Author: Pat D

We had an outstanding day with Cape Ann Whale Watch on Friday. I had seen there has been a great deal of whale activity out there as the whales are returning to their feeding grounds so I was anxious to get out there ASAP. Friday was beautiful and we even had GMG Contributor Donna Ardizzoni and Rick on board with us. It was a very memorable trip, even the captain (John C) and crew (naturalist Tina, Joss and Jace) were thoroughly engaged in what we were observing. We watched some feeding behavior then the whales (6 of them!) became curious and approached the boat. They stayed with us for quite a while, swimming back and forth under the boat and popping up on the other side to the delight of every single person on board. We saw pec slapping, rollovers, heard trumpet calls and more. They were so close, I could only use my phone so here are some videos that I took. You can see additional photos and story details at Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook. THANK YOU Cape Ann Whale Watch!!! Can’t wait for the next adventure.

Sharing information from the Rose Baker Senior Center Gloucester Facebook page:

I find Flat Ledge Quarry in Rockport to be endlessly fascinating in its textures and colors.

DeCKlyn’s is set to re-open for the season soon!

We were delighted to discover that at least 2 pair of Great Blue Herons have returned to a nearby rookery to build nests. This area previously hosted at least a dozen nests which I understand were destroyed in a windstorm a couple of years ago. Now I see at least 2 nests being rebuilt. Part of their courtship includes the males bringing nesting material back for the females to accept as an indication of the intention to accept a partner. I was lucky enough to witness this. Good luck Great Blues!

My brother and sister in law visited recently and I knew they would enjoy watching the seals sunning (thermo-regulating) at Brace Cove. They are a joy to watch.

As I described earlier, we took an Amtrak vacation recently which included time in Washington DC as well as in Pigeon Forge TN where we visited the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This post will address the Washington DC leg of our trip. First let me say GMG Jim is a great DC tour guide so if you have questions for him, reach out.

We took the Amtrak from South Station to Union Station in DC which was about an 8 hour ride. It’s very similar to airplane travel without the hassle of TSA checks. You are told your luggage is limited like on an airline but no one seemed to be chcecking that. We opted for coach seating which meant no assigned seats. That worked our for us even though the train was quite full on that Monday morning. There are some limited food options but don’t expect a scenic ride because it really wasn’t that.

Amtrak set us up in a nice downtown hotel within walking distance to public transportation as well as popular sights. We visited the Zoo, Air and Space, American History, Museum of the American Indian, Botanical Garden, and several monuments (monuments tour inlcuded in this trip)…all with no admission charges though some required timed ticket entries so check on that. I HIGHLY recommend visiting the monuments at night. They are very striking.

The city is mostly clean and feels safe. We only saw the National Guard at Union Station otherwise no active presence visible to us but we felt very secure and safe. If you haven’t visited the nation’s capital city, it should be near the top of your list. Here’s some of what we saw there:

We’ve been wanting to get to Market St in Ipswich to try Zabagliones so off we went on a recent weekday night. When we entered shortly after their opening at 5 PM, we were the only customers but by the time we left, several other tables had joined us. Clearly pretty popular for a weekday dinner. Bread and oil were delivered, specials were shared and we consulted the menu. I ordered Chicken Braccioletini and Jim ordered spaghetti and meatballs. The meatballs were homemade and quite large. Enough was leftover to take home but I scarfed mine right up. The atmosphere is relaxing, the location is easy and the service was great. We enjoyed our experience very much and will definitely return sooner than later. More info at this link.

We took a ride around dusk recently and observed a variety of springtime wildlife behavior in the area meadows including 2 different coyotes and a pair of deer doing what wildlife does in spring. It was a good reminder to be cautious driving at dusk.

Sharing information from the Gloucester Police Department Facebook page:

We made our annual trek to Tip Top Tulips at Felix’s Family Farm on Lowes Lane in Ipswich (behind Dairy Queen) which is always a delight. Though the fields are not yet at peak, the farm staff expects them to be in time for the next 2 weekends: May 2-3 as well as Mother’s Day weekend. Tulips are really my very favorite flowers and I cannot get enough of them. Pick-Your-Own is offered as well as photo opps and various farm animal viewing opportunities. Get your tickets and more info at this link. It’s an appropriate May Day post! Happy May Day!

We had ice cream for dinner recently at White Farms Ice Cream on Essex Ave. Having ice cream for dinner now and again is good for the soul. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

I am so happy to see the Schooner Thomas E. Lannon unwrapped and polished up for the 2026 season! I note they are offering Mother’s Day special sails so there’s a great idea! Tickets and info here: https://schooner.org/public-sails/ . See you dockside on Rogers Street soon!

What a treat to return to Yella on the Water along the boulevard! Welcome back to the excellent staff and fine menu! Jim tried one of the specials Ouzi and I had the fried haddock tacos. Outstanding on both counts. I especially enjoyed the fish batter with a bit of a zing. To round out the relaxing experience, we ordered strawberry shortcake….easily enough for 2 as you will note. The sangria was extra yummy. Shoutout out to Anna who was our server. The place was hopping even early in the season before deck dining is really comfortable so plan accordingly. Welcome back Yella!

Sharing information from Gloucester Beaches Facebook page. This screenshot does not contain live link so here you go: https://gloucesterma.portal.opengov.com/categories/1082 OR for more info try https://gloucester-ma.gov/299/Beach-Information

This is a great opportunity to volunteer by interacting with visitors in a beautiful setting.

I was able to make my first visit of the season to Lobsta Land on Causeway Street a few days ago for a weekday lunch. We were greeted in a friendly and efficient manner and seated in the bar area. Shout out to Lauren and Shawn for their awesome serving! I enjoyed the cajun haddock tacos and Jim had the haddock chowder on a cold spring day. We recently returned from a weeklong trip during which we did NOT have especially good food or drink so this was a very welcome meal for us! Thanks Lobsta Land! We’ll be back soon.

Jim and I recently took an Amtrak vacation trip to DC and Pigeon Forge TN for our “Spring Break”. It turned out to be quite a nice experience. Amtrak set us up to leave from Boston, travel to DC and stay a couple of nights. Then we were provided a vehicle to drive to Pigeon Forge (about 8 hours) and stay a few more nights. One tour in DC and one tour in TN were also included. We were uncertain how this would go but it mostly went seamlessly. Amtrak did a nice job with our accommodations as well as travel arrangements.

One glitch we experienced involved the Boston parking garage where we left our car for the duration. Our return train was significantly delayed so we were put on an earlier train which was great. However, we arrived at South Station at 1:30 AM and the parking garage was closed until morning. South Station was also locked up tight until morning. The situation was complicated a bit by the fact that this was Marathon Monday morning so no hotels were available. We were able to get a Lyft to Gloucester without too much fuss so even that worked out. A note of advice to check parking garage hours if you find yourself in a similar situation. Overall, the Amtrak vacation experience was a positive one. I would not hesitate to try another adventure.

Here are some photos from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where we spent nearly all of our Tennessee time. It’s been on my bucket list for a while. We did not get to see a bear but we did get to see a few elk up close. For additional photos and story details, check out Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook (link here: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063510494739) The DC portion of our trip will follow soon.

Sharing news from the Inn at Good Harbor Beach’s Facebook page. Opening soon on Salt Island Road. Taking reservations now. Check out this link: https://innatgoodharborbeach.com/

Sharing information from the Hamilton-Wenham Public Library for those interested in Howard Blackburn