My View of Life on the Dock
This from Robbo who lives in Southport, a seaside town about 18 miles north of Liverpool, 150 miles north of Gloucester, England.
He came to visit our Gloucester earlier this year and sent along the link to this video he took in Gloucester, England of the Gloucester Docks and the Tall Ship Festival they had there.
Sam heads out. By himself. To haul his traps and make a days pay. No one barking at him. No one telling him where to go or what to do. Just him and his boat. Hauling traps, Baiting Traps, Setting Traps. Independent.
Ladie Marie Heads Out Lobstering, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Last week herring was scarce with some bait companies completely sold out. Yesterday the Cape Seafoods boats came in loaded. Feast or famine. Yesterday was feast. It was all asses and elbows as the Cape Seafood Crew earned their pay offloading a whole buttload of fish.
Vats Of Herring At The State Fish Pier, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Posted by: cpantano on 08/29/2009 18:20:13
Updated by: cpantano on 08/29/2009 18:20:13
Expires: 08/31/2009 00:00:00
OUTDOOR WATER BAN LIFTED
The outdoor water ban has been lifted.
As per Mayor Kirk and DPW director Mike Hale, the outdoor water ban has been lifted beginning immediately.
Posted by: cpantano on 08/29/2009 18:22:52
Updated by: cpantano on 08/29/2009 18:22:52
Expires: 08/31/2009 00:00:00
WATER UPDATE: Saturday, August 29, 2009, 6:00 pm
Update follows.
Test Results from Friday, August 28, 2009
Laboratory results taken Friday, August 28th have not been received at the time of this posting. As of Thursday, August 26th lab results, we are still getting hits of coliform in some areas of the city.
Water Supplements
We are no longer receiving water from Manchester. Supplemental chlorination pumps are active in 4 locations. Again, do not be alarmed if you are experiencing a slight increase in chlorine smell.
Bond Hill
Bond Hill water storage facility is full of clean treated water.
Summary
The Boil Water order remains in effect.
The next update will be published at noon on Monday, August 31st.
What Up Homie?, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Yesterday was one of those days when you yearn for the days before our dependency on electronics. You may remember my ranting about Comcast a few weeks ago. Well, we gave them all the patience we had. They came out and did a bunch of re-wiring, etc. Thursday, and it worked great for 12 hours.
Yesterday, service went down. Of course this means no internet or phone. So I called on my cell, and a woman in the corporate office said it was a node issue in our area. Great.
In the meantime, my cell phone died. I noticed that we had service, and connected my phone to the computer. Itunes popped up with an update for the phone and starts the process. Halfway through, I kicked myself for doing it. The phone froze completely. The internet and home phone were down. My main hard drive ran out of space. So from 8:30 last night until this morning my umbilical cord was severed, and I was going into shock.
I survived. The internet and phone were back on this morning. I googled answers to my iPhone issue and actually figured it out. The I made a call to Verizon to solve my Comcast fiasco.
I still remember our first telephone number 1465-M! A simpler life for sure.
—Sharon
I’m gonna try like hell to get there, you should too.
HIVE_blogpost_9_4_09, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
From The Hive Newsletter-
Hive Events
Gallery Opening Friday September 4th @ 7pm
Start the last weekend of summer off with a wicked bang! Come check out all the new work from the rapidly expanding Hive members, the original crew and the recycled aquatic creations of Jon Conant- Everlution Forms. Tasty treats and beverages provided by Cape Ann Brewing. Come By and feel free to bring friends. If you can’t make the opening, we will be open Saturday the 5th 11-3pm. Oh by the way, as of now the gallery is only open for events, by appointment or by chance. We decided we can have the best effect to create connections and enhance the creative image/culture/community of cape ann by focusing on our events. So come out!
In the past couple years there has been a renaissance Downtown and a big part of that renaissance is because of the pride and effort put forth by the Downtown Merchants and Restaurateurs. More flower boxes have popped up and you see merchants that have purchased their own benches to put out in front of their stores. The House of Raven, Cormorant Shop have recently put out new benches. Dennis Bryant down at The Mosaic Studio has benches in front of his store and other places too.
It’s great to see.
Annette Cares For Flowerpots In Front Of Espresso Restaurant Downtown Gloucester, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
A few more pics of the views from inside 62 Main Street-
Mike and Jane Fonzo’s 62 Main Street, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Click the text to see the full article from The “Citizens For Gloucester Harbor” group from the Gloucester Daily Times
Our view: Commercial waterfront must be key to Harbor Plan
Our view
Jeanne Gallo, Steve Parkes and Sunny Robinson
My Response-
Every one of the suggestions listed in this piece such as “ocean research, boat design, marine biotech, food product development, renewable energy and wastewater management and resource recovery” are already uses that can be done and have been encouraged in past Harbor Plans.
There is no one stopping these ventures from happening.
The newly created recreational dockage 75/25 proposal is only applied to newly created dockage. It would not displace any commercial dockage but could only increase the amount of commercial dockage because anything that could be newly built on a piece of waterfront where there is ZERO dockage now would have to increase the amount of commercial fishermen’s dockage by 25%.
So on derelict waterfront where there is ZERO dockage we would create slips for more of the public AND commercial fishermen to tie up. Currently there is no plan to increase dockage for commercial fishermen but the 75/25 proposal actually would increase dockage for commercial fishermen and give waterfront property owners an ability to finance these kinds of projects with their own money instead of relying on the City or State Taxpayers money.
All Gloucester residents should be able to enjoy Gloucester Harbor and the 75/25 proposal would increase the amount of dockage space for commercial fishermen, increase access for Gloucester people to have boats in Gloucester Harbor and it would be paid for by private dollars, not the public’s tax money.
