Our littlest Piping Plover is on its way to Tufts with Catherine and her sons George and Charles.
Photo: Jodi Swenson, Cape Ann Wildlife. Jodi is Cape Ann’s resident bird rescue expert.
Mile 21 Reunion Show To Help Support The Heyer Family At Minglewood Tavern Sunday July 9th
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Phyllis A. in Repair
Check out the Phyllis A. Marine Association to see events and how you can help.
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Gloucester Smiles-Entertaining Friends from Out of State
Gloucester Smiles Entertain friends from out of state
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Shuttle Smiles-15
Gloucester Smiles at Farmer’s Market
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Summer nights
Nothing like summer nights on Cape Ann. Enjoying every one!
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BREAKING: TWO CHICKS CELEBRATING TWO WEEK MILESTONE, ONE CHICK HANGING ON BY A THREAD
Mama and the two fourteen-day-old chicks this morning at daybreak.
Two of our three Piping Plover chicks are doing beautifully, the third however is hanging on for dear life. The littlest chick was found limp and helpless by beach goers, on the dune edge near the creek. The chick was placed in the wire enclosure where Catherine Ryan and I found it at around nine pm. Jodi Swenson from Cape Ann Wildlife arrived shortly thereafter. She immediately tucked the chick into her shirt and has been keeping the chick in a warming nest. Jodi reports that the chick’s eye is swollen and that it is having neurological problems. More information to follow.
Little Chick’s right eye is very swollen.
Jodi’s snapshot from last night.
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Nichole’s Picks 7/8 + 7/9
Pick #1: Thursday Night Concert Picnic Series at Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
We’re celebrating 21 years of Picnic Concerts and we want you to be a part of the fun! Bring a picnic supper, explore the grounds, dance on the lawn, and experience some of the region’s best bands.
Tickets available at the gate only. Gates open at 5PM for picnicking. Concerts start at 7PM and end at 9PM. A weather decision, if necessary, will be announced on this page, by 3PM on the day of the concert.
Concerts start at 7PM and end at 9PM. Gates open at 5PM for picnicking.
Members: $20/car.
Nonmembers: $30/car.
Walk-in, bicycle, & motorcycle: $10.
Tickets available at the gate only.
Pick #2: 2nd Saturdays Free at Cape Ann Museum
The second Saturday of every month is free from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for families with school-aged children. Families are invited to the Activity Center to participate in hands-on activities that delve into the art, history and culture of the region. Each Second Saturday focuses on a specific theme based on the Museum’s collection and/or special exhibitions.
This Saturday is CAM Kids Favorite Flowers, Saturday 10:00-12:00. Register ahead of time.
Paint along with watercolor artist Marion Hall in the Museum Courtyard (weather permitting; in case of rain the program will be moved inside to the Museum’s Activity Center) to learn the basics of watercolor painting. Using good quality artist materials, participants will create a small painting of a fresh flower or plant of their choice. Hall will give painting demonstrations and will teach participants ways to experiment with color combinations and painting techniques. This is a drop-in program and parents are invited to participate as well! This free family program is generously sponsored by David and Lisa Rich. To make a reservation please call (978)283-0455 x10 or email courtneyrichardson@capeannmuseum.org.
Marion Hall is an award-winning watercolorist whose paintings feature seascapes, landscapes, and wildlife from Cape Ann, Florida, England and France. She has exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the north shore of Massachusetts and beyond. Marion is a Cape Ann Museum docent and an Artist Member of the Rockport Art Association and the North Shore Arts Association.
Pick #3: Boston’s PIZZA Festival
Jul 8, 2017 at 11:00 am to Jul 9, 2017 at 10:00 pm
City Hall Plaza, Boston, MA
Boston Pizza Festival is a 2-day outdoor festival featuring live music, food and giveaways. Local and international vendors in the food industry will be there. Each pizza vendor will be selling their own product. Giving attendee’s the unique opportunity to try pizza from all over. Vendors will have a chance to enter and win “Boston Pizza Festival Pizza Champion” contest.
BUY TICKETS AND LEARN MORE HERE!
As always, for a comprehensive list of family activities, please visit our friends at North Shore Kid.
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The Mighty F/V Trapper John Heads Out Lobstering After Baiting Up. #GloucesterMA #commercialfishing #lobsterboat
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Maritime Saturday
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GOOD HARBOR BEACH PIPING PLOVERS DAY THIRTEEN
Thirteen-day-old Piping Plover Chicks
Foraging for tiny crustaceans at the high water line.
This morning at 5am found all three adorable balls of fluff zig zagging in and out of their roped off area. All was going well and I had planned to leave at 6:30 for work when the beach rake arrived on the scene. At the very moment the roaring rake was passing in front of the roped off safety area, the chicks decided to head to the water. It was harrowing trying to herd the chicks back up towards the wrack zone and at one point I lost sight of one. The rake passed twice in front of the sanctuary and both times the chicks were in extreme, extreme danger. The beach rake driver is super conscientious and stopped for Papa Plover when he ran in front of the rake, but not in a million years would a chick have been seen. I think eventually the chicks will learn to run in the opposite direction of the giant noise-making machine, but at this stage of development, they are running directly towards the beach rake. Additionally, while the rake drama was unfolding, half a dozen gulls flew in. I don’t know if they were there to check on what was tumbled up by the beach rake, or if they knew the babies were vulnerable as both parents were trying to herd the chicks away from the rake.
