Author: Pat D

Came across these familiar sights at the Marine Railways on Rocky Neck during a recent stroll:

National Cinema Day is this Sunday Aug 27. Many theaters nationwide are only charging $4 for tickets that day to celebrate BUT our very own Gloucester Cinema on Essex Ave has decided to stick with last year’s price of only $3! What a deal! Thank you! Go to this link to check out the movies and the times available. Www.gloucestercinema.com

Sharing an update regarding the Stage Fort Park cannons from the Gloucester Marine Railways Facebook page. Several people have asked about the status of the cannons so here you go! Thanks Dave for the restoration work!

GMG Jim and I plan to be on the Lady Sea tonight to support the GHS students planning to go to Spain next spring. Aug 24 is my grandfather’s birthday and he always called it “Be Kind to Francis Day” (as his name was Francis though no one called him that). In the time since he passed, I have tried to honor his memory by spoiling loved ones on that day. Since someone I love plans to go on the GHS trip to Spain, we are supporting the trip by taking this sail. Perhaps you will be able to join us or perhaps you can do something special for someone you love today too.

The Madfish Wharf on Rocky Neck is a fun little stroll. It was too early for shops to be open while I was there but there’s still quite a lot to look at. Kudos to those doing the promo work.

While we were at the Yankee Clipper Inn having a drink on Sunday, we watched this beauty make its way into the Rockport Harbor and anchor. I found Columbia listed on the Marine Traffic app and have been told its on a charter. We drove around the harbor to catch this gorgeous schooner from a couple of different angles. We hope to see her for a bit in Gloucester Harbor soon for the Schooner Festival.

Did you know the Yankee Clipper Inn has bar service on the summer weekends? We stopped by yesterday to check it out. It’s a very lovely setting with grounds to explore outside and intriguing history inside. Paolo graciously served our drinks and delivered our shrimp ceviche to our outdoor patio seating. Paolo recommended the ceviche and did not lead us wrong. I had the frozen strawberry daquiri which was delightfully full of strawberry flavor! The bar is open Fri-Sat-Sun and you can get more info on their Facebook page link here. BUT these are currently only summer hours and is scheduled to end in just a few weeks, so you should get yourself there ASAP. Very relaxing and a perfect way to spend a weekend afternoon.

Some of us have been awaiting this announcement from Vita Bella, formerly Windward Grille. Sharing information from their Facebook page:

We were delighted to find the schooner Bowdoin in our harbor yesterday. The Official Vessel of the State of Maine was apparently on one of its summer missions as the flagship of Maine Maritime Academy’s Vessel Operations and Technology program. Regardless of the reason, it was a delightful sight! For more information on schooner Bowdoin, click here.

Come on down to Lexington Ave for some Block Party fun! Stop by Pat D’s Photos and say hello. Photo credit Bill Bartlett! Nice to see you guys!

The annual Fish Box Derby is coming up soon (Sun Sept 17) and here’s an update from their Facebook page. This event is held along Rogers St near Gortons every year and is super fun but the pre-race inspections are coming right up Sunday Aug 27.

In an earlier post, I noted that I ran all over town chasing sunset last night and these are some examples of how the skies changed so quickly from one part of town to another. These were all within about 30 minutes of each other.

Sharing information from Seaside Sustainability regarding the Coastal Cleanup originally planned for Sun Aug 19. For further info click here.

Pat D’s Photos has a couple of new images available for your consideration and they will be showcased at tomorrow’s Block Party on Lexington Ave in Magnolia from 5-9 PM. I am especially pleased to present Marina Night Lights currently available as an 11 x 14 print ($50) but also can be made in other sizes such as requested. This was taken on a summer evening at Cape Ann Marina.

Believe it or not, it’s time to start thinking about the holidays so we are getting geared up for that as well. These Lobster Trap Tree notecards will be our featured holiday card this year and they will be available on an EARLY BIRD discount 10/$25 in Magnolia tomorrow during the Block Party. Other notecards also available so check them all out. See you on Lexington!

I chased the sunset all across town last night and found some real sky drama closest to home right along the river side of the cut bridge. What a wonderful surprise!

Pat D’s Photos hopes to see you on Lexington Ave this Saturday Aug 19 from 5-9 PM for the last of the summer Lexington Ave block parties! Here are some of the images that are available. Stop by and say hello. Lots of fun and entertainment coming your way!

We are entertaining family this week and needed to find some appropriate activities for children on a rainy day. What better place to go than Maritime Gloucester on the Harbor Loop? Of course, we were far from the only families with the same idea, but the staff accommodated everyone with grace and efficiency. AND the children had a great time! If you haven’t been there lately, it’s past time to check it out maybe before school starts up again.

Cape Ann Light Station Thacher Island is a National Historic Landmark and I highly recommend a visit. Tickets for launch reservations are available on their website (click here for info) and it’s a very pleasant way to spend a few hours on a nice day. Jim had never been out there and it had been a while for me, so off we went a few days ago. It’s run entirely by volunteers who couldn’t have been more pleasant, even after we delayed departure due to our lack of attention to details like the launch location (now Rockport Granite Pier). I recommend wearing boots or sturdy footwear as the paths are a little uneven, but mostly due to bird poop. Jim climbed the 156 steps to the top of North Tower and wanted a photo as proof, so here you go.

From across town, I noticed that both the Ardelle and the Isabella had their sails up while docked behind Maritime Gloucester on Harbor Loop, so I went directly to capture the moments. I didn’t need a real excuse to go down there, it’s one of my favorites. The area was being prepared for the Annisquam Village Player production of “Gloucester Story” for the celebration of Gloucester 400+. Anyhow, it made me smile and perhaps you will do the same.

The elimination races for the upcoming International Dory Race in Lunenberg Nova Scotia were held Saturday under nearly perfect conditions to determine which teams would represent the United States in the August 26 race. Congratulations to all who participated and especially those who will represent our area in Lunenberg. These include Open class racers Sam and Peter Taormina; Women racers Ashley Smith and Alexis Novello; Over 50 Men Erik Dombroski and Joe Sanfilippo; Mixed team Jerry Ciaramitaro and Caityln Ciaramitaro; Junior Men Cole Edmunds and Nick N. Also participating at an exhibition level (in hopes of adding two new categories) will be Junior Women Sienna Mercaldi and Eden MacDonald along with Over 50 Women Linda Geary and Elin Af Klinteberg. Special thanks once again to Sara Gray (who seems to be everywhere there is an event) and Billy who guided us in learning a bit about this whole operation. There are a host of other helpers and volunteers including Billy of the Dockmaster’s Office who was helpful and friendly. On to Lunenberg! Best wishes to all the teams!

More than my usual number of photos follows and many of them were taken by GMG Jim who did a great job with the assist.