Author: Pat D

We went to Delisi’s Red Skiff on Mt Pleasant Place in Rockport recently for a late morning breakfast. For a mid morning weekday, the place was steadily busy and I can see why. The service is efficient and friendly; the food yummy and reasonably priced. We enjoyed our basic eggs and bacon as well as the cinnamon swirl pancakes. You can follow them on Facebook for updates and info.

We celebrated Margarita Monday at the lovely and relaxing Beauport Hotel bar. It was a pretty day but still too chilly for me to sit on the deck so we sat at the bar. I enjoyed a spicy margarita with just enough zing. We also ordered crab dip which was a perfect accompaniment for our afternoon visit. I overlooked taking the initial photo and we had already started the deliciousness when this photo was taken. We are looking forward to future visits, perhaps to the rooftop deck for music over the summer!

Fishing boat activity is picking up in our harbor. We enjoy watching the working boats come and go. Here are New Shell II; Dunlin; and Money Shot returning home and some prep work at St. Peter’s Landing.

You may know I’m in Maine with Slonina Photography in search of puffins, lighthouses, sunsets and more. Here are some of the photos from our boat trip to Machais Seal Island to spend time with puffins, murres, razorbills, terns and gannets. (*my Italian friends who don’t like birds should maybe skip the photos…you’re welcome Sefatia*) The island is full of THOUSANDS of nesting birds and it’s a great opportunity for those of us that like puffins. I have over 1000 images, but here are just a few. More photos and story details can be found on Facebook at Pat D’s Photos and Adventures.

The absolute hightlight of a morning FULL of stunning imagery was the opportunity to observe puffins (apparently) mating out on the water!!! I don’t think it often happens that this behavoir is observed by a humble visitor such as myself. More trip coverage next week after I return and get organized. If you see a particular image you like, please comment!

It’s not unusual for the Serenitee award program to through a bonus for $10 out to its program members. We recently took advantage of that offer and blended in another $10 bonus we had earned to go to Minglewood Harborside on Rogers St for dinner. The lovely Heather was our server and welcomed us warmly (big plus when we go somewhere) and gave us the new menus for consideration. I tried the Rachel sandwich and Jim had a smash burger (it was also $20 burger and a beer night–Thursdays). No steps have been lost in the development and execution of the new menu! Several old favorites remain with some new offerings to tempt you. There was live music to boot, so I highly recommend Minglewood especially for when you just want to relax.

Some of you are probably aware that I am currently on a photography trip to Lubec and Bar Harbor Maine. Puffins are the goal and a puffin post is coming soon, but first I had some observations to share about the Lubec area. In many ways, it reminds me of Gloucester: lobster boats, lighthouses, and memorials to lost fishermen. Although Lubec’s Fisherman’s Memorial is no where near the level of Gloucester’s, it’s still a somber reminder. There are lobster and scallop boats everywhere but no fishermen in the places we have been visiting (stunning, I know…) We were shown an interesting “farm” for capturing the herring that the lobster boats require which you see here as sticks standing upright in the water forming a kind of corral for the herring. Even the bait is an industry unto itself.

Hopefully I will be sharing other aspects of my 2025 Puffin Escapade in the upcoming days. You can always see further details and stories on Facebook at Pat D’s Photos and Adventures…....there may even already be some puffin shots posted there! (a reward for those of you that read to the end of the post!)

We have recently seen our eagle friend in West Gloucester, monitoring the nest from nearby. I hope you will appreciate the close up of its talons as I believe it was planning to hunt from its perch. The prey won’t have a chance.

Sharing news from Sawyer Free Library: moving back soon to newly renovated home on Dale Ave.

We hadn’t been to the Boat House on John Wise Ave in Essex for a while and impulsively decided to stop for lunch on a recent weekday. It was a good decision: we were greeted promptly and warmly; seated quickly in the bar area and offered menus. I ordered the Reuben, which was very thick with meat and messy. Jim got a veal parm sandwich which may not look great in this photo, but was quite tasty. The atmoshere is comfortable and the menu nicely varied. It was good to be back there again.

