Favorite wave photo from today. If only all hurricanes could be this splendid and non-destructive (hopefully other communities managed as well as did Gloucester).
MAGNIFICENT #HURRICANELEE WAVES!
2 Replies
POUNDING SURF AND A RAINBOW SUNSET, WHAT WILL #HURICANELEE BRING TOMORROW?
Waves, wind, and a beautiful sunset –
Mother Ann awash in waves today
PLOVER T-SHIRTS ARE SELLING OUT AT ALEXANDRA’S BREAD!
A huge shout out and many, many thanks to Jon and Alexandra for distributing our Plover tees and stickers. Yesterday I dropped off the last few from the initial order and am placing a re-order with Seaside Graphics today!
Jon shares that customers are loving the positivity of the stickers and tees. Thank you community for supporting our Cape Ann Piping Plovers <3
Tees and stickers are available for sale at our wonderful local bakery and home goods shop, Alexandra’s Bread, located at 265 Main Street in Gloucester.
There are several ways in which readers can help support our forthcoming documentary, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay. Approximately $12.00 per each T-shirt goes toward the film project, the rest goes toward making more tees.
To contribute a larger gift, please consider making a tax-deductible donation to our online Network for Good fundraiser DONATE HERE
To learn more about The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay documentary please go here.
BEE-UTIFUL!
Filmed at my friend Paul Wegzyn’s sunflower field, at Felix’ Family Farm –
“Peter and the Wolf” by Sergei Prokofiev, performed by Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra – downloaded from the Internet Archive of royalty free music.
A WHOPPER OF A STRIPED BASS!
Over the weekend while out filming I met a gentleman who was just finishing up an all-nighter of night fishing. He was wearing scuba gear, a night head lamp, and was using a rod and reel. In the foggy distance, i wondered, what new creature is this?
Kevin had landed a Very Large Striped Bass but was trying to revive it to return to the sea. He didn’t mind that I wanted to take a few photos and while I was photographing he explained that all Striped Bass at this size are great breeders, and that you don’t really want to catch one this big.
According to Kevin, Striped Bass come out at night and can be found around rocks, where they like to hunt for small fish. We noticed a tag on the side of the bass. As I was curious, I called the number. It’s the USFWS line for reporting bass. I didn’t make the report as it was Kevin’s fish but I would love to know how old is this huge Mama.
PLEASE DO NO HARM! HOW AND WHY CAPTIVE BREEDING AND CAPTIVE REARING IS HURTING MONARCH BUTTERFLIES
Following mating, a female Monarch will be ready to begin ovipositing her eggs after only several hours. She travels from leaf to leaf and plant to plant, typically depositing no more than one egg per leaf and only one or two eggs per plant. It is thought that when the female lands on a leaf she is testing the plant for suitability with the sensors on her feet that are called tarsi. She curls her abdomen around, ovipositing a tiny golden drop that is no larger than a pinhead.
In the short video, in the second clip, you can she she ‘rejects,’ the leaf. She first tests it with her feet, then curls her abdomen, but does not leave an egg. In the third and last clip, success! She finds a leaf to her liking and leaves behind a single egg.
The female continues on her quest to find milkweed, possibly returning to the same plant, but more likely, she will go on to the next patch of milkweed. In the wild, female Monarchs deposit on average between 300 to 500 eggs during her lifetime.
It’s a very different story for Monarchs that are captive bred. The attendant will walk into the enclosure where the frantic males and females are kept, with a handful of milkweed leaves. The female is so desperate to oviposit her eggs, she will dump a whole load on one leaf, without even testing it with her feet. I have observed this behavior at breeding locations and it is really quite disturbing, knowing how wholly unnatural it is for Monarchs to deposit eggs in large clusters.
Four reasons to stop mass breeding and rearing:
- Mass production of Monarchs makes it easy to transmit disease.
- More virulent strains of pathogens are spreading to wild Monarchs.
- Reared Monarchs are smaller than wild Monarchs.
- A genetic consequence of breeding closely related individual Monarchs weakens the species.
The Xerces Society, Monarch Watch, Journey North, Monarch Joint Venture, and the petition to list Monarchs as an endangered species all recommend the following:
From the Xerces Society
Answers to a few frequently-asked-questions and answers about rearing
How can I rear Monarchs responsibly?
