Author: Pat D

The tides have been pretty high this week with the full harvest moon and Good Harbor Beach wears a high tide very well. The creekside rock was surrounded (that’s GMG Jim watching from the car) and someone is building their version of sand castles near the footbridge. Always an interesting stroll down on Good Harbor Beach!

Sharing information from Maritime Gloucester that Food Truck Tuesday today Sept 13 2022 is cancelled and Maritime Gloucester will close at 4 today. This is weather related. They hope to reschedule Jamaica Mi Hungry for those awaiting it!

Although we are barely past Labor Day and the weather is still warm, something changes in the light or the air or our attitudes when seasons are changing. Fall is approaching but summer isn’t ready to let go. It’s at this time of year that my mother’s birthday falls. Although she has been gone for 20 years now, her birthday is always a day of remembrance. I took some time to myself for a quiet stroll around the grounds at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate knowing it is something my mother would have enjoyed very much. Summer lingers there but autumn is knocking at the door. It’s free admission if you are a Trustees member, so maybe you can take a similar ride soon.

For additional details on this story and more photos, please go to Pat D’s Photos on Facebook.

Here are some updates on the construction progress at the Webster St. School site; the East Main St site formerly Espressos; and along the Back Shore (previously Twin Light Manor/Ocean View Inn and Resort). Lots of hard work being done all over town!

The Massachusetts RMV has announced some changes in the way required vehicle inspections and stickers take place starting November 1 2022 (so, soon…pay attention if you are a procrastinator). If you get your inspection after the due date, the new sticker will reflect the previous month of expiration instead of the current month. So, if your inspection is due by the end of November, but you don’t get the inspection done until December, the new sticker will reflect November and not December. Procrastinators will no longer benefit from the added time previously gained by waiting. These changes are imminent so take note.

In addition, drivers will no longer receive printed inspection reports. This is to save paper. Reports can be viewed online. Further details available here: https://www.mass.gov/news/new-motor-vehicle-inspection-stickers-0

I saw that Fox Creek Tavern on High Street in Ipswich was planning a special tasting event for Chandon Garden Spritz (which is my new favorite sparkling wine) so I went online to make reservations to enjoy the tasting and the music along with our dinner. I was not disappointed! There was a special menu of Garden Spritz drinks (I tried Speed Racer) and half price appetizers. GMG Jim ordered pretzel sticks with cheese dip. Jim’s meal was a Turkey BLT sandwich and I chose the blackened fish tacos (with Gloucester haddock). They offer a salad bar which is unusual around here. We were glad to have made reservations because it got busy during the dinner hour. Madisyn, our server, gets a shout out for taking great care of us.

The Chandon representative at the tasting was friendly and informative. The music was entertaining, though I neglected to take note of the artist (my oversight) so the deck dining was lively. We hadn’t been to Fox Creek Tavern in a while but it’s worth the short ride.

I went down to Cape Ann Whale Watch to book a whale watch later this month (fall is a favorite time for me to go out and you might consider it too) and saw the warning sign that the seas were rolly yesterday. Naturally that meant I needed to go over to Good Harbor Beach to check things out. Rolly seas bring the adventurers out! I was just grateful for another beautiful day at the beach.

My sister visited over Labor Day weekend for her first Schooner Fest experience and it was so much fun showing off the City for the festive weekend. We carefully planned our meals due to the holiday and decided to go to Passports on Main St for dinner. It was a lovely experience being greeted by Christopher and warm popovers. We started with lobster rangoon appetizer on special. I had the Buffalo Chicken wrap, Jim ordered a lobster roll and my sister had chicken stir fry. Quite the variety on the menu to choose from! All the food was fresh and delicious and served in a friendly manner. Despite it being a busy evening, we did not feel rushed in any way. Making reservations well in advance of the holiday weekend was helpful too. Looking forward to returning soon. Maybe we’ll see you there!

Sharing information shared by Gloucester Bites regarding Topside Grill.

It’s been a memorable and glorious summer here in Gloucester. As the signs of autumn are beginning to show, it seems appropriate to share some waning summertime views.

We needed to schedule a late lunch/very early dinner recently so we made an online reservation with Mile Marker One. It’s easy-peasy to schedule the reservation and since it was for a late weekday afternoon, the time slots were generally open. My sister was visiting and this is one of her favorite stops so it was a no brainer. Although hardly any other diners were inside with us, we were given great service. The bubbly sangria was delicious and Paula enjoyed “Mr. Happy”, a perfect summer cocktail. Jim got one of the specials: lobster bruschetta and it was LOADED with lobster. Paula ordered fish and chips which she thoroughly enjoyed. I had the Haddock Reuben which was very filling and tasty. Mile Marker One is a lovely setting with great service and creative menu items. Thanks Mile Marker!

