Aug. 9 – Gloucester, MA

Gloucester Town Moorings

"The ocean is a central image. It is the symbolism of a great journey." —Enya

We're back onboard after a great week visiting with family in Pennsylvania. We started our day early, very early. We pulled away from the dock at 6:00 and stopped at the fuel dock in New Bedford to take on 160 gallons of diesel. That job takes a little time, but we were heading out of the harbor and into Buzzards Bay by 7:00. We had the current giving us an extra push, which made the long 90 miles a little easier.

We caught the current just right to fly through the Cape Cod Canal this morning. The current changes direction every six hours and can reach a maximum speed of 5.2 MPH, during the receding ebb tide, so it’s not something we want to do on the wrong tide. The canal is an artificial waterway crossing the narrow neck of land that joins Cape Cod to mainland Massachusetts. It connects Cape Cod Bay in the north to Buzzards Bay in the south. Using the canal saves boaters about 135 miles by not having to go around Cape Cod. 

Tonight we are in Gloucester (pronounced Glau'tah). It’s 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. We’ll stay here two nights so we can explore Rockport tomorrow.

The Cape Cod Canal and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy

This beautiful sailboat was fighting the current and not moving very fast

Coming into Gloucester

The Fisherman's Memorial from the water

Gloucester Harbor is a working harbor

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.