- Rear no more than ten Monarchs per year (whether by a single individual or family). This is the same number recommended in the original petition to list the monarch under the Federal Endangered Species Act.
- Collect immature Monarchs locally from the wild, heeding collection policies on public lands; never buy or ship monarchs.
- Raise Monarchs individually and keep rearing containers clean between individuals by using a 20% bleach solution to avoid spreading diseases or mold.
- Provide sufficient milkweed including adding fresh milkweed daily.
- Keep rearing containers out of direct sunlight and provide a moist (not wet) paper towel or sponge to provide sufficient, not excessive, moisture.
- Release Monarchs where they were collected and at appropriate times of year for your area.
- Check out Monarch Joint Venture’s newly updated handout, Rearing Monarchs: Why or Why Not?
- Participate in community science, including testing the Monarchs you raise for OE, tracking parasitism rates, and/or tagging adults before release.
- OE: Project Monarch Health.
- Parasitism rates: Monarch Larva Monitoring Program.
- Tagging: There are many tagging programs, many of which are location-specific.
JOEANN HART’S OFFICIAL BOOK LAUNCH FOR “HIGHWIRE ACT AND OTHER TALES OF SURVIVAL!”
Dear Friends, Family, & Colleagues,
I am pleased to announce that my collection of short fiction, Highwire Act & Other Tales of Survival, will officially release on September 15th. The launch is on September 14th at the Rocky Neck Cultural Center at 7pm, where I will be reading with fellow Black Lawrence Press author Sara Johnson Allen. I will also be reading at the Sawyer Free Library, the temporary location on 21 Main St, Gloucester, on October12th at 5:30 pm. These events are free and open to the public.The Bookstore will be selling copies at both. You may also order a copy directly from Black Lawrence Press or any of the usual venues.
Warmly,
JoeAnn
JoeAnn Hart’s extraordinary stories take you on a trip: to a dystopian future; to the tidewaters of Gloucester; to the chambers of a haunted mill. But in the end, the real place she takes us is the center of the human heart. These unforgettable tales are generous, brilliant, and fierce.
—Jennifer Finney Boylan, author of She’s Not There, and co-author (with Jodi Picoult) of Mad Honey
In her fiction collection, Highwire Act and Other Tales of Survival, JoeAnn Hart’s characters go to the sea, deadhead flowers, eat artisanal pizzas, with humor and with humanity. These luminous stories shine long after you’ve read them.
—Ann Hood, author of Fly Girl
The fabulous cover was designed with a collage by Gloucester artist Hans Pundt.
In this collection, a young couple raise crickets for food, a woman in a caged complex is witness to the deterioration of her neighbor, a homeless man contemplates an infant’s grave from the Westward Expansion, and an uncompromising ego takes on a Biblical rain. These are among the stories in Highwire Act & Other Tales of Survival, where the climate crisis arrives not just as strange and violent weather, but as upheavals of our political and emotional climates as well. As characters struggle for survival with Covid, ecological destruction, grief, or mental illness, they attempt to find solace and restoration from a nature that is increasingly no longer in a position to give back. And with science unable to keep up, fake suicides, fairy tales, and delusion are the thorny tools humans are left with to carry on, yet carry on they do
KEEP MONARCHS WILD: WHY IT IS SO DETRIMENTAL AND UNCOOL TO RAISE AND RELEASE HUNDREDS OF MONARCHS
Captive breeding and captive raising Monarchs in the hundreds, and in some cases thousands, is not the way to help the butterflies. You may feel you are taking positive steps, but we have learned over time that captive breeding and rearing in large numbers spreads disease and weakens the species. Captive rearing hundreds of Monarchs is HARMFUL. The following is a science based and thoughtful article published by one of the foremost authorities on Monarchs, the Xerces Society.
The thrust of the article is that captive rearing no more than ten at a time is educational and worthwhile, if the guidelines provided below are followed to a tee. If you are one of the folks that are rearing hundreds/thousands of Monarchs, please read the following –
Instead of rearing—which is risky and unproven in helping monarchs—we should focus on more effective ways to conserve these glorious wild animals.
