Early morning is when poet Mary Oliver slips into the pine woods to glimpse animals that won’t venture forth the rest of the day. It’s when you’re sure to avoid the traffic and restaurant lines that are typical of Cape life this time of year. It can be nearly silent and at the same time bustling with fishermen hauling their nets. If it’s your hour, you can always find your fellow early risers.

— By Kathy Shorr, Globe Correspondent