We went up the coast not too far to Cape Ann Massachusetts. Cape Ann is the knob of land that juts out into the Bay of Maine just north of Boston and Cape Cod. It includes Gloucester, which is well known for its fishing industry (as depicted in the film Perfect Storm); and Rockport, which is a little seaside village with a kitschy little downtown full of art galleries, candy stores, seafood restaurants, ice cream shops, etc., all crammed into tiny old beach cottages stuck on a little strip of land called Bearskin Neck.
We branched out and spent a day in Salem at The House of the Seven Gables, the Salem Wax Museum, a great Mexican food restaurant called Howling Wolf Taqueria, and the oldest candy company in America.
We spent an afternoon in Boston visiting the Greenway, the Old State House, Quincy Market and Faneuil Hall, and an Irish sports bar.
A couple of days in Gloucester doing a whale watch (one of the highlights of the trip!); eating lots of seafood (including octopus at an Azorean Restaurant… very good...), had fish tacos at the Cape Ann Brewery, and surf and turf (with stuffed shrimp) at the Top Side Grill.
Our last night in Rockport we watched a nice fireworks display down on the beach.
Just a few of the pics follow… sorry for the dirty lens.
Fishing boats returning to Gloucester.
Humpback whale fluke. This is probably either North Star or Hippocampus, but could also be Tunguska (they give the whales names that describe unique markings on their flukes). We also saw a Minke whale in transit.
The whales and fishermen are both attracted to the Stellwagen Bank, a relatively shallow area in the Bay of Maine where nutrients are forced from the seabed by the ocean currents up the outside walls of the bank. These nutrients feed plankton, smaller fish and on up the food chain.
The view of Rockport Harbor near Motif #1 from 7th Wave Restaurant (curried shrimp with coconut rice and mango chutney).
The front side of Bearskin Neck.
Bearskin Neck.
The Amtrak from Rockport to Boston’s North Station.
Zakim Bridge, Charles River, Boston.
I took a few architectural shots, including this one that reminded me of the old firehouse in the Ghostbusters movie.
The gold dome of Faneuil Hall seen nestled in the Boston skyline from The Greenway.
The Old State House. This balcony is where Boston’s copy of the Declaration of Independence was first read to the people of Boston. About where I was standing when I took this picture, was the scene of the Boston Massacre.
Back in Gloucester, Man At The Wheel fisherman's memorial.
Half Moon Beach at Stage Fort Park, Gloucester.
Looking back at the waterfront in Gloucester from the ramparts of Stage Fort.
Hope you have enjoyed!
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