Many of us have been there: Finding a monarch caterpillar, collecting it in a jar, raising it on milkweed, and then waiting patiently for a butterfly to emerge and take flight. Helping a child (or an adult) learn about this captivating, up-close example of metamorphosis can be incredibly rewarding. Unlike many wild animals, monarchs are easily reared, so it is no wonder that bringing caterpillars into the classroom or home has been used by teachers and parents for decades as an educational tool—or just for the pure enjoyment of it. Rearing monarchs also has been a part of monarch research: From the tagging efforts started by the Urquharts in the 1960s to the multiple tagging programs of today. These programs, as well as other community science projects, have greatly expanded our understanding of migration paths.
Because rearing a butterfly in captivity enables people to share in the amazing transformation from a caterpillar to winged adult, it deserves a place in the future of monarch education and research efforts. However, we need to approach it thoughtfully and responsibly. Like any wild animal, we have to make sure that our interest in rearing monarchs does not harm the butterfly’s populations. This is particularly important today, with monarch populations down by 80-97%. These levels are so low that the migratory phenomenon to Mexico and coastal California is at risk. In an attempt to help reverse the monarch’s population free-fall, many people are attempting to save the species by rearing and releasing monarchs on a large scale. There are, however, serious concerns about this approach.
For more about how you can help the magnificent migrating Monarch, visit my documentary’s website here – Beauty on the Wing
From the Xerces Society
Answers to a few frequently-asked-questions and answers about rearing
How can I rear monarchs responsibly?
- Rear no more than ten monarchs per year (whether by a single individual or family). This is the same number recommended in the original petition to list the monarch under the Federal Endangered Species Act.
- Collect immature monarchs locally from the wild, heeding collection policies on public lands; never buy or ship monarchs.
- Raise monarchs individually and keep rearing containers clean between individuals by using a 20% bleach solution to avoid spreading diseases or mold.
- Provide sufficient milkweed including adding fresh milkweed daily.
- Keep rearing containers out of direct sunlight and provide a moist (not wet) paper towel or sponge to provide sufficient, not excessive, moisture.
- Release monarchs where they were collected and at appropriate times of year for your area.
- Check out Monarch Joint Venture’s newly updated handout, Rearing Monarchs: Why or Why Not?
- Participate in community science, including testing the monarchs you raise for OE, tracking parasitism rates, and/or tagging adults before release.
- OE: Project Monarch Health.
- Parasitism rates: Monarch Larva Monitoring Program.
- Tagging: There are many tagging programs, many of which are location-specific.
SCHOONER DENIS SULLIVAN
Welcome to Gloucester! You are looking at the extraordinary three-masted schooner Denis Sullivan, as she wends her way though Gloucester Harbor during the Parade of Sail.
The only replica in the world of Great Lakes Cargo ships, the Denis Sullivan was recently acquired by Sail Boston. The schooner sailed from its former home in Milwaukee to its new home in Boston last October.
We hope to see the Schooner Denis Sullivan at the Gloucester Schooner Festival for all the years to come! I heard from the crew that they loved Gloucester and had a fantastic time!
Music by Donovan – “Catch the Wind”
A WONDERMENT OF GENTLE FARM ANIMALS AT FELIX’S FAMILY FARM!
Come visit the spectacular sunflower field and ever expanding wonderful menagerie of animals at Felix’s Family Farm. The flowers are peaking this weekend! See last week’s post about the sunflower field here
Felix’s Family Farm is located at 20 Lowe’s Lane, just off 1A/Rt. 133, in Ipswich. For tickets and more information, visit the Felix Family Farm website here.
Our Charlotte’s favorite, favorite thing to do at Paul’s farm is to feed and stroke the farm animals. Paul has been daily training all his animals to be super kid-friendly and it is working! I have taken Charlotte to many farms but have never seen animals, especially the alpacas, as comfortable around children as are Paul’s.
There is the Mama Belted Galloway cow, Cookie, and her baby calf Cupcake (Paul thinks of the best names for his mini zoo!).
Midnight the pony
super friendly Mama sheep and baby sheep
the most adorable friendly goats
And a herd of very gentle alpacas!
Our happy girl in her happy place!
WORLD SHOREBIRDS DAY – A CELEBRATION OF SHOREBIRDS!
HAPPY WORLD SHOREBIRDS DAY! Today, September 6th, marks the 10th anniversary of Worlds Shorebird Day. Worlds Shorebird Day was founded to help bring awareness to the plight of shorebirds. More than 50 percent of shorebird species around the globe are in decline.
