So, neither Sue or I have been to Gloucester, MA area and we both have always wanted to go. So, we decided that Sunday June 30th we'd do a Memorial Day Winnie-The-Pooh type of Explore down to Gloucester, MA for the day.

We got up early and hit the road, stopping briefly for coffee and breakfast sandwiches. Because Sue wanted to hit the mid morning sun in Rockport, we went there first, taking the 127A shore road up and winding back down on 127 around noon.

It was well after noon that we got back to Gloucester because we decided that we should also investigate every little cove and side street along the way, and then made a trip into Annisquam on the way. We found a beautiful little cove just past Rockport off Wharf Road, that Sue got some nice shots.

And then, a little further up, we stopped at Pigeon Cove. This was particularly interesting because there is a terrifically unique abandoned Cape Ann Tool Company plant there, sadly decaying away. Most folks would take a shot of the picturesque cove with the working lobster boat fleet, which we did. But only Sue would stop and take a picture of a struggling flower/weed/whatever trying to survive out of a jagged crack in the broken concrete loading area. Then Lanes Cove.... boat launch; breakwater

We spent some time exploring Glocester, had lunch, and then walked up and down both sides of main street, popping in and out of several of the shops that were open.

We headed back home via Rt. 133 and made a long stop in Essex, MA at the Essex Shipbuilding Museum. What an interesting place that is! Have to go back there for sure. We didn't have the hour or so for the full guided tour, but the guide was so great to spend some time with us to explain a lot of stuff before we headed out on a self tour. I could have spent well over 2 hours just wandering around there. So much to see and so much history!

It was getting late by then, so from there, we drove through and took some side roads around the Ipswich, MA area before connecting back onto I95 in Newburyport, MA.

---

This is that beautiful little cove just past Rockport off Wharf Road that we found.

Off the tip of Wharf Road. You can see in the distance how overcast it was threatening to continue to be.

Off the tip of Wharf Road.

The abandoned Cape Ann Tool Company plant on Pigeon Cove.

Looking across Pigeon Cove from the Cape Ann Tool Company.

Cape Ann Tool Company.

Cape Ann Tool Company.

Row boat in Pigeon Cove.

Lobster boat returning to Pigeon Cove.

Trying to survive out of a jagged crack in the broken concrete loading area of the the Cape Ann Tool Company.

We wandered off of 127 and found Lanes Cove to be one of the prettiest spots of the trip. Where you see the flag flying from the right hand end of the breakwater is where I took the next shot of Sue sitting on the rocks from.

Looking back to almost exactly where I had taken the previous shot from at Lanes Cove.

Wandering around on some of the back streets of Gloucester, we stumbled on this nest of Seagull eggs in a private little area by the water. Sue approached very carefully and respectfully, but the mother was some pissed off so we backtracked out of there.

This shot was taken from the Park At Fort Point, just off of Fort Square Road.

Harbor Patrol on the move.

Random shot of this old building on the waterfront. Sue timed it just right, catching the gulls swooping across the water.

The drawbridge to the inner harbor area. The damn thing must really plug traffic up because it seems to go up every 15 minutes and traffic just backs up....

About the size of my old boat, Linnet's Wings, though this is a cat rig whereas mine was a sloop. But, hey: he's on the water and I'm in a car now....

It's been a life-long dream of mine to see the Gloucester Fisherman's Memorial.

Sue got this unique shot at the memorial; just really terrific.

A friendly resident saw us taking shots of each other and offered to take one of both of us. I wanted this view, with the houses in the background, because every other shot I have ever seen of this memorial doesn't. This puts the whole thing in a different context; more personal to the town that lost so many fishermen.

Were it not for Sue's iron memory that I wanted to visit the Essex Shipbuilding Museum and her eagle eye as we wound through Essex, MA I would never have spotted the turn off of Rt. 133 to it. What a let down that would have been! But what a place!

Just outside of the museum building.

This was the gear that was used to bend the ship's planks to form onto the ribs.

We saw this great chart of the evolution of the types of ships built here - the most active shipbuilding yard on the east coast. There is so much history here, you'd just have to come and see it for yourself.

A box of tools that fascinated Sue. And what a great shot!

Sue used a shovel just like this when growing up in Tamworth, NH.

Is this cool stuff, or what?

Nothing was easy in those days....

A little history on one of the boats built here that you'll see in the next picture.

Amazing. Just amazing....

A little explanation for the following picture....

Look at the thickness of planking used!

This guy across from the museum is famous for using the old techniques in building his boats.

Monument at the top of the Essex town ramp.