Author: Nichole S.

Here’s this week’s line up! Live music every night, see you there!

Here’s this week’s music schedule at the Rhumb Line. Don’t forget to come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with The Bordellos on Tuesday at 5:00!

I was lucky to enjoy phenomenal music (Annie Brobst and Ryan Dupont), dinner, dessert (have you had the key lime pie?!), and one giant margarita with some pretty great friends last night while celebrating the Seaport Grille’s 17th Anniversary.

With the sun setting at 6:45 pm now, I was happy to capture this photo at almost 7:15 pm.

Here is this week’s music schedule at The Rhumb Line

A little late afternoon drive through East Gloucester offered a nice view of a sleepy Rocky Neck. Looking forward to the neck coming alive again soon.

Thanks to webcams, my phone app, and his own photos/videos, I was able to watch live as son my son, Thatcher, made it through the Panama Canal last night. It’s so great to watch him seeing so many amazing places. He’s on Day #25 of a pretty great journey from Seattle, Washington to Florida and is officially off the West Coast and out of the Pacific Ocean and now back into the Caribbean Sea. Next stop, Roatan, Honduras.

Here’s this week’s schedule at the Rhumb Line. Let’s hope the snow is gone and get out and enjoy some live music all week!

Here’s this week’s music line up at the Rhumb Line!

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Sometimes, getting stuck at the bridge isn’t so bad.

Come over for some great music!

DUNFUDGIN While I know others have posted about this before, it has been a while….and as I took this photo the other day, I thought some might be interested. I found this information on https://www.fitzhenrylaneonline.org/historical_material/?section=Done%20Fudging#:~:text=The%20name%20refers%20to%20the,a%20peaceful%20and%20verdant%20place.”The name refers to the poling of river craft often necessary in the narrow river because of unfavorable wind or tidal flow. It’s a muddy bottom all along the Annisquam River, and poling a boat was called “fudgin’.” There is a strong tidal current coming from both directions, from the south and Gloucester Harbor through the Cut and down the river from Ipswich Bay to the north. The tidal flows meet at Done Fudging. If you were “fudgin’” south against the tide draining into Ipswich Bay, when you reached the area of Done Fudging, the draining tide would change direction and carry you effortlessly out to Gloucester Harbor. Or vice versa, either way when you reached that point you were “done fudgin’.” The river also broadens out at this point so at a full tide with a decent wind, sails could be raised and the fudgin’ poles put away, at least for a while.”

A Beacon for the Lost. 11:20 PM, Saturday January, 31st. All of Gloucester’s Fishing Fleet with their lights on to help the Lily Jean’s lost souls find their way home. #gloucesterma #lilyjean #fvlilyjean #fishingfleet

A friend on a group text thread said it best, “Downtown was paralyzed today” as word spread of the F/V Lily Jean. Gloucester is defined by its deep-rooted, perilous, and enduring fishing heritage…. a town that breathes the sea, where people know intimately the dangers faced by those who work on the ocean. As the Fishermen’s Statue reads, “They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.”

The loss of a fishing vessel and potentially its crew is felt by the entire city……those who are from here, those who live here, those who visit the waterfront…… and those who enjoy this beautifully special place. Certainly those whose families have worked in the industry feel it the most…..they feel it to their core….they live it, breathe it, and have feared it themselves on more occasions than they’d like to admit. But, even those who have no ties to the industry, have a quieter respect for those roots. They understand that those fishermen are, indeed, Gloucester. Graduates pose in front of the Fishermen’s Statue, our hometown sports teams wear the fisherman logo proudly, children are raised listening to books about boats, and fishing, and salty legends….. Nods to the city’s fishermen are everywhere. It would be impossible to enjoy time on the water or days on the waterfront and not appreciate those who work, tirelessly, to fight to keep Gloucester’s industry and maritime heritage alive.

I do not know the crew of the F/V Lily Jean, but I hope more than anything that their family and loved ones can feel the the tide of respect and gratitude rising around them. As they face this heartbreaking uncertainty, I hope they know that the work and the courage of their loved ones are honored by every one who calls this coast home….and the city’s thoughts and prayers run deep.

I do not know the crew of the F/V Lily Jean, but I know Gloucester. And Gloucester will hold these families tight.

Chris Langathianos said it well, “when you live here, and when you spend your  summertime on the water, it’s different. We eat, drink, and hang at the same places. You know each other even if you don’t.” I took the first photo I posted below of the Lily Jean while on Chris and Jamie‘s boat last summer. We were out enjoying a day on the water, hoping to see some whales or sharks…. while their crew was, as always, heading out for a hard day’s work.  We all share this city. But, they are this city. 

Childhood memories of the Blessing of the Fleet, breaking champagne on the bow of my godfather’s fishing boat, The Italian Gold, and spending holidays and weekends with my father’s friend’s family who fished the American Eagle….(and had a home full of italian cookies and a sign by their pool that read, “We don’t swim in your toilet, please don’t pee in our pool”) no doubt impacted how I raised my own boys with salt in their veins. Both boys who now work on the water. I have watched vessels leaving the harbor in the cold, dark winter months for decades with such respect….and sadness. And now wake up, look out my living room window each morning, and watch in awe as the State Fish Pier hustles and bustles and boats come and go on the coldest of days.

Fishermen don’t fear the elements, they fear the silence after a boat doesn’t come home.

I do not know the crew of the F/V Lily Jean, but I know Gloucester. And Gloucester will hold these families tight.

After a long storm, the Beauport was the perfect place to sit for a Hugo Spritz and a bowl of lobster bisque by the fire. As an added bonus there was live music as well.

We hope that you all withstood the storm safely. Here’s this week’s music schedule. Sunday is also our annual Rib Off Contest at 2:00. See you there!

We sat at the bar at 525 last night in Magnolia and enjoyed a really great dinner. Big portions, tons of flavor, so well executed. Definitely swing by if you haven’t been in a while!

I get that ducks “stay warm” in the winter thanks to all sorts of design features such as waterproof outer feathers, a down layer, and even some cool heat exchange deal in their legs but, you’ll never convince me not to be sad when I see them in the ice cold water. And, yes, I realize they’d get out of the water if they were truly miserable………