Our documentary, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, shines a light on the Plovers and how these remarkably valiant little birds are surviving the pressures of habitat loss, human disturbance, and a warming climate. Massachusetts is at the fore of Piping Plover recovery and we are doing much that is right however, the recovery is not going as well in other regions.
Please think about donating to our film. I think of Plovers as a gateway species, similar to Monarch butterflies. Through developing a deeper understanding of the birds, people will be inspired to do all they can to join citizens around the world in providing safe habitat for nesting and migrating shorebirds. Our sister film, Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly is currently airing on PBS and has reached markets in 87 percent of US households, in all major cities. Wouldn’t it be wonderfully meaningful to have that kind of outreach for Plovers!
DONATE HERE https://filmmakerscollab.org/films/piping-plovers-of-moonlight-bay/
LAUNCHING OUR PIPING PLOVER FILM FUNDRAISING EVENT TODAY!
Dear Friends,
As many of you know that while we Piping Plover Ambassadors have been looking out over Cape Ann’s PiPls, I have also been working on a documentary film about Plovers nesting in Gloucester, along with filming Plover populations found at communities all around the north of Boston coastal region. Our GHB Plovers first arrived in Gloucester in 2016 and it was evident from the very first days that they were struggling to survive under the pressures of human and pet disturbances. As we were learning how to best help the Plovers nest undisturbed, I began to document Plovers at many other beaches to learn how other communities managed their Plover populations. I focused mostly on urban beaches as they are most similar to Good Harbor Beach.
Over the course of filming, I have spent several years documenting nesting Piping Plovers pairs that are extraordinary in their parenting skills, similar to our original pair of GHB Plovers, Super Dad and Super Mom. The documentary, The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay, is based on true life stories and is set in a fictional Massachusetts coastal town to protect the location of the Plovers.
Today we are launching our fundraising campaign. I am very proud to share that we have received our very first grant, from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife. Here is a link to our online fundraiser:
Link to our 501c fiscal sponsor Filmmakers Collaborative: https://filmmakerscollab.org/films/piping-plovers-of-moonlight-bay/
Link to the trailer: https://vimeo.com/818861213
Link to the Piping Plover Project website: https://wordpress.com/view/pipingploverproject.org
Gifts for The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay will support post production and distribution costs, including re-recording voiceover narration, color and sound editors, picture mastering, studio time, festival fees and applications, music and map rights, and an underwriting agent to bring the film to the wide audience of public television. Our goal is to raise $80,500.00 for post production with a total of $115,000.00 if the film is accepted to air on public television.
The names of underwriters contributing $10,000.00 and above will be proudly listed in the film’s special underwriting credit pod. What does it mean to be an underwriter? When you watch a film on public television and the announcer says (for example), “This program was made possible by gifts from Katherine and Charles Cassidy, by The Fairweather Foundation, by Lillian B. Anderson, and by The Arnhold Family, in Memory of Clarisse Arnhold,” that’s where your name, or the name of your foundation, will appear, at both the beginning and at the end of the film.
If you are interested in becoming an underwriter, please feel free to phone (978-290-3804) or email and I will be happy to send the formal proposal and budget.
All supporters, no matter how large or small the donation, will be listed on the film’s website. Any amount contributed is tremendously appreciated.
Thank you for being part of launching The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay!
Very best wishes,
Kim
PARADE OF SAIL WITH SCHOONER STROMBUS AND THE EAST GLOUCESTER GANG!
I love trying to capture friend’s boats during the Parade of Sail. Here’s our neighbor’s Geoff and Mandy’s beautiful Schooner Strombus that they built and launched back in 2017, and the sweetest crew of East Gloucester friends!
The Schooner Strombus won the 2023 Betty Ramsey Award in the Marconi Rigged Class!
Strombus Schooner Launch Party, from July 2017-
A new schooner was added to Gloucester’s growing fleet. The schooner was launched today at 11am from the Rocky Neck Marine Railways. Strombus, built by Geoff Deckebach, with help from his wife Mandy, was twelve years in the making. They began gutting and restoring the boat all those many years ago when work and raising a family slowed progress. About a year ago, Geoff decided to turn his full attention to the restoration. The schooner is simply beautiful. More work will continue on the interior and it will be ready enough to motor along in this year’s upcoming Schooner Festival.
