Author: Joey Ciaramitaro

Josh Serrin writes-

So I’ve been getting a lot of flak lately about the number of art rocks that I have.  To this date I have six: Good Harbor Beach, State Fish Pier, Niles Beach, Fishermens Wives Statue, Boulevard and Jacobs Landing.  My wife has dubbed me “Rock Hog” and whenever I tell Joey that I found another one I always get the response, “ Again?”  So here’s the story of each and everyone one of them. 

8/22/2010 – Good Harbor Beach

Ah, my first! At this point of the story I had never found one.  I always saw them on GMG and thought how great it would be to have one of my own.  This one, I believe, was sitting there for about an hour or two when I saw the post.  I thought for sure it was already taken but it’s a minute bike ride down from my house so I figured why not try.  I spotted it from the road and was so happy.  I’m sure all the people walking around thought I was a quack when I jumped for joy and had a huge smile on my face.  My son Jack thought it was great too (as you can see from his face).

10/16/2010 – State Fish Pier

https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2010/10/16/art-rocks-state-fish-pier-10162010/

This one was really fun.  I was outside doing some yard work, checked the blog from my phone, jumped on my bike and hauled ass down to the state fish pier.  I had to ride around for a bit looking for this white painted rock.  I knew from the post that the rock was next to it but I wasn’t familiar with the area so I had to really look.  Not only did I find an Art Rock, I figured out just how out of shape I was biking back home.

2/13/2011 Niles Beach

https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2011/02/13/art-rocks-02132011/

I remember farting around the house on this cold day, checking the blog and then jumping in my car to see if it was still there.  Low and behold it was.

5/21/2011 Cripple Cove

https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2011/05/21/art-rocks-may-21-2001/

I did not end up getting this rock but it was really fun to watch someone snatch it.  My mother-in-law was in town and we were all out.  We live right down the street from Cripple Cove and were forewarned about a pending art rock coming up around 7:30.  We got back to the house at about 7:31 (yes, precise time is relevant), checked the blog while we were all still in the car and headed down.  We got there, say, at 7:33 but we saw a person walking the buoy around so I figured it was gone.  I decided to not get out and look.  We sat in the parking lot for about 5 minutes.  Someone showed up talking on their phone with a big huge GMG sticker on the back of there car, walked over to the buoy and jumped for joy when they found it.  I think I remember her saying, “I found it” to the person on the phone.  All along while, we were sitting in the parking lot the rock was right there!  It was really great seeing someone else get one… I already have 3 by that time so I wasn’t too disappointed.  I only wish I was able to get it to give to my mother-in-law though.  We sat for a little while longer and people kept streaming in!  In a matter of probably 5 minutes we saw about 5 cars pull up, people get out, walk over to the buoy to look for the rock and then just back into their car and leave.  Joey took this to a whole new level a couple days later and videotaped people walking around his shop looking for one.  I would have been there but I was in the hospital and came upon this little surprise… our daughter Katie!

5/26/2011 – Fishermens Wives Statue

This is by far my favorite rock.  Not only did Paul find the PERFECT hiding place but it also looks incredible.  Again, checked my phone, jumped in the car and headed to the scene.  I walked around for about 10 minutes.  I looked in the flowers, all along the stones, under the benches, everywhere!  Art Rocks are usually at least the size of your fist so they can be spotted from afar.  This art rock, though, was incredibly small and in a little crevice under the statue.  You could be standing 5 feet from the statue and still wouldn’t be able to see it.  I ended up walking right up to the statue, peeked on top and saw the rock.

January 2012: Boulevard

This is the only one that I didn’t get a picture of.  I remember this being a pretty cold day and I was grocery shopping with my son Jack.  While in the parking lot I check my phone and saw that there was an Art Rock down at the Boulevard.  I wanted to get home though.  Jack was being a little fussy and needed a nap.  My normal routine when I’m heading home from Stop and Shop is to head over to the bridge at GHB and then a short trip to the Back Shore and then up through Bass Rocks Golf course.  We live right past the golf course so I get a nice scenic route on my way home.  Well… Jack fell asleep before we hit the Back Shore so I figured why not keep going to the Boulevard.  I pulled up to the tennis courts and saw Ed Collard walking around.  Now, it was pretty cold outside with maybe one or two brave souls walking around so I knew right away that he got it.  Ed was looking around a lot over his shoulder and doing quick loops around that area like he was waiting for someone.  I just helped Ed take down the Lobster Pot tree so I figure I’d say hi and ask him if he found it (which I knew he did).  With a big huge smile he said yes and that he was going to give it to the first person that showed up.  Well, that was me!  I said he didn’t have to but he was pretty persistent. (I think he was freezing his butt off and didn’t want to wait around for another person.)  Ed has the picture of this one laying around somewhere.

4/15/2012 Captain Solomon Jacobs Landing https://goodmorninggloucester.wordpress.com/2012/04/14/art-rocks-04142012-630pm/

Jack found the last rock.  On this Sunday morning, I had to go to the Building Center.  It was about 8:50 when Jack and I drove into Harbor Loop only to find out that the BC wasn’t open.  Instead of leaving through the TDBank parking lot, I drove down the loop.  I rarely do this but we were in no rush to go anywhere.  The Art Rock was posted the previous night and I didn’t know where Solomon Jacobs Landing was.  Well, if you didn’t know it was on Harbor Loop, then now you do and so do I!  At this point, the rock was sitting around for over 14 hours so there is no WAY that thing is still lying around… but I figure we’d get out and walk down anyway.  I wanted to show Jack the Coast Guard boats.  I parked and let him out and we walked down to the benches.  I spotted the rock at a good distance… and so did Jack.  He was the one that actually went over and picked it up.  I was planning on leaving it where it was but he didn’t.  He was really excited to find a rock, let alone an Art Rock.  And like all rocks that we find near the water they go back into the water and make a big splash!  I couldn’t let that happen though.  As soon as he made a b-line to the water I had to stop him. 

So, now you might be asking yourself what I do with all of these rocks… I have them on display around my house.  There are two in our entry way, my favorite sits alongside family pictures on a shelf in our living room and three are downstairs on my office desk which I look at every day.

So that’s the story of the Rock Hog by the Rock Hog, I guess.  I can’t say I’ll never find another one but I do know that I’ll never take from the same place twice.  I really value each and every rock that I find (if you haven’t noticed yet).  I feel so lucky to have one, let alone six.  Paul, you should know that every time you leave one of these rocks that you are not only making someone’s day but giving that person a memory that will last a lifetime.  Thank you for everything that you’ve done.