Author: paultmorrison

Jim Cantore in Rockport!

Posted on by paultmorrison
He was stuck to my front window for just a moment. By the time I got up to take a picture he and his microphone had blown away heading southwest. A few moments later even his prints were gone and back to white on white.
He was stuck to my front window for just a moment. By the time I got up to take a picture he and his microphone had blown away heading southwest. A few moments later even his prints were gone and back to white on white.

Reason #98 Why Rockport Rocks

Posted on by paultmorrison

We get this big dump of snow and John Penaloza has a harebrained idea it would be fun to flip the lights on at Evans Field and go sledding. Jeff Proposki finds the keys to the light pole and done. People bring hotdogs, hot chocolate, kids, and sleds and this is what Evans Field looked like on Sunday night.

Jen Keough backed way up to get 99 people in the shot.

Where's Waldo?
Where’s Waldo?

Facebook group “Rockport Stuff”. If you live in Rockport, definitely worth joining and checking out.

My Book is In?

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My copy of "How to Get Offspring to Shovel Snow Without Resorting to Violence" is in? Awesome!
My copy of “How to Get Offspring to Shovel Snow Without Resorting to Violence” is in? Awesome!

Shaka Brah! No Surfers?

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Perfect tubes wrapping around the point and no surfers? Is everyone home playing Surfer Dude on their X box?
Perfect tubes wrapping around the point and no surfers? Is everyone home playing Surfer Dude on their X box?

Cape Ann Staying in the North East Groove

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01/27/2015 1533 3:33PM Current Conditions

Wind from the North East is on a long fetch across the Gulf of Maine. Even though Cape Ann is to the west of the highest wind velocity the waves roll out of that groove into Cape Ann.
Wind from the North East is on a long fetch across the Gulf of Maine. Even though Cape Ann is to the west of the highest wind velocity the waves roll out of that groove into Cape Ann.

That wind is holding the highest snowfall belt directly over Cape Ann. This belt is static as the low creeps north.
That wind is holding the highest snowfall belt directly over Cape Ann. This belt is static as the low creeps north.

Hight tide at 4:58PM

Low is still south of Long Island

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This low pressure system is still south of Long Island meanwhile the wind is piling the water in from the Gulf of Maine into Rockport Harbor. Hang in there Motif #1. High tide at 5PM
This low pressure system is still south of Long Island meanwhile the wind is piling the water in from the Gulf of Maine into Rockport Harbor. Hang in there Motif #1. High tide at 5PM

Go here to play with cool wind map.

A01 Buoy Off Gloucester: A Bit Breezy

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Wind speed 65 mph, now that is a bit breezy.

Wind gust to 84 mph. That is the highest I’ve ever seen on this buoy.

Wave height climbed to 22 feet and then has been “NA” since 4AM. NA probably means “not applicable” but I have a feeling the indicator crapped its pants.

Water temp 41F at the surface. 41 F all the way down to 50 meters. Well mixed.

The wind is straight out of the north. High tide is at 5PM today. Lock 4WD and I might go see how Motif #1 is handling the waves coming straight in off Sandy Bay.

Stella can’t get out of the house on the lee side with a four foot drift against the door. On the windward side bare grass and she took a leak but poopies are not a possibility when the wind is blowing up her skirt at 65 mph.

A Perfect 10, No Splash

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Barry takes home the gold nailing the entry after a well executed high five while Joey says “OUCH DAMN BARNACLES” eight times.

Firing up the GMG Santa Tracker

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santaradar

Good Morning Gloucester will be firing up the Santa tracking Radar Thingy when Santa is within 500 nautical miles of Cape Ann. Meanwhile, NORAD and Google have far larger Santa Tracking budgets and are currently tracking Santa leaving Kathmandu. Click links below for up-to-the-second plotting of Santa. Santa is currently darting back and forth between India and Russia reaching maximum velocity for the trip. Elves have had to douse him with water several times already to keep him from bursting into flames.

NORAD tracks Santa
Google Santa Tracker

Winter Solstice Tonight at 6:03PM

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Festivus for the Rest of Us, The winter solstice, the day that our ancestors  back at least 50,000 years understood to be the shortest day of the year. A day one needs to do weird stuff in order to convince the sun to turn around and come back. It happens at 6:03 PM Eastern Standard Time tonight.

This is the analemma as seen from the Shores of Cape Ann. Our sunrise tomorrow is that little yellow ball at the bottom of the figure eight. The blue ball marks New Year's Day when we celebrate that the sun really has made the turn so we jump in the harbor.
This is the analemma as seen from the Shores of Cape Ann. Our sunrise tomorrow is that little yellow ball at the bottom of the figure eight. The blue ball marks New Year’s Day when we celebrate that the sun really has made the turn so we jump in the harbor.

Some stuff about New Year’s Eve Plunge. See EJ’s post here.

“The Plunge will take place at noon on New Year’s Day at Oaks Cove Beach (Stevens Lane and Wonson Street) on Rocky Neck.”

