The Cape Coddah
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☀️ Fins, Funds and Former Schools

☀️ Fins, Funds and Former Schools

Plus: Tragic electrical accident

Cape Coddah
July 11, 2025

Together with

Good morning Cape Cod. Did you know that Cape Cod has more published authors per capita than anywhere else in America—apparently salt air is the secret ingredient for bestsellers? 📖

In this week’s Cape Coddah:

Scallop harvest drops
The historic Queen Anne Inn
Events and live music

Let’s get to it.

🦈 Paddleboarders' Close Call

Two paddleboarders had a rare 4th of July encounter with a great white shark off Stoney Beach in Woods Hole, capturing photographic evidence of what experts confirm is the area's first verified great white sighting since 2004.

Margaret Bowles and Maddie Cronin were taking photos when Bowles spotted a dorsal fin near their boards. "I always operated under the assumption that there were no sharks in Woods Hole," said Bowles, who has summered there since childhood.

Greg Skomal, state shark biologist, identified the great white by comparing its fin size to the paddleboard and noted that while these sharks typically frequent the Outer Cape's seal-rich waters, they occasionally pass through Buzzards Bay early or late in the shark season. Read more»

💰 Cape's First Teen Center 60% Funded

A surprising $2.2M donation from retired volunteer Richard Galbraith has jumpstarted the Boys & Girls Club of Cape Cod's campaign to build the first dedicated teen center on Cape Cod. Another anonymous family has since contributed $500K, bringing the total raised to $4.9M toward an $8M goal.

The nearly 10,000-square-foot facility will be constructed next to the existing Kraft Family Clubhouse in Mashpee and will feature a recording studio, art room, full kitchen, game room, fitness studio, and indoor basketball court.

Galbraith, inspired by his grandfather's philanthropic values and his own experiences with the club, made the donation after receiving a financial windfall. Local officials praise the project as providing a crucial safe space for Upper Cape teens. Read more»

SPONSORED BY CHATHAM HARVESTERS

Be the Hero of Our Oceans, Our Community, and Your Health This Summer.
This summer, you can make a difference.

When you join Chatham Harvesters' Summer Fish Share Program, you're not just bringing the freshest, most delicious seafood to your table—you’re standing up for healthy oceans, supporting a thriving local community, and fueling a healthier you.

✅ Sustainably caught by independent Cape Cod fishermen
✅ Weekly shares of premium, locally harvested fish
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✅ Recipes and prep tips included—easy, fresh, and healthy

By choosing local, traceable seafood, you're taking action:
For the ocean — support sustainable fishing that keeps marine ecosystems thriving
For your community — helping Cape Cod fishing families keep their livelihoods alive For yourself — enjoying clean, high-quality local protein that nourishes body and soul

It all starts with your plate.

Be the reason our oceans stay vibrant.
Be the force behind a stronger coastal economy.
Be the healthiest version of you.

Healthy Oceans. Healthy Community. Healthy You.
Join the Chatham Harvesters Fish Share today.

👉 Sign up now at [Chatham Harvesters] – Summer Fish Shares are calling

🎨 Classrooms to Studios: Harwich's Art Hub

The 204, Harwich's town-operated arts and cultural center in the former middle school, has become a model for repurposing surplus municipal buildings. Since opening in 2017, the 69,000-square-foot facility has grown to house 41 artists in 36 affordable studios ($150-550 monthly), creating Cape Cod's largest concentration of artist spaces under one roof.

Director Kara Mewhinney has overseen a $1.9M renovation of the auditorium and heating systems while expanding programming to include open studios, Thursday markets, and public event spaces.

The project's unusual town-operated structure has attracted statewide attention, with the Massachusetts Cultural Council creating a case study on its success and municipalities across the state seeking advice on similar conversions. Read more»

📸 @eventidewellfleet | 📍 Lecount Hollow

Tag @thecapecoddah to get your photos in the Coddah!

🛥️ Scallop Haul Drops to 5-Year Low

Scallop harvests in Provincetown, Wellfleet, and Chatham plummeted to 1.7M pounds in 2024—less than half of 2023's catch and just one-third of the 2021 haul. The wholesale value dropped correspondingly to $4M, down from $10.4M in 2021.