SUN AND SAIL PHOTOS FROM THE GLOUCESTER 2023 SCHOONER FESTIVAL PARADE OF SAIL AND RACE RESULTS!
What glorious weather for the entire 39th Annual Gloucester Schooner Festival and Parade of Sail!
If interested in the name of the schooner, click on the photo; most are captioned.
COME MONDAY PARADE OF SAIL TIME LAPSE VIDEO
Gloucester Schooner Festival Parade of Sail 2023, with music by Jimmy Buffet
Featuring Schooners: Adventure, American Eagle, Columbia, Denis Sullivan, Ernestina-Morrissey, Adventurer, Alert, Ardelle,, Fame, Thomas E. Lannon, Tyrone, When and If, Calabash, Eileen Marie, Green Dragon, Isabella, Lewis H. Story, Redbird, Strombus
GLOUCESTER MARITIME HERITAGE DAY HAPPENING TODAY FROM 10AM TO 4PM
Scenes from today’s Maritime Heritage Day – The event runs from 10am to 4pm, with demonstrations and sails taking place throughout the day. Some of the highlights are the kid-friendly demonstrations including a vintage rope making machine, an iron forger, and Sea Scouts explaining oyster culture.
One of the very favorite demonstrations was net-making, taught by Captain Joe Sanfilippo of Extreme Gloucester Fishing.
Captain Joe Sanfilippo is part of the SaLT group (Sea and Land Together) that gives lectures and teaches classes at Cedar Rock Garden. A new series of classes is being offered in the fall
More about Extreme Gloucester Fishing
Extreme Gloucester Fishing Commercial Fishing Training Center is a sustainable fisheries learning center, providing hands on training in the classroom and on local commercial fishing vessels. Our focus is the professional training of sustainable fishing practices and job placement within the fishing community. During your time at Extreme Fishing you will develop personally, academically and professionally. Whatever your focus:
– Marine Safety
– Marine Electronics
– Vessel Handling
– Diesel Mechanics
– Fishing methods and terminology
– Policies and Regulations
With the completion of the curriculum you will have learned the skills, knowledge and tools to build a foundation for a successful future. Captain Joseph Sanfilippo is a Northeast Commercial Fisherman born and raised in historic Gloucester, Massachusetts, the youngest of five boys born into the business. His extensive knowledge, work ethic and passion for the industry has led him to pursue and achieve great accomplishments. He has co-owned three 60-90 foot stern trawlers and personally owned and operated an 86 foot trawler. Having started working on family boats, he acquired the many skills it takes to be one of the best Commercial Fishing Captains in the Northeastern U.S. His passion and heritage have led him to teach his skills to many young Commercial Fishermen. He has worked with many community boat repair and fishing gear shops along the way and takes tremendous pride in all he does. At age 50, he is one of the youngest Captains in the Gloucester fleet.
Our Vision is for Extreme Gloucester Fishing Training Center to provide an oceans, bays and river related theme based education designed to actively engage and challenge it’s students in all things commercial fishing. Trainees will be valued for their strong work ethic, knowledge, experience and leadership capabilities. Extreme Gloucester Fishing will stay on the leading edge of innovative technologies and teaching strategies and help support a sustainable fishery. Gloucester is home to a rich fishing history and has to be first in its approach to commercial fishing to stay competitive.
FELIX’S FAMILY FARM IS THE BEST SUNFLOWER FIELD EVER!
Come see the latest magnificently beautiful and wonderfully immersive creation by farmer Paul Wegzyn and his Dad (also Paul) at Felix’s Family Farm. Formerly named School Street Sunflowers, the farm with the new name is the same beautiful field, same wonderful family owned operation, only with many new additions. Just to name a few – a healthy, growing and glowing pack of alpacas!, a herd of baby goats <3, live music, picnicking, and yoga classes in a Yoga Yurt! 
The field is at its peak this week and next and Paul says it is truly their best field ever. I agree one thousand percent. Row upon row of freshly opened and newly opening flowers will take your breath away. The Farm is utterly enchanting. Bring your family and take lots of photos or just wander through the fields. I hope you will be as enthralled as was I.
Felix’s Family Farm is located at 20 Lowe’s Lane, just off 1A/Rt. 133, in Ipswich. For tickets and more information, visit the Felix Family Farm website here.
