Thursday, September 21, 2006

Wellfleet, Glorious in Fall

Fall is here, a couple days early. The sky is brilliant blue. The crisp air makes everyone happy to be alive. Empty beaches appeal to anyone in search of peace. What glorious weather for Wellfleet visitors!

It has come to my attention that the local Chamber of Commerce Visitors’ Center is only open on weekends now. Shops are beginning to close. It is not easy to run a year-round business in a town that caters to summer guests. Wellfleet is wonderful in spring, fall and winter, too.

A stroll down Main Street shows hardy souls still operating businesses. Abiyoyo is open. Wellfleet Marketplace is going strong. There are galleries to explore and clothing shops with great sales. The flea market receives lots of visitors. I also send guests down to Provincetown where they can wander through the quaint shops in search of the perfect gift to take home.

The parking lot next to Hatch's is half empty. One reason Wellfleet businesses close early is paid help. Many restaurants import workers from abroad. They come for a certain number of months, then return home. Bulgaria has been well represented this year. Here a couple of young girls delight in the waves at LeCount Hollow Beach, one last swim before heading off to school. As a bed & breakfast owner who must regularly provide dinner suggestions, I am grateful to the restaurant owners who do welcome diners. Hurray for Finely JPs, the Bookstore, and the Wicked Oyster, just down Old King’s Highway, a few minutes walk away from Chez Sven. They are all open year round.

Today I made the decision to join the Provincetown Chamber of Commerce, which publishes a winter guide. Businesses need the “shoulder” seasons to survive. We look forward to receiving guests who want to hide away in the woods in our Seagull Cottage by day and journey down Route 6 to enjoy Provincetown by night. Soon I will post our availability calendar for 2007. We are now accepting reservations ...