Author: Pat D

Ed Sheeran’s music video features Ipswich and Gloucester.

We were delighted to catch the Schooner Thomas E. Lannon returning to its dock. I assume they are prepping for this weekend’s opening for the 2025 season. Welcome back. Get your tickets here.

From David Calvo:

Sharing exciting update from Fished Impressions Facebook page:

Here’s the progress at the Cripple Cove Playground rebuild. The Gloucester DPW and the vendor are working to update this very cool play area on East Main St with amazing water views. It may be done by the time this post publishes. Thank you City of Gloucester! Our family has many fond memories there.

The Schooner Fame has come to Gloucester for a haul out, touch up and general spiffing up. At the time of our visit, she could be found behind Rose’s Marine on Main St. It’s such a joy to see our schooners prepping for the upcoming season!

Once winter is well and truly over, I like to start celebrating Margarita Monday. I usually wait until the “start” of summer in late May, but last Monday was so beautiful I got started early. (It’s a sacrifice I make for the sake of the blog). Margarita Monday for 2025 started at Minglewood Harborside on Rogers St with a house margarita. It’s my favorite go-to regular margarita on the island. When served by our friend Ryan, it’s especially nice. We chose to stay at the bar but it was nice enough to be outside on their deck. I had a steak bomb and Jim had his Monday sushi. We LOVE Margarita Monday at Minglewood!

As we were driving by Buswell Pond on Western Ave recently, I noticed an egret roosting in one of the pine trees. Pretty soon it lifted off, took a little flight around the pond and returned to the pine tree, this time near the top. As the sun was beginning to set behind the roosting egret, I thought it made a striking picture. I hope you agree.

Pat D’s Photos will be at the Gloucester Elks Spring Craft Show from 10-3 Sunday along with many other fine vendors. Stop in to say hello, meet up with friends and browse the talents in our area. The weather forecast moved us inside and we hope you can stop by!

Joey will be there too!

From photographer friend John Abisamra (John Abi on Facebook)

Hi Pat can you post this photo in Good Morning Gloucester with the following “Play Time”…I was doing some landscape photography at Good Harbor Beach when these two young ladies yelled out to me and said” how about photographing us?” I turned around from a distance and saw the one lady climbing on a railing with her arms spread out and a big smile while the other lady held her. I quickly reached for my telephoto lens to capture this completely spontaneous moment. I am primarily a landscape/wildlife photographer but realized this was a special moment. Much of photography for me is all about capturing a moment that may never be repeated. If anyone knows either of these ladies, please contact them as I would like to give them a print. Enjoy!

Our friend Bill Wrinn submitted the following photos and information regarding Snow Bear, a vessel with a small adventurous crew that wintered here at the Cape Ann Marina:

And then they were gone..

We said fare thee well this week to a delightful couple who put their Artic sailing adventure on pause and left footprints and memories all around our community.

Steve Bradley, from the UK, and Sarah Pedersen, from Denmark, left Loch Fyne in Scotland in April 2023 sailing their 40-foot Hallbereg Rassy (Hull No. 52), named Snow Bear, with no final destination in mind. Driven by their passion for photographing polar bears and their love of sailing, the couple crossed the North Atlantic, following the old Viking route to North America. Along the way they made stops in Svalbard, Norway, Ireland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, Newfoundland and the coast of Maine and New Hampshire. In January, they landed at the Cape Ann Marina and had made it their home since.

And they loved it so much they didn’t want to leave.

“It can be a roller coaster ride. You spend a lot of time isolated – just the two of us – sailing rough seas for days and then you land somewhere and are suddenly surrounded by really nice people,” Sarah said. “It can make it very hard to leave. And we’ve really connected with Gloucester and the people. We really love it here. But we must keep going.”

I met them randomly one evening during a snowy, bluesy night at the Rhumb Line and we
quickly became friends. After getting a quick primer on the ins and outs of local living, their
curiosity took them all around Gloucester and Rockport where they tried new things and made new friends.

Steve and Sarah surely made the most of their visit. They joined the Writers Center, took fitness classes, attended local theatre, sampled the restaurants, did the tourist thing, and even got in a late-night round of pool at Pratty’s. (They loved it!). They walked everywhere.

They soon had their favorite spots.

“We loved hammond Castle, the Rocky Neck art colony, Source Bakery, and Dogtown Books
(I’ve never seen so many nautical themed books anywhere) to name a few,” said Steve.

And then there was the local music scene.

“I’ve got to say, the music scene along the coast of Canada and New England is pretty special. And we’ve absolutely loved the Rhumb Line. There are some very talented musicians, but the audiences attending shows around here really bring an energy to the performances,” he said. “In Europe and other places, you mainly hear only ‘chart music,’ or pop. Here, they cover a lot of the progressive, classic rock. In Europe, you just don’t hear them cover the songs they do here. You’d never hear the Grateful Dead.”

