b'FOREWORDF riends of Chatham Waterways joins in celebration of Chathams Tercentennial by publishing this collection of sketches, maps, charts and photographs depicting a story about Chatham waters and shorelines from Chathams beginning to the present.This pictorial account of the Towns waters and shorelines, going back over 400 years, reinforces our present-day experience of shifting sands, shoaling, of new and closed inlets.Readers will see patterns and repetitions that may guide us in suitable actions.This booklet is being distributed to all Chatham households because it is not only the shore side residents who have interest in and impact on our waterways; it is all of us who live in Chatham. Foundedin1983,FriendsofChathamWaterwaysisanon-profitorganizationofindividualscommittedtothe protection, wise use and enjoyment of Chathams fresh and salt waterways and adjoining lands.With 66 miles of shoreline, we believe our bays, harbors, estuaries, ponds, lakes and rivers are fundamental to the towns heritage, providing commercial and recreational opportunities while adding to its environmental and economic health.If you are not already a member of Friends of Chatham Waterways, please join us in our commitment to improve our community environment.A membership form is included for all who are concerned about our harbors, estuaries, lakes, ponds and rivers.Additional copies of CHATHAM WATERS and SHORELINES are available by request to the logo address above.Our website (www.chathamwaterways.org) contains the electronic version. FriendsofChathamWaterways,Inc.wascertifiedinAugust,1989asacharitableorganizationunderIRScode501(c)(3)H istorians have written that Bartholomew Gosnold from England sailed our shores in May, 1602.On his voyage he dubbed our peninsula Cape Cod, and noted two inlets through our outer beach and a spit of land to the south which he named Gilberts Point (perhaps what we now call Ministers Point.)1606, Capt. Champlains Map of Chatham Courtesy, Maps of AntiquityT he first European visitors to land on our shores were a group of explorers including cartographer Samuel de Champlain on October 4, 1606.They anchored their pinnace in what we now call Stage Harbor to fix the rudder, broken on Pollock Rip.Champlain drew this map with north oriented to the right (instead of our current map and chart orientation with north at the top).He named the area Port Fortune.The area he labeled L is now Chatham Harbor and Pleasant Bay.The sand dune labeled I is Nauset Beach. In his legend he noted that waters labeled H provided scallops and oysters, and the water labeled O was the spot where he anchored.2'