Toda is our final day on Cape Cod for this trip. We are drinking our coffee, thinking about packing and getting a quick swim in before the drive home.

Yesterday Fiona and I walked to the beach with the family of one of Fiona's camping friends. Along the way we ate some of the remaining huckleberries and the first ripe beach plums we could find.

We ended up a Coast Guard beach, but Kim had driven to Head of Meadow beach, so we walked a ways up the beach to meet her. I talked with Fiona's friend's parents about beachcombing, dune shacks and an artist we saw nestled in the dunes painting a seascape.

Later we headed down to one of the kettle ponds. There is a friendly snapping turtle that comes around looking for visitors to feed it. One woman warned that it is still a wild animal and feeding it or getting too close is not a good idea. We approached the turtle but kept a respectable distance.

The turtle moved over towards other folks who were less circumspect. A young boy offered the turtle part of his saandwich. When the turtle paid no attention, the boy reached into the water and moved the piece of sandwich towards the turtle. This caught the turtles attention and he snapped at the food, getting the little boy's finger.

There was much commotion and the little boy was taken away by his parents. Afterwards, the remaining swimmers kept a much more respectable distance.

This, along with many other experiences has provided me with considerable material to write about during the coming days.