Local folk became familiar with the sailors and their friendly personalities. As their time on the island grew, they always seemed to run into somebody they knew. At one point, they were hosting out-of-town visitors.

Providing them a ride back to the boat usually meant staying for more chatter, Danish indie music, and a bit of really good Venezuelan rum – while losing all sense of time. Conversations ran deep and revealed unique and shared perspectives on all sorts of topics – the changing world, relationships, weather forecasting, knitting, and the many uses of black licorice powder. No topic was taboo.

Steve and Sarah’s journey continues, with the ice flows dictating much of the route. Before
heading North, they’re taking a quick trip to New York City where they intend to take a selfie with the Statue of Liberty. From there, they’ll sail down the Maine coast then through the waters around Newfoundland, Greenland, and across the North Atlantic back to Europe where they will chart their next course.

They say there are no current plans to return to Gloucester, but you never know. In the
meantime, you can track their progress and follow their story on facebook and Instagram as
well as on their website, snowbearsailing.com.

Safe journeys, Snow Bears. We will miss you.

• Bill Wrinn

Photos provided by Bill Wrinn:

Welcome visitors to our backyard have returned and they seem very very hungry. We welcome back the hummingbirds and the Baltimore orioles. Such fun to watch. I haven’t seen any photos from Joey’s backyard so I’ll assume he hasn’t even filled his feeder yet.

We went to Rhode Island recently on a day trip (very do-able) and made the Roger Williams Park Zoo one of our stops. We try to visit as many zoos as we can and the reciprocal memberships that are part of New England Zoo membership really pay off. We got tickets at 50% off since we showed our New England Zoo card. It was the middle of April vacation week so the Providence zoo was buzzing with families enjoying a beautiful spring day. As our daughter works for the Erie PA zoo, we keep a special eye out so we can report our observances to her. The Roger Williams Park zoo is very nice: family friendly, lots of clear signage, pathways generous. The living areas of the animals seems very appropriate to allow visitors and animals alike some freedom. Here are some photos. More story details and photos available on Facebook at Pat D’s Photos and Adventures. Give it a follow if interested!

Thank you Joe Higgins and Fished Impressions for this unique opportunity to help the grieving fishing families. We hope to stop in.

We stopped by Lobsta Land on Causeway St for lunch shortly after they reopened for the 2025 season. As always, we were greeted in a friendly manner, seated in the bar area as requested and served by Shawn with efficiency and expertise. The deck was open but I wanted to be inside that day. I tried the Cajun Black and Bleu burger and Jim had the Cuban sandwich. We enjoyed our meals as we observed the “neighborhood” bar atmosphere where everyone seems to know your name. Welcome back Lobsta Land! We’ll return soon.

Tip Top Tulips at Felix’s Family Farm on Lowe’s Lane in Ipswich (behind the DQ) is expected to be at peak this week. We stopped by a few days ago and it was nearing full bloom. As always, the tulip field has a theme. This year the theme is Beauty which is supremely appropriate. As always, it’s a well organized, fun activity for all ages with reasonable pricing. i suggest going in the late afternoon as the sun starts its descent. It was a little overcast then day we visited but still delightful. We make a trip every year and it’s always wonderful.

I am trying to get ahead on my ordering and would like your input on which nightlights you think I should stock up on in my inventory. The cost to me is rising fast and I want to stock up quickly so I can continue charging the same $25 for them as long as possible. So please respond in comments or reach out with your thoughts. Thanks a bunch!

We stopped by Pauline’s Gifts on Essex Ave to welcome her back for another season. As is common, Pauline was chatting with a repeat customer as we entered who was also welcoming her back. The shop is full of cute gift ideas, reasonably priced. Pauline is there to help with suggestions which is helpful because there are so many beautiful items to consider. It was an honor to purchase one of the new Gloucester ornaments to assist with shipping costs for Operation Troop Support for female soldiers deployed overseas. It’s a delightful stop if you’re in the area.

As I expect you know, whale watching is a favorite pasttime of mine so I have been anxiously awaiting the re-opening of our wonderful Cape Ann Whale Watch (Main St) and 7 Seas Whale Watch (Rogers St). While I was waiting for the season to open again, I challenged myself to putting together this mini Lego style model of a humpback whale. I purchased it at Pauline’s Gifts on Essex Ave (also now open for the season). There were over 400 teeny tiny pieces (about 75 leftover at the end of the project). It challenged my patience as you can see here. But I finished it in time to treat myself to a spring whale watch.

We finally got ourselves to the Manchester Historical Association (Union St Manchester) for the Spring Art Show. This weekend is the last weekend for the show so try to get over there if you can. The show features many of the local artists you enjoy including our very own Donna Ardizzoni. It’s free and open today Friday 10-3 and Saturday 11-4. Get there before it’s gone!