To say that the 75/25 dockage proposal would outstrip commercial dockage is false, it would increase the amount of dockage for fishermen because it is only intended for newly created dockage where there was none existed previously. Places like the Building Center Piling field which currently has no dockage for fishermen could with the 75/25 proposal create NEW dockage 75 percent for new access for the public in recreational spaces and 25 percent of NEW DOCKAGE FOR FISHERMEN THAT NEVER EXISTED BEFORE. That is a gain of dockage for fishermen and the public, paid for with private dollars. Another space would be behind Seatronics. There are many piling fields that currently have no dockage that would be able to be fixed up, pay more taxes to the city and the project be done without City Taxpayers having to foot the bill.
The more boats in this harbor, the more the fuel guy makes, the more the gear shop makes and the more that everyone benefits.
Boat building is great, cutting fish is great, marine biotech is great, but they are already and HAVE BEEN uses that are allowed.
The Citizens for Gloucester Harbor are a well meaning group and I think they should go to the bank and get the loans and make their most excellent ideas a reality, there is nothing holding them back from realizing boat building or marine biotechnology or research dreams. The zoning to do any of those excellent ideas which they are talking about has been in place forever and has never prohibited any of these uses from being a reality.
Go to it.
Posted by: cpantano on 08/28/2009 17:34:13
Updated by: cpantano on 08/28/2009 17:37:17
Expires: 08/31/2009 00:00:00
WATER UPDATE: FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2009, 5:30 PM
BRIEF UPDATE FOLLOWS
Test Results from Thursday, August 27, 2009
Laboratory results taken Thursday, August 27th have not been received at the time of this posting. As of Wednesday, August 26th lab results, we are still getting hits of coliform in some areas of the city.
Water Supplements
We are still receiving water from Manchester. Supplemental chlorination pumps are active in 4 locations. Again, do not be alarmed if you are experiencing a slight increase in chlorine smell.
Hurricane/Tropical Storm Danny
Hurricane/Tropical Storm Danny is not expected to impact the situation in any manor.
Summary
The Boil Water order and outdoor water ban remain in effect. The DPW continues to investigate all possible causes that may have impacted the water supply.
Pablo and Best Buddy Mark Ring, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Here’s a video we took a while back in which Sean wins a bet
Posted by: cpantano on 08/28/2009 15:19:09
Updated by: cpantano on 08/28/2009 15:19:09
Expires: 08/31/2009 00:00:00
WATER UPDATE: FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2009, 12 NOON
BRIEF UPDATE FOLLOWS
Water Supplements
The DPW continues to run 2 supplemental chlorination stations, one in West Gloucester, one in East Gloucester, and will be installing 2 additional stations, one in Magnolia and one in the Eastern Point area. The Chlorine levels are rising in these areas so you may experience an increased chlorine smell from the water.
Bond Hill Water Level
The water levels in the Bond Hill storage facility are presently at 9’6”, with a 1’ 4” gain overnight.
Test Results from Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Test results from samples taken on Wednesday August 26 were received on Friday, August 28th indicate that the system is stabilizing. The results from Thursday, August 27th are expected to be available late afternoon on Friday, August 28th.
Information Updates
We now have a dedicated phone number together with a recorded message that any citizen can call at any time for an update. That phone number is 978…. The message will only be updated as the situation changes. If the message does not change you can assume the situation has not changed either. The city website has been updated. http://www.ci.gloucester.ma.us.
Impact on Schools
Schools will open as scheduled. Bag lunches will be served Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. School lunch menus will be printed in the Gloucester Daily Times and will be available on the school website. Complete arrangements have been made for drinking water for the students. Students will be allowed to wash their hands and immediately use hand sanitizers. Hand sanitizers will be available throughout the school. As soon as the boil water order is lifted, all water pipes and all the schools will be flushed.
Summary
The outdoor water ban and the boil water order remain in effect. Please note that the more inside water the citizens of Gloucester can conserve will more quickly resolve this situation.
What Up Homie?, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
George Represents!, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Let me see if I can just present it here for you:
222 Arts & Wellness Center
222 Eastern Avenue, Gloucester
is proud to announce our first annual
“Cultural Flea Market” to benefit the Open Door
Pantry
Sunday, August 30th 9-5
Featuring a one-of-a-kind special concert by
“Aspidistra Drawing Room Orchestra” from London,
England
(check them out @ www.aspidistra.org )
Sample gourmet appetizers and snacks by “Good
Gracious”
and shop a whole parking lot full of bargains
brought in by our clients and other community
members
A fabulous eclectic quirky day that you will not
want to miss!
I hope that helps….thank you, thank you, Joey for your interest!
Blessings,
Lin
How to Blur a Distracting Background
Armed Only With a Point and Shoot 
The mission: Take a great portrait in front of a distracting background.
The equipment: The crummiest point-and-shoot camera on the market.
Your task: Throw the background out of focus so you can emphasize the subject.
Mission Impossible? Hardly. Even with the simplest point and shoot, you can get the blurry background you crave. Here’s how:
That’s it! Try it for impromptu street portraits, vacation photos, or any time you need a great picture in a lousy location.
Click on through for the fine details and more clever photo tips!
How to Blur a Distracting Background (Plus More Handy Tips!)
| This is my favorite site for photo tips! —Sharon | |||
A couple of days ago the Mrs took the girls and my MIL into Boston to go on their annual trip on the Swan Boats, Boston Public Gardens and lunch at The Top of The Hub.
Snoop Maddie Mad, originally uploaded by captjoe06.
Good Morning Gloucester 