In year’s past, the sunflower field has had a theme. One of my favorites from several years back was “Transcendentalism.” This year, the theme is “Family.” Quotes placed throughout the field leave you to stop and take a moment to reflect on our families and how dear they are to us.
Father and Son Paul Wegzyn and Paul Wegzyn
OUR BEAUTIFUL GLOUCESTER
Scenes from the Gloucester Schooner Festival Challenge August31, 2023
Schooners Isabella, Ardelle, and Thomas Lannon – all three schooners were built by Harold Burnham
WONDERFULLY WONDERFUL CAPE ANN KEEPSAKES AND TREASURES TO BE FOUND AT ALEXANDRA’S BREAD!
For visitors and locals alike, very special treasures celebrating Gloucester and Cape Ann can be found at Alexandra’s Bread.
For summer visitors especially, if you were fortunate enough to have spent time on Cape Ann and are looking to take home a memento, you will find a trove of whimsical new and vintage collectibles and souvenirs, including plates, silverware, block prints, cards, T-shirts, onesies – why even the local honey features a Gloucester schooner on its label!
Alexandra herself collects commemorative plates and silverware from around the region. The shop is bursting with her finds. Here is jut a sampling – notice the granite outcropping nicknamed Old Mother Ann etched in the spoon third from the left.
Not to be remiss, our Piping Plover Tees and stickers are available at Alexandra’s, and they too make a great remembrance of a Cape Ann summer vacation 🙂 Alexandra’s Bread is located at 265 Main Street, Gloucester. 
ALL CREATURES TINY AND SMALL – NEW SHORT FILM – THE SUMMER POLLINATOR GARDEN
Come to our summer pollinator garden and see all the creatures, tiny and small, and the flowers that are planted to attract these beautiful winged wonders.
Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major, The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Internet Archive of Royalty Free Music
Featuring all manner of bees, including Honey, Bumble, and Sugar; Cedar Waxwing building a nest; Catbird fledgling and adult; Canadian Tiger Swallowtail, Pipevine caterpillars and chrysalis; Cecropia Moth caterpillar, Pandora Sphinx Moth caterpillars; Clouded Sulphur; male Goldfinch; Monarchs; teeny only 1/2 inch in length male Spring Peeper; Ruby-throated Hummingbirds male, female, and juveniles; and my favorite creature in our garden, nature girl Charlotte <3
SCHEDULE GLOUCESTER SCHOONER FESTIVAL!
39th Annual Gloucester Schooner Festival Schedule of Events
Visit the Schooner Festival event webpage for the most up-to-date schedule of events.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 31st
5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
SCHOONER CHALLENGE – GLOUCESTER HARBOR
Join local Schooner Captains as they participate in a friendly competition putting their seamanship to the test over an “obstacle” course. Passengers will be given their own set of tasks to win the coveted Rum Bottle Award. Visiting schooners that have already arrived will join the event. The public is invited to purchase tickets aboard participating schooners.
Check various schooner websites for ticketing details.
7:00 pm
HARBOR LOOP SUMMER CONCERT SERIES – HARBOR LOOP
John Raymond Jerome & Groove Therapy perform a free concert at Harbor Loop.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1st
All Day
ARRIVAL OF VISITING VESSELS – GLOUCESTER HARBOR
Throughout the day, visiting vessels will be arriving into Gloucester Harbor. View them under sail as the arrive, anywhere along Gloucester Harbor.
10:00 – 4:00pm
MARITIME GLOUCESTER OPEN – 23 HARBOR LOOP
6:00 pm-10:00 pm
DOWNTOWN GLOUCESTER BLOCK PARTY – MAIN STREET
Celebrate the Schooner Festival with a street party on Gloucester’s Main Street. A fun night for all ages with live entertainment, al fresco dining, children’s activities and fun street performances!
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2nd
All Day
SCHOONER VIEWING & DECK TOURS THREE LOCATIONS:
Maritime Gloucester- 23 Harbor Loop
Schooner Floats – I4C2, 65 Rogers St
Ocean Alliance – 32 Horton St, Rocky Neck
Thanks to generous support from sponsors, Gloucester Schooner Festival is again able to provide a visitor-based dockside experience that puts the public on schooners for deck tours. This is a FREE option for the public. Donations are always appreciated.
