The “Province Lands Fist”

Peninsulas are sometimes nicknamed based on their resemblance to anatomical shapes or other objects with a characteristic form. One of the best known examples include the “Italian boot” with its smaller peninsulas: the “toe,” the “heel” and the “spur.”

In New England, the “Province Lands Fist” is such a nicknamed peninsula—the very tip of Cape Cod. To discover this area, consider a round trip on the Province Lands Bicycle Trail Loop as a great introduction. Points of interest in the Province Lands are of course its capital—Provincetown (P-town), but also historic, recreational and natural-habitat sites including the Dune Shacks, Long Point Light, Wood End Light, Race Point Light, Race Point Beach, Herring Cove and Hatches Harbor. 

 

Inspiring exploration of the fist: a recreational map of Province Lands

The handout for the Beech Forest Trail—a smaller loop trail system within the larger bicycle path loop—projects the following scenario from the past into the future of the fist:

The Province Lands “fist” is a relatively recent addition to Cape Cod. It began to form about 5,000 years ago. And with the addition of sand, the great peninsula continues to slowly expand westward as glacial sediments are transported from the south. The sand and gravel of Truro's outer cliffs will nourish these famous beaches for a while, but inevitably the nourishing landforms will be eroded away by the relentless action of the sea. The growth of the Province Lands will end and its erosion will begin.

 

A bicycle trail loop panel with the title  “The Dunes of the Cape” includes an illustrating map (see picture below) that shows the current pattern of dune formation on Province Lands. The New England colonists cut trees for homes and ships. Where the tree roots were gone, the topsoil destabilized and could easily be stripped away by winds. Thus, humans played there part in the dynamics of sand movement and dune formation. The panel summarizes the natural processes and human activity that are shaping the current dune landscape of the Province Lands:  

Dunes are formed when wind whips sand into hills. Beaches have dunes at their backs, where sand is added or eroded, depending on the location and season. Farther inland, larger dunes can form, such as the parabolic dunes that span from the Province Land into Truro. These dunes are named for the geometric curves formed by the prevailing northwest winds. Before beach grass planting and other revegetation efforts added stability to the dunes, they moved quite a bit, as much as four meters a year, them the nickname “walking dunes.” The process is typically slower now, but dunes can still grow, erode, and move laterally.

 

 

The dune landscape of Province Lands

While the fist is transforming, enjoy its performance and stay tuned for new nicknames.