While we were on our recent trip to the Pacific Northwest, Gloucester came to mind several times. We took a ride along the local scenic byway (which I recommend anytime you get the chance anywhere you are) and came upon this bucolic scene that I wanted to share. It’s called the San Juan Islands Scenic Byway and I recommend giving it a shot if you ever find yourself there.

There’s quite a bit of farmland in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island in Washington and it’s quite striking especially in cases where you can see the ocean nearby. Although this wasn’t the case here, I still found the scene worthy to share as a Barn Along the Byway.

Our friends Susan and Leo invited us to sit with them on their boat and watch the schooners return to the harbor after the race. What a great way to get a different view of these beauties, especially in afternoon light! We counted 11 we could name including American Eagle, Tree of Life, Columbia, Ardelle and Fritha. So, if you aren’t tired of schooner photos yet, please enjoy and also go to Pat D’s Photos on Facebook for additional images and details.

I found myself walking around Stage Fort Park late last week and couldn’t help but notice how very QUIET is was. Then I realized students had returned to school! As nice as a peaceful stroll on a beautiful day is for me, I kind of missed the buzz of activity. So, farewell summer and hello fall!

It was a lovely afternoon a few days ago when I went down the the Paint Factory for a look around. Lo and behold, I noticed immediately that the whale tail sculpture had been repaired! Deborah Redmond’s Deep Dive Within is a favorite of mine and I am very happy to see it back again. I was also able to get out on the dock for some views of the area that perhaps you haven’t seen in a while, especially with the wondrous backdrop of sky and clouds.

Yesterday’s Maritime Heritage Day offered 1 hour sails on the Ardelle for only $20 so we decided to take advantage of the opportunity to be out on the water during Schooner Fest. (*Side note: these tickets sold out so it will pay to plan ahead in the future!) We took Keith the Wreath out on the water with us and he was able to meet several of his fans along the way (talking to Susan and Cindy!) He’s a natural on the water.

Following the sail, we took part in several of the available activities as well as manning the merchandise table for a while. Several GMG followers and fans stopped by to say hello, which we very much appreciated. Today’s another great day for Schooner Fest 2022–especially the Parade of Sails at 10 AM. NOT TO BE MISSED!

Maritime Heritage Day has arrived!! Make sure to check out all the activities around town including schooner deck tours at Ocean Alliance (Roseway pictured here); I4C2 and Maritime Gloucester from 10 AM – 4 PM. Other activities include food trucks, free access to the Maritime exhibits and aquariums, family activities and demonstrations. Check out the Schooner Fest facebook page as well as Maritime Gloucester webpage. Stop by the merchandise table this afternoon and say hello!

You may remember back in June, GMG spent several hours at the Bass Rocks Golf course while the Dubin family (Dr. Jon Dubin, Benjamin and Avery) attempted to locate and recover a time capsule that had been buried there since 2010. Although they were unsuccessful on that attempt, the intrepid crew returned to Gloucester in August to give it another go…this time SUCCESS! As much as we wanted to return to Bass Rocks to cover this story, we were on vacation and unable to go. But Dr. Jon Dubin provided us with some details and photos to share as a follow up to the earlier quest.

The Dubins were expecting the birth of Benjamin and visiting Gloucester in the summer of 2010. They buried the time capsule intending to share it with Benjamin when he turned 10. As we all know, COVID interfered with this plan but the family returned to Gloucester as Benjamin is now 11 and his brother Avery is 9 to search for the time capsule. The Bass Rocks staff was very cooperative nd helpful and the well-wrapped time capsule was recovered mid August. Dr. Dubin supplied some photos for me to share. What a neat story!

Schooner Fest 2022 is kicking off down at the Maritime Gloucester docks just about now (5:30-7:30 Thurs Sept 1 2022) with the Schooner Challenge and other activities on the Harbor Loop including music and food! Get down there if you can but don’t miss other fun this weekend. Check out the schedule here. It’s going to be epic and you do not want to miss the fun.

Against the beautiful backdrop of the Schooner Isabella, media and guests were invited to welcome the schooners and crews and get further information about the activities. Speakers included Michael De Koster, Executive Director Maritime Gloucester, Mayor Greg Verga, Discover Gloucester’s Tess McColgan, Chairperson Daisy Nell, Harold Burnham, Bald Eagle crew and Maritime Gloucester historian Justin Demetri. The event was described as “making more history happen” by Mayor Verga. They expect 26-28 vessels to be in our harbors throughout the weekend. Most events are free and widely accessible from harborside so don’t miss it.