Eastern Point Light, Perfect Storm, 1991 ©George B. Lenart
On October 31st, 1991, diesel mechanic and photo enthusiast George B. Lenart was caught in a historic storm on Cape Ann’s granite coast. He drove his big Mogul Motors truck out to the end of Eastern Point for a job with the Eastern Point Yacht Club. What George walked into was a hurricane strength tempest with sustained winds of 75 miles per hour and gusts up to 98 miles per hour (hurricane devastation occurs at 73+ mph). Unexpectedly, George Lenart was marooned by rising water and monstrous waves. He grabbed his camera and captured this incredible scene from the 3rd floor of the Eastern Point Yacht Club. It shows Eastern Point Light and Dog Bar Breakwater, which guard the entrance to Gloucester Harbor. Waves built to 70 feet, one of which swept right through Mother Ann Cottage, seen on the left, and completely destroyed a house high atop Sherman Point by Good Harbor Beach. George’s only option was to camp out overnight at the yacht club.
I didn’t photograph the Halloween Storm. I was busy helping a Bearskin Neck artist move his paintings to safety, aided a neighbor on Rocky Neck save what she could after storm surge took most of her personal belongings out to sea, and salvaged the 150 framed photos that were damaged in my gallery on Tuna Wharf. The phrase perfect storm has become part of the English language, being synonymous with “worst-case scenario.”
Photographed on 35mm color negative film by George B. Lenart. Scanned and printed digitally. Image #GBL-001c
And yes, we do sell this photograph in the gallery. Thank you George.
Fred
Fredrik D. Bodin
Bodin Historic Photo
82 Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
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Good Morning Gloucester 
Wow Fred, thanks for posting. This is wild!
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Wow! I remember that the storm was spectaular. I remember coming down Essex Ave onto the Boulevard and seeing the waves coming over the breakwater. I stopped to watch and then ran when the water started chasing me. I went over to the back shore and saw waves that I remember were huge, but can’t quite see them in my mind…such are memories of extraordinary events…so fleeting that the impact leaves a crater even when the memory can’t quite get all the details. This is a compelling reminder of that day.
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Awesome! I lived in E. Gloucester for many years and saw the lighthouse at Eastern Pt. in many bad storms and huricanes. Never saw the lighthouse and buildings as an island. I was living on the New Hampshire coast during the Perfect Storm and it was awsome too. Drove to Gloucester and around Cape Ann a few days after and never saw such damage.
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Twenty years ago this weekend- amazing!
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The scariest kind of Halloween. Thank you for sharing Fred and Sharon!
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Notice that the road going past Mother Ann Cottage is under water, as is the entrance to the lighthouse, and the parking lot has breaking waves on it. The entire road and driveways had to be replaced. I remember that you could not drive down East Main Street past Rocky Neck Avenue, or along the Back Shore. It was four days before I could get back to my gallery on Tuna Wharf. One of the dangers there was free-floating propane tanks – grill and the big household size. The owner of Mother Ann cottage came by today to show me photos of the damage. So severe it’s hard to fathom. But it’s been repaired and looks great!
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George Lenart always did have true grit!
Glad you lived to tell the tale, Georgie Boy!!
Love,
Guess Who?
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