Author: Pat D

Frank Neal’s persistence paid off last night as he grabbed the flag after numerous other tries over the years. Over 40 walkers gave the walk their best efforts, Frank being first in the lineup. On the second competitive walk, Frank confidently walked the length and took the flag to the water with him. Tributes were paid to walker Chris Dailey as well as to the crew of the Lily Jean. Spectators were treated to a variety of colorful costumes and techniques and we were glad to see Frank win! Thanks to the organizers and participants for this traditional event which holds so many memories for so many people.

The Stroke Sisters repeated as winners of the Junior Womens Seine Boat Champions with a strong performance at Friday’s Fiesta events. It’s very rewarding to see so many young women participating in this event! Here are a few shots from the winning team. More photos tomorrow.

As the first walker in the second competitive round of Friday’s Greasy Pole contest, Frank Neal decisively grabbed the flag and thrilled the spectators. He then walked back to his neighborhood where he was greeted enthusiastically. Here’s a quick view of the excitement. Great job done by all!

A great race was run by the 3 Womens Seine Boat teams at Friday’s Fiesta events on Pavilion Beach. The race was close most of the way but Salty Oars prevailed in a very close finish with Boats and Barbells. Here are some photos from the finish. More to come tomorrow after I catch my breath from the excitement of the race.

Frank Neal took home the Friday Greasy Pole flag in the second competitive round of over 40 walkers this year. Frank’s numerous attempts finally paid off and he will be walking with champions on Sunday from now on! Walker Chris Dailey was honored by several walkers and the Lily Jean crew was high on everyone’s mind as well. As usual, the spectators were treated to a number of colorful costumes and fancy moves across the pole and into the water. Congratulations to all the participants and organizers for this traditional event holding memories for many.

Congratulations to the organizers (YMCA I’m talking to you), the volunteers (especially first responders) and the community for a wonderful Fiesta 5K for 1800 runners last night. It was an absolute mass of humanity especially along Rogers Street between runners and spectators out on a beautiful night for a run. I was especially impressed with the number of young people out there with friends and family, as well as with the impressive show of support for Chris Dailey. Well done people! Additional photos available at Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook if you are interested.

Love this new addition on Main Street!

Sharing information provided on the Gloucester Police Department Facebook page so you can plan accordingly for traffic later today:

I took a walk down Commercial St. to check out the honors wall. An outstanding job by the committee honoring past champions! Make sure to check it out hen you are at Mom’s Kitchen for your Fiesta treats.

The final novena was held last night followed by a Mass and procession to Beach Court. It had been sprinkling fairly steadily most of the afternoon, but as St. Peter made his way down to the SanFilippo’s the skies brightened and a rainbow appeared! The crowd was undeterred by potential rain as Joe Novello memorialized those Fiesta family members lost in the last year. It was an uplifting evening especially seeing so many young people participating as you see here in the video.

I noticed a new shop opening on Railroad Ave in Rockport so we took a ride to check it out. If I see “vintage” I’m going to stop in! This newly opened shop is chock full of fun stuff and you might want to take the same ride. The owner greeted us in a friendly manner and allowed us to browse in peace (which I much prefer to small talk). They are just getting started but I think they have a good thing going! Best wishes Vintage Cape Ann!

First and foremost, congratulations and a big “Huzzah” to all involved in the organization and execution of the Battle of Gloucester reenactment this past weekend. Special kudos to Michael DeKoster, Ringo Tarr, Emily Tarr, and Shawn McQueeney.

It was another pitch perfect Gloucester day as the final day of the Battle of Gloucester reenactment. Here are some images from our volunteer post at Tablet Rock (well, I wandered away for a bit to get the beach photos). I hope you were able to attend.

Salt Water Grille on Washington St was our stop for Margarita Monday last week. While we were there we had dinner which included one of the steak and rice specials as well as a baked seafood dish. The specials at Salt Water Grille are always worth a look. The margarita was raspberry. Though it didn’t taste very margarita-like, it was tasty and refreshing. The chocolate chip brownie sundae for dessert was the star of the show! We enjoy the atmosphere at Salt Water Grille especially as it is a great place to meet friends for a meal or a drink.

What a fun event at Stage Fort Park this weekend! The Battle of Gloucester reenactment continues today and I think you’re going to want to get down there. It’s a great family activity (free!) for Father’s Day especially if your dad is a military or local history buff. We watched by water in the morning and on land in the afternoon. Here’s some representative photos for you to enjoy. Additional photos will be posted at Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook if you are interested. Happy Father’s Day!

Here are just a few of the images from this morning’s Battle of Gloucester at Cressy Beach. We were aboard the Ardelle which was portraying the Falcon. More to come soon. Come on down today or tomorrow and join the fun. You never know where a redcoat might turn up.

A brief view of the reenactment of Gloucester fighting off the Brits from attacking the shoreline as seen at the Battle of Gloucester this morning aboard the Ardelle.

The gigs looked extra colorful on a pretty afternoon recently.

Sharing information from Cape Ann Guitar Society:

Here’s your notice: there WILL be extra traffic and congestion Saturday and Sunday June 20-21 especially in the area of Stage Fort Park for the Battle of Gloucester re-enactment. Plan accordingly for extra time and patience.

This is my favorite bird tour of the year: Baby Birds! I have been on several bird photography tours with Cynthia Rand (Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cynthia.c.rand) and each has been informative and fruitful. Recently I went out with her again. I don’t know how she does it (it’s hours and hours of research in the field) but each time she introduces me to a new site and I see behaviors I’ve never observed before. The highlight of this tour was the pileated woodpecker nest (not on Cape Ann). The babies have fledged by now and hopefully on to a wonderful bird life. We also saw cygnets, ducks, peregrine falcon chicks, scarlet tanager and towhee. In particular, the towhee posed patiently for us and as soon as our attention was diverted from him, hopped to his nesting area which was behind us. It was as if he was distracting us with his posing in order to protect the nest. Nature is amazing. Thank you Cynthia for another great day! If you are a bird enthusiast or a nature photographer, I suggest reaching out to Cynthia via Facebook messenger to arrange your own tour. Additional photos and story details at Pat D’s Photos and Adventures on Facebook. Check it out here.