Wheels, Walking And Chesapeake Bay At Sunset
Having lived on the Eastern Shore of Virginia for nearly 25 years (how time does fly), I probably have been to the little coastal town of Cape Charles several thousand times, at least, for shopping, doctor appointments, lunches or dinners, meetings at our real estate office in the Cape Charles historic commercial district, etc. , etc. But I had never actually spent a night in Cape Charles until a friend of ours, who owns one of the “grand dame” homes overlooking the beach there, invited us to spend the Fourth of July week-end at his house. We had a wonderful time and based on that experience I’ve decided that it’s really impossible to fully appreciate the unique Cape Charles small coastal town atmosphere/lifestyle until one has spent an entire day and night there.
Enjoying the Salty Breezes
Our evening kicked off with coffee and dessert ( a delicious southern style coconut cake with lemon curd filling and coconut icing, especially ordered from the Cape Charles Coffee House, www.capecharlescoffeehouse.com , baked by the inimitable Roberta) served on the wide front porch overlooking the Chesapeake Bay and the town beach. The sun was just beginning to set, streaks of pinks and violets painted across the sky and waters below. A salty sea breeze picked up, the air had cooled considerably from the hot point of the day. And then the waterfront just came alive with quiet activity– dogs and owners sauntering down the boardwalk, toddlers being pushed along in strollers, bicyclers singly or in groups of 2 or 3 enjoying the soft summer breezes, joggers and walkers ( my speed entirely) out to enjoy the sunset, one or two kids on skateboards trying to do a few flips, folks with fishing poles walking down to try their luck on the new Cape Charles fishing pier which is beautifully illuminated at night. Boats launched from the Cape Charles harbour gliding by on the way out to fish the hot spots after dark, sailboats slipping back into the marina for the night.
Cape Charles Fishing Pier At Twilight
We love “people watching” and with a backdrop of sunsets, beach, boats, lapping waves , water and seabirds calling overhead — it was great. What was also fun was watching the golf carts, many decorated or painted special colors, cruising slowly down the street, out for a evening ride around the town. ( Uniquely, Cape Charles is one of the few towns in Virginia where golf carts are street legal and many residents use these colorful and eco-friendly vehicles as their main in-town transportation. ) Out on the beach a few kite surfers were taking advantage of some the stronger winds that blow at sunset along with beachcombers and a few die-hard kids finishing up a sand castle. Everything worked in such harmony, everyone just having fun , totally relaxed, lots of laughter carried on the wind– we stayed out on the porch past dark, just enjoying for ourselves the enjoyment of others on a beautiful, soft summer’s evening in Cape Charles. And I discovered for myself a part of why people who live in Cape Charles love it there.