Aug. 11 - Gloucester, MA

Gloucester Harbor - Anchorage

What a perfect day to be on the water...we couldn't have asked for a prettier day. We started it off by having fresh muffins and coffee at the Beach Pea Bakery, located just a short bike ride from the marina. Stan had a few things he wanted to check on the boat, so I decided to do a little more exploring in Portsmouth. There are so many historic buildings...the town looks just like you would expect a New England town to look like...right out of a movie or painting. The marina provides a nice breakfast on the patio on Sunday mornings...so we had a second breakfast as we visited with other boaters. Badger Island Marina East is a small very nice marina, one of the best we've seen. We had extra time this morning to enjoy hanging out because we were waiting for slack tide before we pulled away from the dock. The current in this river is crazy! 

We had a great cruise to Gloucester (pronounced Glau'tah). We went through the Blyman Cut that goes through the Annisquam River. It saved us quite a bit of time over going around the point. What a beautiful area, the water was crystal clear and obviously a very popular spot for local boaters. Several pretty sand beaches were along the entrance to the river and boats were rafted up everywhere. 

Gloucester is located at the southern end of the Annisquam River on Gloucester Harbor. The town was founded in 1623 and claims to be America's oldest seaport. The town was an important shipbuilding center, and the first schooner was reputedly built there in 1713. The community developed into an important fishing port, largely due to its proximity to Georges Bank and other fishing banks off the east coast of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Gloucester's most famous (and nationally recognized) seafood business was founded in 1849, Gorton's of Gloucester. The iconic image of the "Gorton's Fisherman", and the products he represents, are known throughout the country. Besides catching and processing seafood, Gloucester is also a center for fish research.

The Fishermen’s Memorial sits overlooking Gloucester Harbor. The statue is a tribute to the 10,000 Gloucester fishermen who have lost their lives at sea over the centuries. The names of each of the known lost are listed at the memorial and unfortunately new names are still being added.  

Gloucester is also the location of Sebastian Junger’s The Perfect Storm. Taken from actual events that happened here in 1991. 

Looking towards Portsmouth from the Memorial Bridge

North Church in Portsmouth - The clock tower was built in 1749

Oracle House - One of the oldest houses in New England was built in 1702

Sunday boaters in the Annisquam River

Some of the homes along the Annisquam River were very small....

And some were very big

Entering the inner harbor in Gloucester

The inscription is taken from Psalm 107, verse 23, line 24, which reads as follows: "They that go down to the sea in ships, That do business in great waters; These see the works of the Lord, And his wonders in the deep."

This is a statue of Fitz Hugh Lane, famed artist from Gloucester, sitting on a hill where his home was overlooking the harbor...sketching intently forevermore.