Did you know Yella on the Water (Western Ave) is open on Mondays?? Very convenient for my Margarita Monday celebrations. I asked for any kind of fruit flavored margarita and Ewan suggested strawberry and there you go. A strawberry margarita at a table by the window along the boulevard to celebrate Margarita Monday! The sour mix was delightful and the service excellent. It won’t be our last visit!! Cheers!

We enjoy our rides out to Russell Orchards on Argilla Road in Ipswich and look forward to the spring re-opening. We stopped by recently (closed on Mondays) and took in some of the wide variety of offerings available. Flowers, veggie plants, fresh baked goods, fruits, ciders, wines and more are available within the shop but outside is also full of fun opportunities especially with young children. We love the cider donuts!

Thank you Awesome Gloucester and Josh Falk for the lovely Dory at Sunrise mural downtown on Rogers St at the Pilot House building. It’s fantastic! Here are some photos in progress and at completion. Thank you to my anonymous assistant for the extra info!

We are not the only ones anxiously awaiting summer weather and fun….the schooners are as well. I had the pleasure of catching the Ernestina-Morrissey at the Maritime Gloucester dock last week. (**Thanks for the heads up Carol**) She’s a sight for sore eyes.

Finally, the weather was nice enough to allow us a nice day to take our first whale watch of the season with Cape Ann Whale Watch on Main St. The experience is always great starting with plenty of free parking, picking up boarding passes and historical/nature tidbits offered throughout by staff. I had hoped to see feeding behaviors and boy, did that dream come true in a BIG way. We saw humpbacks Sundown, Aerospace, Pox, Music and Iron but Sundown stole the show. Sundown has a distinct pattern of kickfeeding which scientist Tina clearly explained to all of us. Most of these photos are of Sundown and his bird companions hoping to steal a bit. Sundown spent time pretty close to the boat and Capt John did a great job keeping an appropriate distance but whales are unpredictable and we were graced with several viewing opportunities fairly close by. We appreciated the invitation to the wheelhouse to view the activity from that vantage point. If you haven’t been lately, you really should go out there and experience these wonders right off our own coast. Thank you Capt Jim D; Capt John C; Tina, Sara, Michael and Joth. Outstanding. This trip will live in my top 3 ever whale adventures which include Alaska AND Cape Ann Whale Watch! Additional story details and photos at Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook. Check it out! It was challenging to select just these few from the 1600+ images taken so check out the others.

We were delighted to return to Yella on the Water along the boulevard for dinner recently. Ewan and Jackie were our servers and we felt well taken care of. We ordered drinks and contemplated the menu. Iur appetizer was the humus arwarma (out of this world). I have been missing their chicken wings all winter, so I ordered those. Jim got short rib ravioli which he enjoyed every bit of. We also tried the panna cotta for a shared dessert. Just the right way to end the meal! We were fortunate to be able to see Carlo and welcome them back. As always, the food and service were outstanding. See you soon again at Yella!

There is nothing really wrong with the current location of the Sawyer Free Library, but it sure will be nice when the newly reconstructed building opens again on Dale Ave! In the meantime, every time I go into the library, I find something new and delightful. This time it’s the availability of bird watching kits! Nicely done, Sawyer Free!

Memorial Day 2025 finds us anticipating summer fun, but take a moment to remember today. This is GMG Jim along the boulevard on a previous gray Memorial Day (2020)

The Shipyard Tavern in Essex will open for dinners Tuesday May 27. This is a new restaurant from the Synergy Restaurant Group at 74 Main St Essex ( formerly Ripple). Photo by Synergy Restaurant Group.

We noticed some new activity at Lane’s Cove that I presume is due to the reported filming that will be occuring in our area in the weeks ahead. I think it will make a great location for filming! Good luck to cast and crew.

The wisteria around the area caught my attention recently. It’s so striking to find it positioned against our large boulders or along fencelines. The word wisteria evokes whimsy and yet wistfulness. To me, they look a little bit like upside down lupines, which are another favorite of mine. Cheers to the wisteria, though they seem almost at the end of their blooming season.