style as preppy and bright-colored. She goes to visit Cheryl Fudge, who owns a store on Nantucket and lets customers try their hand at designing. Cheryl shows Sam how they do that and it looks like alcohol is served. Sam’s set. She picks pink tee and designs her own souvenir shirt.

Decisions, decisions, decisions! Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard? She loved them both!

Now this is better! This is a weekend normal people could actually do, rather than the last episode I recapped which had her spend a weekend with a traveling circus. While both islands had the reputation of being the playground of the rich and famous, both seem to have much to offer for a weekend getaway. I would like to go to either or!

Quotes of the Episode:

“I seem to have wandered onto the pages of a well-illustrated children’s book.”—Sam, about her first stop on Martha’s Vineyard.

“We used to slay whales, now we just slay the stock market.”—Sam, about the type of people who visit Nantucket.