Welcome to Cape Cod!  Please use our Local Links to find restaurants, theaters, grocery stores, golf, tennis, ferry service, beach parking info and medical information.  You may also check the local weather and the Bourne and Sagamore Bridge traffic from our home page.  We sincerely hope that you enjoy your vacation here on Cape Cod and please feel free to contact our office should you require any questions answered or suggestions of what to do or where to go. 

Last month, successful sellers cut their original offering price by an average of 13% to attract an acceptable offer which may indicate that sellers are pricing closer to market value.

The Cape Cod MLS reports:

• 438 Single Family Homes are available in Falmouth
• 72 new listings came on the market last month
• 116 sellers reduced their asking price
• 73 houses came under agreement.
• 47 were withdrawn or expired (taken off the market)
 

 
 

Hurricane Earl Update
September 02, 2010

Cape Cod is under a Hurricane Watch that may be upgraded to a Hurricane Warning later today (Thursday, 9/2/10). Please check the status of the storm on the National Weather Service website.

The Mass.gov website has Hurricane Preparedness Tips for Business Owners that may be helpful.

Click here for the Cape Cod Emergency Traffic Plan. The Bridges MAY close at the height of the storm (Friday night) if sustained winds reach 70 mph.

Regardless of the path, Nantucket and the Outer Cape can expect sustained winds at the height of the storm, predicted to arrive here Friday night and last into Saturday morning. All of Cape Cod can expect tropical storm winds.

The state Department of Conservation & Recreation has announced that the following campgrounds on Cape Cod have been closed: Nickerson State Park, Brewster; Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Falmouth; Shawme Crowell State Forest, Sandwich; Scusset Beach State Reservation, Sandwich. All campgrounds, mobile home residents and state parks have been told to relocate.

Rip currents are being experienced today and will continue into Saturday or longer. Governor Patrick has advised swimmers to heed local postings.

Residents and guests are being advised to plan to stay in their home or rental or accommodations, UNLESS local officials advise evacuation due to flooding.

MEMA advises all residents and guests to listen to local radio stations for the latest updates. Click here for a list of radio stations serving the Cape and Islands.

We will keep you posted as more information becomes available. 

Hurricane Preparation

September 2, 2010
Capenews.net and Enterprise Newspapers have prepared this guide to hurricane preparation as a service to our readers. You might want to clip the article from your copy of The Enterprise or print out this message to keep it handy in the event of a power outage.


Follow Hurricane Earl's path and public advisories issued related to the storm at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's web site here. (That's http://www.noaawatch.gov/2010/tc_at07.php.)

PREPARATION
Hurricane Watch: Hurricane conditions are a threat within 36 hours. Review your hurricane plans, keep informed and be ready to act if a warning is issued.

Hurricane Warning: Hurricane conditions are expected within 24 hours. Complete your storm preparations and leave the area if directed to do so by authorities.

In advance:

Listen to a NOAAWeather Radio for critical information from the National Weather Service (NWS).
Check your disaster supplies and replace or restock as needed.
Bring in anything that can be picked up by the wind (bicycles, lawn furniture).
Close windows, doors and hurricane shutters. If you do not have hurricane shutters, close and board up all windows and doors with plywood.
Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting and keep them closed as much as possible so that food will last longer if the power goes out.
Turn off propane tanks and unplug small appliances.
Fill your car's gas tank.
Talk with members of your household and create an evacuation plan. Planning and practicing your evacuation plan minimizes confusion and fear during the event.
Learn about your community's hurricane response plan. Plan routes to local shelters, register family members with special medical needs as required and make plans for your pets to be cared for.
Evacuate if advised by authorities. Be careful to avoid flooded roads and washed out bridges.
Because standard homeowners insurance doesn't cover flooding, it's important to have protection from the floods associated with hurricanes, tropical storms, heavy rains and other conditions that impact the U.S. For more information on flood insurance, please visit the National Flood Insurance ProgramWeb site at www.fema.gov/business/nfip.

Recommended supplies:

Water--at least a 3-day supply; one gallon per person per day
Food--at least a 3-day supply of non-perishable, easy-to-prepare food
Flashlight
Battery-powered or hand-crank radio (NOAAWeather Radio, if possible)
Extra batteries
First aid kit
Medications (7-day supply) and medical items (hearing aids with extra batteries, glasses, contact lenses, syringes, cane)
Multi-purpose tool
Sanitation and personal hygiene items
Copies of personal documents (medication list and pertinent medical information, proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates, insurance policies)
Cell phone with chargers
Family and emergency contact information
Extra cash
Emergency blanket
Map(s) of the area
Baby supplies (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers)
Pet supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl)
Tools/supplies for securing your home
Extra set of car keys and house keys
Extra clothing, hat and sturdy shoes
Rain gear
Insect repellent and sunscreen
Camera for photos of damage

After the storm:

Continue listening to a NOAA Weather Radio or the local news for the latest updates.
Stay alert for extended rainfall and subsequent flooding even after the hurricane or tropical storm has ended.
If you evacuated, return home only when officials say it is safe.
Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed-out bridges.
Keep away from loose or dangling power lines and report them immediately to the power company.
Stay out of any building that has water around it.
Inspect your home for damage. Take pictures of damage, both of the building and its contents, for insurance purposes.
Use flashlights in the dark. Do NOT use candles.
Avoid drinking or preparing food with tap water until you are sure it's not contaminated.
Check refrigerated food for spoilage. If in doubt, throw it out.
Wear protective clothing and be cautious when cleaning up to avoid injury.
Watch animals closely and keep them under your direct control.
Use the telephone only for emergency calls.

SHELTER LOCATIONS AND INFORMATION
Barnstable
Barnstable High School
744 West Main Street, Hyannis

Marstons Mills East Elementary School
760 Osterville/West Barnstable Road, Marstons Mills

Bourne
Bourne Middle School
77 Waterhouse Road

Falmouth
Mullen Hall School
130 Katherine Lee Bates Road
Pets allowed

Mashpee
Mashpee High School
500 Old Barnstable Road
No pets allowed

Sandwich
Sandwich High School
365 Quaker Meeting House Road
Also the Upper Cape's regional shelter

To alert the public as to which shelters are open -- and whether they will be open in advance of any approaching storms or after the storm has passed -- announcements will be broadcast on WQRC (99.9 FM), local public access cable channels, and through local media websites.

The Massachusetts Military Reservation is available as a mass emergency shelter for the Upper Cape region, and is able to accommodate people with special needs and people with pets - one of the Cape's two pre-friendly regional shelters (the other is the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School).

EVACUATION
In the event residents are ordered to evacuate the region, public safety officials will activate the Cape Cod Emergency Traffic Plan, a comprehensive strategy to facilitate a mass exodus of motor vehicle traffic over the two bridges.

In phase one, off-Cape vehicles attempting to access the Cape's two main highways - Routes 6 and 28 - would be blocked, and access to the highways by evacuating Cape motorists would be diverted as needed to minimize congestion.

The presence of the Massachusetts State Police at key locations along the highways, informational signs set up along the routes by the Massachusetts Highway Department, and announcements broadcast over WQRC and public emergency alert systems would be used to guide traffic patterns during phase one.

Phase two would be initiated if wind gusts hit 70 MPH or higher. The first step of phase two would be the closure of both bridges, followed by the redirection of traffic to local and regional shelters. Access to Routes 6 and 28 would be closed at strategic points to prevent motorists from attempting to reach the bridges.