1/1/2015 is looking to be a pleasant day in the 40s. A nice North Easter is going to blow a gale on Christmas Day dumping two inches of rain into the harbor so it will be at least a tenth of a degree warmer.   After the Polar Vortex of last year, a nice change. The tide will be ebbing to low at 2:08 PM so plenty of beach to spread the blankets on. My one tip: Low tide means running on sharp tiny rocks and barnacles in the water. Wear some sturdy beach shoes. I go with a nice neoprene booty.  Neoprene usage on any other appendage is illegal and you will not receive your official plunge pin if wearing even a tiny neoprene Speedo. There will be a package check prior to the recitation of the plunge poem. The Rockport Information Booth package checker will be responsible for flagging fouls.

A little old lady does a great job answering all of the questions you might have.
A little old lady does a great job answering all of the questions you might have.

Fred Bodin’s was rockin’ last night

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Who started the rumor that I was going to be dressed as Santa? Must have been asked where my Santa suit was a half dozen times by Santa hat wearers.

Reenacting the New Year's Day Plunge 2013 Gangnam Style. Maybe next week we should do chicken dance?
Reenacting the New Year’s Day Plunge 2013 Gangnam Style. Maybe next week we should do chicken dance?

Santa Visits Rockport Part II

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Part I here <<<.

Santa Warming up his waving by greeting the Homies roosting out on Sandy Bay Ledge.
Santa Warming up his waving by greeting the Homies roosting out on Sandy Bay Ledge.
Hearty souls up on the Headlands.
Hearty souls up on the Rockport Headlands.
First the Tuna Wharf.
First the Tuna Wharf.
Then Bradley Wharf. Surprise! The tide is so low that Santa said no way is he going up that rickety ladder moving on.
Then Bradley Wharf. Surprise! The tide is so low that Santa said no way is he going up that rickety ladder. Moving on to T-Wharf.
Santas helpers. Now here is where it gets weird. Harbormaster Scott Story is alone on the Harbormaster boat. Where did Harbormaster Rosemary Lesch go?
Santa’s helpers. Now here is where it gets weird. Harbormaster Scott Story is alone on the Harbormaster boat. Where did Harbormaster Rosemary Lesch go?
Look at that! Elfen pixie dust or something and she magically appears on the top of the ladder to help Santa.
Look at that! Elfen pixie dust or something and she magically appears on the top of the ladder to help Santa seconds later. There is a rumor that the original Rockport Santa Claus, Harbormaster Shorty Lesch handed down some Santa tricks to his daughter in law.
You had to get an A in Holiday Spirit to get this job.
You had to get an A in Christmas Spirit to get this job.
Carolers really cranking it up. Hey, wait a minute, I saw some of these people at the Photography show over in Magnolia the night before!
Carolers really cranking it up. Hey, wait a minute, I saw some of these people at the Photography show over in Magnolia the night before! Serious Christmas Spirit here.
And Dana-Farber Cancer researcher Marc Vidal holding some adorableness!
And Dana-Farber Cancer researcher Marc Vidal holding some adorableness! Dock Square every year like clockwork.
Did not get name but hilarious photobombing of the carolers.
Did not get name but hilarious photobombing of the carolers.
This crowd just a small fraction of the thousands who braved the weather to greet Santa Claus.
This crowd just a small fraction of the thousands who braved the weather to greet Santa Claus.

OMG, the blog counter tells me that was my 599th post here at Good Morning Gloucester. What to post for number DC? (Hey, I’m a nerd, DC is 600 in Roman numerals.) -Paul Morrison

Santa arrives for the 30th time in Rockport

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santamotif
Santa waves to the throngs crowding around Motif #1.

 

santatuppermotif
Mike Tupper who expertly drove Santa’s ride into the harbor.

 

lowtide
Santa showing a little concern over the height of the slippery ladder.

 

santashelpers
Santa’s helpers who safely got him from the north pole to the dock in Rockport.

 

parade
The parade bringing Santa to the Dock Square tree lighting.

 

organist
Christmas music and carolers to get everyone into the Christmas Spirit.

 

tree
And the switch is thrown. More photos tomorrow.

 

Santa Detected on Radar Heading Towards Rockport!

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Noon Radar has spotted Santa Claus swooping in from the North Pole today. Santa then will transfer to the lobster Boat Freemantle Doctor for the ride into Rockport Harbor
Noon Radar has spotted Santa Claus swooping in from the North Pole today. Santa then will transfer to the lobster Boat Freemantle Doctor for the ride into Rockport Harbor

Santa should arrive escorted by the Rockport Harbormaster vessel as well as Coast Guard Cutter rounding into Rockport Harbor around 3:45PM.

The rotund one then climbs aboard an ancient Rockport Fire Truck for a 100 yard ride to Dock Square where the bearded one will flip the switch on the 2014 Rockport Christmas Tree.

Hot chocolate with marshmallows, cookies, caroling, and other zany things galore in Dock Square for any child who screams, “It’s Santa!, It’s Santa!”

There may be a Good Morning Gloucester reporter onboard the Freemantle Doctor getting an exclusive interview with the actual real Santa Claus. That is unless he wimps out because of a few rain drops.

Rockport is Open Tonight 4-9PM!!!!

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Joey already posted but here are four ladies you can meet tonight if you get yourself down to the east end of this island. Where? Rockport! At night! They will not roll up the sidewalks until 9PM!

Free Stuff! Discounts! Hot women in bikinis!

Window shop these fine bikinis and think of warm days on the beach.
Window shop these fine bikinis and think of warm days on the beach.
Or maybe run into these two ladies window shopping on Dock Square.
Or maybe run into these two ladies window shopping on Dock Square.