9:30 am
INTERNATIONAL DORY RACES
The International Dory Races, an annual tradition, are best viewed at Solomon Jacobs Park.
10:00 – 4:00pm
MARITIME GLOUCESTER HERITAGE DAY – 23 HARBOR LOOP
Free to the public:
Schooner deck tours, crafts for all ages, skilled demonstrations & family activities. Plus, Maritime Gloucester’s exhibits and aquarium will be open throughout the day for FREE! Donations graciously accepted.
Timed Admission to the New Maritime Science Education Center. Make Reservations here.
Food Trucks on site include Beefie Boys, Uncle Joey’s Cannoli, Trolley Dogs, and Eclectic Clam
$20 hourly schooner sails on Schooner Ardelle!
6:30 pm-10:00 pm
CONCERT ON STACY BOULEVARD: LIVE MUSIC AND LIGHT EFFECTS
More details available at facebook.com/ConcertsOnTheBoulevard
7:00 pm
BOAT PARADE OF LIGHTS
The annual Boat Parade of Lights begins at dusk in the Annisquam River. For more information visit facebook.com/boatparadeoflights
9:15 pm
FIREWORKS DISPLAY OVER GLOUCESTER HARBOR
Following the Parade of Lights, time approximate. Best viewing is anywhere between Stage Fort Park, Stacy Boulevard, and Pavilion Beach.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3rd
10:00 am-4:00 pm
MARITIME GLOUCESTER OPEN – 23 HARBOR LOOP
10:00 am-11:00 am
PARADE OF SAIL, GLOUCESTER HARBOR
Schooners proceed from the Inner Harbor, past the Fisherman’s Memorial on Stacy Boulevard and Stage Fort Park, to the race starting area off Eastern Point. Various non-profit and business organizations offer Parade of Sail or Race viewing.
11:00 am- 1:30 pm
SHUTTLE BUS TO EASTERN POINT LIGHT FROM EASTERN POINT GATE (EASTERN POINT @ FARRINGTON AVE)
Watch the start of the Mayor’s Race. Free of Charge courtesy of the Cape Ann Transportation Authority.
1:00 pm
START OF MAYOR’S RACES FOR THE ESPERANTO CUP & THE COLUMBIA TROPHY OFF EASTERN POINT
The race course is decided the morning of the race by the Schooner Festival Committee at a meeting with the captains of the participating vessels. Read more about it in the 2023 Schooner Festival Program
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4th LABOR DAY
Rain Date As Needed- Parade of Sail and/or Races
10:00am – 4:00pm
MARITIME GLOUCESTER OPEN
NIGHTHAWK – MYSTERIOUSLY BEAUTIFUL SPECIES IN SHARP DECLINE IN MASSACHUSETTS
The exquisite young Nighthawk was seen quietly resting on a branch at mid-day. Nearly motionless and perfectly camouflaged in plumage that mirrors tree bark, the Nighthawk was easy to lose sight of even when staring directly at it. These ephemeral beauties are well-camouflaged at all stages of development, in fact the hatchlings are so well disguised that the parents don’t bother to build a nest; the female lays her eggs directly on the ground.
The name Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) is confusing as they are neither strictly nocturnal nor related to hawks. Nighthawks are crepuscular, meaning they typically hunt during the low light hours of early morning and early evening. The Nighthawk’s diet consists entirely of insects. As insect populations are declining, so too are the Nighthawks.
These sublime creatures formerly nested in Massachusetts. It’s been a number of decades since a breeding pair was last seen in our state. They are long distance migrators and there is much still to understand why they are disappearing. Loss of food, loss of habitat, and pesticide use surely are at the top of the list.
I was awe struck by how sweetly peaceful the bird appeared, with its teeny beak and only occasionally opening its large black eyes, sleeping the day away in preparation for an evening hunt. I wondered, though, is this the last time I will ever see a Nighthawk?
Watch this very cool map of the the migratory route of the Common Nighthawk
PIPING PLOVER T-SHIRTS AT ALEXANDRA’S BREAD!!
Dear PiPl Friends,
We at long last have our Plover Tees!!! And it was well worth the wait, better than imagined! When picking up the shirts at Seaside Graphics, a customer purchased one on the spot!
The tees are available for sale at our wonderful local bakery and home goods shop, Alexandra’s Bread, located at 265 Main Street in Gloucester.
