SANDY NECK, BARNSTABLE MA.
Meeting new beach buggy friends from other towns raved about Sandy Neck. I was now a seasoned Beach Buggier , so I thought! It was time to Explore other beaches. Sandy Neck, (S.N.) was about an hour away.
A note here for the boomers, there was no S.E.Expressway or divided Rte 6 Highway, It was Rte 3-A to the Cape Cod Canal, then the now Rte 6-A to S.N. A 40 mile trip in a vehicle now designed for off road travel, no picknick, not yet anyway!
I was pleased upon our arrival with the formality. Signs with rules & regulations, a check-in station, and directional signs. Sandy Neck seemed to have it’s act together.
It was a bit intimidating entering the trail through the dunes, they were 12 to 20 feet high ! Then up and down, the likes I had never seen. The going was slow, mostly first gear, that was a worry due to the small fuel tank, an extra five gallon can was wise.
As you can see, we were early beach goers, a late spring snow flurry didn’t stop us.
The old International only made a few trips to Sandy Neck, It was showing her age and needed to be retired, she had been in service on the beach for 5 years, the salt was eating away and mechanical work was needed.
A 1956 Chevy Carryall was the much needed replacement.
The Chevy was a joy to drive on the highway and did well on the beaches. A stronger engine, a better geared transmission and a tight rear enclosure.
Our friends that lived close to the beach only needed a day buggy, so the least expensive car in the lot became a candidate .
Willys Aero Sedan.
The sleeping quarters on top was called a “Dog House”
Sandy Neck is a ten mile stretch of peninsular and barrier beach terminating at the Barnstable Harbor mouth, At its South end is a light house and small community.
The south end of Sandy Neck looking south at the mouth of Barnstable Harbor.
‘YO STRIPER !
My wife was pretty good at swinging my 12’ Striper rod !
Jimmy got one, those were the days when 16″ was legal !
Mountains of sand dunes the length of Sandy Neck.
Leftover oyster shells from Native Americans of many many years ago.
Sandy Neck was a place of interest and wonderment at every stop.
An evening campfire was always a must.
B.E.A.C.H. BEST ESCAPE ANYONE CAN HAVE. unknown.
W. Ray Freden, Seaview, Marshfield, 70 years, nearly 20 on the beaches.