After writing this post, the next order of business is emailing Dave from Greenbelt and our conservation agent Ken Whittaker about the beach rake. I sincerely hope it can be redirected to stay on either side of the safety zone, traveling behind the beach through the parking lot road to clean both sides, but completely avoiding the area the PiPls are using as their morning and night time sanctuary.
Compare the photo on the left of a one-day-old chick and the photo on the right of the thirteen-day-old chick.
Despite their growing size, warmth and cuddles are still needed from Papa and Mama.
One of my favorite images, I think I’ll call this photo OctoPop.
Thirteen-day-old Piping Plover chick looking mighty confident.
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HUGE SHOUT OUT TO WICKED TUNA’S CAPTAIN DAVE AND NANCY MARCIANO
After yesterday taking a group of 70 veterans and their invited guests on a fishing trip aboard Captain Tom Orrell’s Yankee Freedom, Captain Dave and Nancy went fishing today with a ship full of local fishermen and fans.
No greater fan than Michael, who was waiting far ahead of the scheduled departure for an autograph from Captain Dave. Autograph in hand, just look at that ear to ear grin!
You can read more about Captain Dave’s efforts on behalf of Wounded Warriors in a previous post: Wounded Warriors with Captain Dave and Nancy Marciano Aboard the Yankee Fleet Celebrate Fourth of July 
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The Greatest Natural Spectacle on Earth was in Rockport Last Night
I’ve lived in Gloucester since the early 1980s (except 1995-1998, when I lived in CA and NYC) and Vickie has lived here since 1998 … and guess what, neither of us had ever been to the Rockport Bonfire? Why? Oh, lots of reasons; but none of them is reasonable — not after what we witnessed last night!
Kevin St. Peter, who chairs the Rockport Firemen’s Association, asked us to be judges in the Rockport Firemen’s Parade and we accepted. Having produced and promoted hundreds of shows & events, Vickie and I keenly appreciate just how much work it takes to pull off an event of this magnitude and, honestly, it was a true pleasure not having to deal with all the details. Kevin did that. And he dealt with all the crazy-last-minute emergencies that always pop during any large-scale event. Plus he took great care to make sure all the judges got where we were supposed to go and knew what they were supposed to do — because we had no idea.
More importantly, we had absolutely no idea what we’ve been missing all these decades. The breathtaking power and splendor of Rockport’s giant bonfire tore its way into our psyches; seized every ounce of our attention. What struck me at first was how hot it was — those of us in front had to move back as the flames engulfed the outhouse atop the mountain of fiery palates. Turning around I noticed the crowd of several thousand people all stood transfixed — and very quiet. So quiet, in fact, that the blaze was the loudest sound you could hear — and it wasn’t nearly as loud as the band at the bandstand had been a few minutes earlier.
Then I realized just how bright it was. That’s when I took the picture, above. Notice how well everyone is lit — and it’s pitch black outside. No streetlights. Just the bonfire. It’s brighter than Times Square. (See Nicole’s awesome photo of the bonfire itself here.)
Fire has a magical power to captivate us in a way nothing else can. I certainly hope this Rockport tradition lives on forever. Thanks to Kevin St. Peter for throwing a giant party for thousands of people featuring one of the greatest natural spectacles our Earth has to offer — and making it feel as though everything is running perfectly smoothly!
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Ocean is warm enough to swim – went from 61 to 65 degrees in one day
Never fails to amaze me how that can happen so quickly!
CAPE ANN SUP is renting paddle boards at Cape Ann Motor Inn Long Beach and Beauport Hotel Pavilion Beach. It’s a great day to try it out, but be warned. We did that last year and bought a couple of kypads because of Dominic!
Save the Date August 12 and check out Cape Ann SupahBowl
We’re looking forward to the First Annual Cape Ann SUPAHBOWL on site at Beauport Hotel.
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Downtown Crossing
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Half Off Menu At The Rudder Tonight July 5th, 2017
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Half off sushi at the Studio today July 5th,2017
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Loving Life
This sums up our 9 days with the greatest gifts.
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Fishing Partnership tribute to Angela Sanfilippo
Clay Sign Service installing a monumental and beautiful tribute ‘THE SEA IS A VITAL RESOURCE. SO IS SHE.’ on the back of 189 Main Street (above Wisdom’s Heart and the police station parking lot)
More honors planned for Angela Sanfilippo: see Gloucester Daily Times article about two big upcoming events: Sea to Supper at Mile Marker One on August 24th and the Fishing Partnership 20th Anniversary Gala at the Boston Fish Pier in September.
HarborWalk Fishermens Wives marker
Good Morning Gloucester 