These T-shirts are luxuriously silky soft, 100 percent cotton and wash beautifully! We have two different blues, basically because I couldn’t decide which one everyone would like better 🙂 The Cerulean is a pretty sky blue and the Celestial is a more like a dreamy foggy day, powdery blue.
Mostly Large and Xlarge are available with this batch, with a few mediums and one small remaining. The cost of the T-shirt is $30.00.
If you purchase a T-shirt or sticker, please send a photo. I am planning on asking friends and family to model the shirts, but in the meantime, our clothesline will have to do.
The chest measurements of the Unisex Tees are as follows.
Small – 18 inches (total 36inch circumference), to fit 34-37 inch chest
Medium – 20 inches, to fit a 38-41 inch chest
Large – 22 inches, to fit a 42 -45 inch chest
Xlarge – 24 inches, to fit a 46-49 inch chest
Example – the large measures 22 inches across the front, which equals 44 inches total chest circumference, which would fit a 42-45 inch chest, depending on how you like your Tee to fit.
If you are not sure which size you would like, measure your favorite T-shirt, across the front, from underarm to underarm seam at the chest line at the widest point, and then double that measurement.
Years ago we had Plover T-shirts, thanks to former PiPl ambassador Heather Hall, and ever since then, we have been wanting to do it again. We are so grateful to designer Beth Swan, who created our Plover logo for both stickers and for the tees (the stickers are also available at Alexandra’s Bread). Beth was so fantastic to work with and I highly recommend her beautiful, thoughtful (and fun) designs. You can see a small sampling of Beth’s work here.
Many thanks too, to Seaside Graphics Samantha and Will for their fantastic customer service and speedy printing!
All profits will initially go toward purchasing more stickers and tees and then towards the fundraiser for the forthcoming documentary “The Piping Plovers of Moonlight Bay.”
OUR CAPE ANN VACATION 2023
A wonderful houseful in August, with our daughter Liv home from LA, our sweet cousin Hannah, and my dear in-laws, Tom’s sister Auntie Amy and Uncle Arnold from Ohio. Already I am missing everyone so much. Whale watch, picnics, shopping, dozens of beach outings, seafood dinners (thank you Cape Ann Lobstermen for the best oysters, lobsters, and swordfish!) and the Barbie movie at the local Gloucester Cinema – everyone had the best time.
Thanks to Liv for many of the photos and video. Liv posts beautiful stories and photos on her Instagram account @livaroundtown, from both Gloucester and LA, and where ever her travels take her.
Think Pink for the Barbie movie
Cape Ann Whale Watch
Name of most favored special bunny – BunBun Chocolate Hauck
Three schooner capture by Liv – is it 2023 or 1923? The Schooners Ardelle and Adventure are in the foreground and I believe the schooner in the background is the Lannon.
GINORMOUS CATERPILLAR IN THE SHOWER!
Our daughter Liv discovered an enormous brilliant green caterpillar in our garden one morning last week. It was quietly hanging out in the foliage of the grapevines embowering the outdoor shower. Perhaps it was about four or five inches in length, and very robust, thicker than a large man’s thumb. We identified the Giant as the Pandorus Sphinx Moth caterpillar.
We placed the caterpillar, with branches of the vine it was found on, in a terrarium with a screened top. I went out to the grapevine to cut more branches and unbeknownst to me, returned indoors with a second, younger and smaller Pandorus Sphinx Moth caterpillar!
The ginormous Pandorus Sphinx wasn’t interested in eating, but instead began exploring the edges of the terrarium. It appeared as though it was ready to pupate. The following morning the caterpillar had turned a lovely bicolor green and cinnamon. We filled a glass fish bowl with soil and placed the caterpillar in the dirt. Within a few minutes, it had burrowed into the soil. Here the caterpillar will pupate within a cocoon-like shallow chamber and may emerge within a few weeks, or may sleep through the winter before emerging next year.
The little horn on younger caterpillars fall off and what remains is a black dot, which looks like a scary eyespot to potential predators. The black dots in the center of the slanted ovals running along either side of the caterpillar are spiracles, or breathing holes.
Caterpillar food plants include Grape (Vitis), ampelopsis (Ampelopsis), and Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus).
Scary eyespot
Pandorus Sphinx Moth image courtesy wikicommons media