My View of Life on the Dock
Last day of January 2021 was a sunny one, cold enough for ponds and craggy coast puddles to freeze over.
photo caption- few scenes from Long Beach, Stage Fort Park, Buswell Pond, Fernwood Lake, Days Pond. No action at Le page
As the sun came out on Saturday the ocean, waves and clouds showed their beauty.
Views from Long Beach, Rockport & Gloucester, Mass. January 16, 2021
One of nature’s ocean fountain water shows was on exhibition today as walls of waves slammed the seawall then smashed into incoming surf.
The suite of windy ocean spray waltzes are infinite and varied.
of course I failed to convey the beauty and instance of a plume line but I tried 🙂
pinch and zoom or click through to enlarge photos- Light splash over along the walkway, sole surfer, wave watchers, and a few dog walkers.
Winter surfing, Long Beach, January 5, 2021
Whether the weather be cold or whether the weather be hot, they weather the weather, whatever the weather (and they like it a lot!)
On a cold December afternoon at Long Beach. What a great afternoon for a walk at Long Beach. Cape Ann Motor Inn certainly has a beautiful view.
November 2020
Surfers and resting shorebirds making the most of Long Beach
Walk around or pause if you can. We’re lucky to have tiny shorebirds visit beaches during fall migration.
Deborah Cramer describes impact of shorebird disturbances (specifically to red knots)
Deborah Cramer The Narrow Edge
photo below: Sanderlings, semipalmated plovers and semipalmated sandpipers dashing along Long Beach 9/22/2020. Dogs rushing at the birds flush them 100%. Wider smile path with your pet can really help. Ditto looking ahead before tossing a ball inadvertently in the direction of a flock. They’re hard to see. If you spot them and have time, pause to enjoy the tiny touch down marvels. The increase August-October is migration.
The Long Beach walkway was dry this morning: Storm Teddy did not surge up and over the seawall. Light debris was deposited on nearly spotless Long Beach. Beautiful rollers were distant as the tide was heading out.
photos 9/23/2020- click to enlarge to full size
Spotted less than ten shorebirds, three species. These tiny birds are migrating from the arctic and landing to rest and refuel. Give them space if you see them! The few I spotted were flushed off.
A smile path helps wildlife. Walk around (or pause if you have the time)
Shorebird visitors hanging out together today (sanderlings, semipalmated sandpipers and semipalmated plovs). Easy to add a smile path when you spot them.
Below L-R: Sanderlings, semipalmated sandpipers, and semipalmated plover visiting 2020
Scenes of waves from Storm Teddy yesterday 9/22/2020 here
p.s. Tree Swallows are active at Good Harbor Beach
Which beach for you?
Grey skies, great surf and a happy rainy day on Long Beach. The umbrella choreography put a smile on everyone’s face today.
Covid-19 and summer brought an old post to mind. Reposting summer 2020; First published in July 2016.
Are you up for a Gloucester beaches challenge?
A mid-week vacation day is the easiest. Oh, and you’ll need your resident beach sticker. We prepped our car with a picnic blanket for the seat, extra towels, and ice waters. Start early and grab a big “lobsterjack” breakfast because you’ll need the fuel. End late.
Let’s establish some base rules here.
First off, you need to spend at least 15 minutes at each beach. (You can tweak this a little if you want.) Next, you need to dive under. We suggest a ritual for each beach, e.g. ‘The Five and Dive’. Finally, you have to stop for ice cream and candy. Remember, you can do these beaches (or others or quarries in Gloucester) and jumps in any order. Be flexible for different ages and unexpected delays like staying at one beach for hours, or a friend asking you to drop off a sub (*cough* Joey *cough*). Most importantly, you have to do at least 13 beaches and 2 jumps in one day. Mind the tides. Be grateful we have so many choices.
alphabetical order
Annisquam lighthouse. Coffin’s beach. Good Harbor beach. Long beach. Magnolia beach. Niles beach. Pavilion beach (by Beach Court). Pavilion beach bonus (by the cut). Plum Cove beach. Rocky Neck Oakes Cove beach. Stage Fort Park (1) – Cressy’s beach ( our alt. title ‘sea serpent’ big beach). Stage Fort Park (2) – Half Moon beach. Wheeler’s Point. Wingaersheek beach.
Annisquam bridge. Magnolia Pier.
*We did this challenge at least once each summer. (In 2016) we started off with breakfast at Willow’s Rest and continued from there. Our timing was random especially as we spent hours at Wingaersheek. The second meal to get us through the day came from the sandwich counter at Annie’s by Wingaersheek. Yes, they have a sandwich counter.
Gloucester Beaches sandwich directory
What movie would you play?
Scenes from a beautiful summer evening on Long Beach July 21, 2020.
Local businesses adjust to Covid-19 reopening “new” normal.
Surfside Subs and pizza shop one way routes and sanitized pens and on point pizza box placard
views from both the Rockport and Gloucester ends at about high noon (tide heading out)
Cape Ann SUP is set up renting paddle boards and lessons at Long Beach by the Cape Ann Motor Inn, and the Cow Mobile Ice Cream Truck. Dominic is too modest to mention but we know that he keeps an eye out there beyond his clients and has rescued swimmers. The rip tide sign reflects the corner of the cove. There was a rescue covered in the Gloucester Daily Times this week, “Friends pull 5 from riptide“. Afterwards a lifeguard chair has been relocated closer to this side and a new sign added at the entrance.
about 11 and again at 4pm
