My wife Debbie Hird and I found this lion’s mane jellyfish just off Wingaersheek Beach this morning (Sunday) when we got out of our kayaks. In our 25 years here, we’ve never seen one in these waters. Climate change?


My View of Life on the Dock
My wife Debbie Hird and I found this lion’s mane jellyfish just off Wingaersheek Beach this morning (Sunday) when we got out of our kayaks. In our 25 years here, we’ve never seen one in these waters. Climate change?





The Goetemann Artist Residency program, part of Rocky Neck Art Colony, is proud to announce two talks featuring this year’s Environmental Installation Artist Sophy Tuttle.
Although the rest of the Goetemann Artist Residency program for 2020 has been cancelled due to Covid-19, the Environmental Installation Artist, Sophy Tuttle, will be on-site at Ocean Alliance, painting a mural on the repurposed shipping container where Ocean Alliance houses its Robotics Club.

The Meet the Artist Talk, on September 9 at 4 PM will be via Zoom, and introduces Tuttle’s work and plans for her project at Ocean Alliance.
The Project Unveiling Talk will take place at Ocean Alliance (32 Horton Street on Rocky Neck in Gloucester) at 4PM September 29, accommodating visitors wearing masks and socially distancing as necessary—also available via Zoom. Both talks will be recorded.
Information on the Zoom access will be posted on the Rocky Neck Art Colony website (https://rockyneckartcolony.org/residency/) and the Goetemann Artist Residency blog (https://garesidency.art/).
Sophy Tuttle is a visual artist born in Colchester, England. She received her BFA in Illustration from Rhode Island School of Design in 2008 and MFA in Interdisciplinary Art from the University of Hartford Art School in 2019. She currently resides in Massachusetts.
“My paintings and installations examine humanity’s collective priorities for the planet. I draw upon disparate inspirations such as the aesthetic and methodology of the natural sciences or the compositional strategies of the Mexican muralismo movement.
“I always begin with a certain genre of questioning. For example, we have relied on the idea of Aristotle’s hierarchy of species to place ourselves above all others in every decision we make. What would it look like if we inverted this hierarchy? In this vein, each piece that I produce is a catalyst for conversation, collaboration and activism.”
Celebrating its 16th year in 2020, this prestigious residency at Rocky Neck Art Colony provides each of four visual artists and one environmental installation artist with a four-week stay in a live-work studio with access to the rich cultural community of Gloucester, MA. The program was renamed to honor its founder, Gordon Goetemann, in 2010. Find out more about the program at https://rockyneckartcolony.org/residency/.
Protecting whales and their environment since 1971, Ocean Alliance is a global leader in research and education related to the conservation of whales and the ocean. Find out more at www.whale.org. Ocean Alliance is located at the former Tarr & Wonson Paint Factory, 32 Horton Street, Gloucester.
The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck is currently closed due to the Covid epidemic. For information about current virtual as well as future events and programs at Rocky Neck Art Colony, visit the website at www.rockyneckartcolony.org, email director@rockyneckartcolony.org or call 978 515-7004.
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The Cultural Center at Rocky Neck, 6 Wonson Street, Gloucester MA, is the official Welcome Center for Rocky Neck and home of the Art Colony. The Center hosts exhibitions, workshops, meetings, lectures and cultural events of all kinds and can accommodate up to 100 people. For information about renting the facility for a meeting, theatrical or musical performance, a small wedding or anniversary, both private or for the community, please contact: director@rockyneckartcolony.org
38 South St, Rockport, MA 01966
wwwseaviewfarmrockport.com




Mayor Sefatia Romeo Theken, City Council President Steven LeBlanc Jr, and City Clerk Joanne M. Senos today announced that the City Clerk’s Office will be available by appointment only Wednesday, August 19 through Friday, September 4 for all business not related to early voting or the September 1 primary election.
Walk-in service will not be available during this time. To schedule an appointment with the City Clerk’s Office for services including but not limited to marriage licenses, birth certificates, death certificates, dog licenses, etc. please call 978-281-9720.
The City Clerk’s Office will be fully staffed during this time but will be all hands on deck processing the vote by mail ballots, absentee ballots and preparing for, staffing and managing early voting and the September 1 primary election.
We apologize for any inconvenience this temporary change in operation may cause. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!
The Gloucester Beaches Facebook page shares the following:


The beautiful oranges, greens, blues, and the shiny black shells of the mussels and barnacles on the rocks made for some pretty photos.












We decided to stop at the Topside for dinner recently. I sort of felt like having “bar food” and Jim wanted a proper dinner. Topside Grill on Rogers Street is a good choice in these circumstances. We ate indoors, downstairs where tables are sufficiently separated to maintain social distancing. It’s a cozy, friendly atmosphere and I enjoyed a cheeseburger while Jim had cod. His grilled vegetables looked wonderful! Thanks, Topside. See you again soon.



I know it’s August but I know how you like to be one step ahead of everyone.

photo credit @ JasonRomano


WHEN: Tuesday, August 18, 2020, 6:00 pm
WHERE: Virtual Event
TICKETS: FREE
Radio Boston host Tiziana Dearing will moderate a forum with Democratic candidates running for the Congressional seat in the sixth district.
All three candidates (Jaimie Belsito, Angus McQuilken, and Seth Moulton) will attend.
Event sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts and the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus Educational Fund.

This was back in 2011 when these Bhuddist monks would come to Gloucester to buy 500 lobsters and release them back to the ocean symbolic for good karma.
This is the post from 2011:
To make clear the following is only satire and I’ll take responsibility for people not from Gloucester or the the waterfront misunderstanding.
I was wrong to assume that because I predominantly write our hyperlocal blog for our Cape Ann residents that people would understand how preposterous the notion that you could have time to move all the lobster gear even if they knew where the lobsters were released and to set it and for those lobsters which were probably miles away from that location would ever get caught.
What I am happy for is that the releasing of the lobster story which would have been a simple story largely forgotten by now has gotten huge legs and all the positives of Buddhism are highlighted. For that I am grateful.
Receiving the coordinates of where the lobsters were released by Buddhist monks, the boys went out yesterday and hauled the lobster traps they set all over that ocean bottom and caught exactly 534 lobsters, the precise number the monks released.
