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Gunkholing: The “Head of The Bay” in the Off-Season

Cape Cod Life  /  April/May 2022 /

Writer: Brian Shortsleeve / Photographer: Brian Shortsleeve 

Gunkholing: The “Head of The Bay” in the Off-Season

130AprilMayCover2022-12.jpg

Cape Cod Life  /  April/May 2022 /

Writer: Brian Shortsleeve / Photographer: Brian Shortsleeve 


Now living in the area known as “The Head of the Bay,” meaning Buzzards Bay, has proved to be wonderfully eye opening.

The Cape Cod Canal Railroad Bridge, a magnificent example of a vertical lift bridge, is such a living piece of history. When I see it lowered it makes me think of the earliest days when cars and trucks crossed, the then not-so-wide canal, across far more humble earlier bridges.

gunk’holing is the art of getting a boat into any small shallow cove, forbidden to boats of deeper draft and out again, without running aground much over a dozen times

— J. Benjamin

Take a deep breath and enjoy!

My Best,

Brian Shortleeve

Publisher, Cape Cod Life Publications

Editor’s Note: Brian prepared this column for what would have been our April issue (before we combined the issue with May due to global paper shortages). Thus some of the images may appear slightly out of season, but of course in New England, you never know what Mother Nature may have in store for us. – JW

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Brian Shortsleeve

Brian Shortsleeve is the owner, publisher, and founder of Cape Cod Life Publications. His personal column, “Gunkholing,” has appeared in all issues of Cape Cod LIFE since the very first issue in 1979.