Several factors are driving this decline, including strict federal regulations that limit where and when smaller "general category" boats can fish. Only 5.5% of the North Atlantic harvest is reserved for these smaller vessels, with the remaining 94.5% allocated to massive "limited access" boats from ports like New Bedford.

The total catch allowance for smaller boats has been slashed by half since 2021, leading some captains to switch to other fisheries and local buyers to abandon retail scallop sales. Read more»

Local author Maria Finch Chandler's second edition of "Cape Cod Cones" tracks big changes in the Cape's ice cream landscape.

The Little Big Fishing Tournament raised $182,695 for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod and the Islands.

After serving as interim manager since April, Mike Nelson has been unanimously appointed as Cape Cod Gateway Airport's new manager.

🖼️ Historic Queen Anne Still Shines

The Queen Anne Inn in Chatham offers a warm welcome the moment you step through its doors, thanks to innkeepers Guenther and Dana Weinkopf. Since purchasing the historic property in 1979, Austrian-born hotelier Guenther has restored its 1800s character while preserving original art and antiques from its days as one of Chatham's first vacation destinations.

This "family-run, family-loved" establishment has welcomed nearly 4,000 repeat guests over the decades. "It's all about personal service," explains Dana, who frequently hosts family reunions and special events in the inn's beautiful gardens.

The property features various room types—some with fireplaces or balconies—all offering modern amenities in cozy settings. The on-site Domaine Queen Anne restaurant, led by Chef Corey Grothe, serves French-influenced cuisine with a New Orleans twist. Read more»

A man was bitten on the leg by a sandbar shark after catching and releasing it near Hoicks Hollow on Nantucket.

Oak Bluffs has thrown its support behind legislation that would require motorcycle licenses for moped riding.

Nantucket's Historic District Commission voted to allow National Grid to demolish the 1927 brick Nantucket Electric Company building on New Whale Street.

🏋️‍♀️ BECOME A SUPPORTER

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🚧 Electrical Accident Claims Local Man's Life

Jermaine Whitmore, a 31-year-old Hyannis resident, has died from injuries sustained after contacting electrical wires in what authorities are calling a tragic accident. The incident occurred Sunday evening at a home on Hamden Circle in Hyannis.

Barnstable police responded to reports of an "industrial accident" around 5:15 p.m., discovering two injured individuals who had come into contact with electrical wires. Whitmore was airlifted to a Boston hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries, while the second person was transported to Cape Cod Hospital.

The Cape and Islands District Attorney's Office stated that preliminary investigations do not indicate any criminal activity. The Cape & Island's State Police Detective Unit continues to investigate the circumstances of the accident. Read more»

👋 Meet: Tatum
🐾 Labrador Retriever
🎂 1 year old
♀︎ Male
Available to adopt at MSCPA-Cape Cod

SUNDAY - JULY 13

Bryce Thomas @ CC Winery | 12 PM
Jim Carnazza @ Flying Bridge | 1 PM
Jim Devlin @ Shipwrecked (Falmouth) | 2 PM
Bellinghammered @ Camper’s Haven | 3 PM
Tall Richard & Night Owls @ CC Beer | 3 PM
Leah & Colleen @ The Lanyard | 3 PM
Accent Band @ Pelham House | 3 PM
Joe Mongelli Jazz Trio @ CC MOA | 3:30 PM
BanjerDan @ Finn’s Craft Beer | 4 PM
Southern Rail Band @ Highfield Hall | 4 PM
Jeff Hilliard @ Flying Bridge | 4 PM
Songwriters in the Round @ Cotuit Center | 7 PM
Fab Four @ Cape Melody Tent | 8 PM

_{Nothing in this section is sponsored. We'll let you know when something's sponsored.}

Friday

75 🌡️ 64 | ☁️ | 💧0% | 💨 NE 6 mph

Saturday

73 🌡️ 63 | ☁️ | 💧 0% | 💨 SE 7 mph

Sunday

76🌡️ 65 | ⛅️ | 💧 5% | 💨 SE 8 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 67ºF

79 Clowes Drive, Falmouth
Asking $1.895M
4 🛌
3.5 🛀
4,642 sqft
1.39 acre lot

_{Nothing in this section is sponsored. We'll always let you know when something's sponsored.}

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