Friday afternoon into evening the light was spectacular in our neighborhood, The fog was coming and receeding in waves. At moments the sun was shining brightly, seconds later, the sun and anything ten feet in front of you was obscured.
Beautiful foggy Friday afternoon into evening. I have a bunch to post from this foggy afternoon and will do so tomorrow when I have more time, but isn’t this one scene evocative? I filmed it as well, with the waves crashing into Mother Ann in the fog and will add it to my YouTube show, “Good News Cape Ann!’ airing Sunday night. See you then 🙂
Day’s end from the Eastern Point lighthouse looking towards Boston.
At sunset this evening, the skies cleared for a bit and one could see the snowstorm departing in an easterly direction, while more squalls were beginning to blow ashore from the west. The nearly half-Moon was rising over the marsh through the clouds. Swells along the backshore were larger than average, but nothing nearly as dramatic as the waves during a nor’easter. Perhaps the waves were bigger on the other side of the Island.
Although I didn’t get a snapshot, the small flock of Wild Turkeys was leaping about at the base of a bird feeder, hungrily looking for food. Which was actually pretty funny because grace is decidedly not a characteristic shared with these large-bottom birds. I wished I had a handful to give them.
Enjoying every possible moment of this beautiful spell of Indian Summer weather ❤
Covering storms back to back, I didn’t have time to post on both Good Morning Gloucester and on my blog. The following are links to storm posts from the region’s three March nor’easters, beginning on March 2nd.
Eastern Point Lighthouse with Old Mother Ann Rock
Evocative views looking through sea smoke along the shoreline this morning, from Ten Pound Island to Twin Lights, and at every vantage point along the way. On my very last stop photographing a buoy in the sea smoke, I spied a mystery bird far off shore. Bobbing in the water and with a bill not at all shaped liked a seagulls, it was a SNOW GOOSE! He was too far away to get a great photo, but wonderful to see nonetheless!
Exciting news–the Schooner Lynx will be returning to Gloucester next year for the Schooner fest! The captain of the Lynx, Donald Peacock, wrote the following, “Thank you for noticing Lynx in your harbor. Gloucester Marine Railways have been most hospitable and we look forward to returning for Lynx 2017 yard period and the 2017 Gloucester Schooner Race and Festival.”
A magnificent ship under sail, she was a joy to watch and to photograph as she moved through the Harbor, setting course for Saint Petersburg, Florida, via Portland, Maine. You can see in the last photo that by the time she was passing Brace Cove she was under full sail with her square sail hoisted too. Safe travels Schooner Lynx and crew!
At the Railways with crew members Casey and Hunter
Passing Ten Pound Island -note how much taller the Schooner is to the Lighthouse
Along the backshore with Boston in the distance
Brace Cove
Click panorama to view larger
Built to protect ships from the Dog Bar Reef, the Dog Bar breakwater was built on top of the ledge. The half mile long breakwater is seven and a half feet above mean high water and ten feet wide, constructed of 231,756 tons of Cape Ann granite over a substructure of rubble. Built by the Army Corps of Engineers between 1894 and 1905 at a cost of only $300,000.00, I wonder what it would cost to build a granite breakwater such as Gloucester’s in today’s economy?
For more interesting history about the Dog Bar Breakwater visit Lighthouse Friends.
Is there a more lopsided lighthouse configuration than our Eastern Point Lighthouse?
While filming B-roll and “Bee”-roll for my nature documentaries this morning, I came upon the German National television channel’s ZDF cast and crew getting organized for a day of filming at the Eastern Point Lighthouse. They are shooting films based on the Katie Fforde romance novels. Not considered mini-series, four separate films are being shot all around the North Shore and filming will continue to take place in Gloucester this week.
“All of Fforde’s stories-into-movies focus on the lead character (usually a woman) overcoming obstacles to achieve a dream. Each film runs for 90 commercial-free minutes.”
For the past several seasons the show has been filmed in and around Poughkeepsie, New York. This year, the producers wanted to change it up and film north of Boston. I hope they decide to come back next year!
Stills from last night and this morning ~
Beacon Marine Basin
“Bee”-roll ~ Native Wildflower Gaura lindheimeri — Its Common Name is ‘Whirling Butterflies’
Henry Eiler’s Sweet Coneflower ~ Note the Unique Quilled petals
Helianthus annuus ~ Sunflower
Good Harbor Beach Sunrise Today
Gloucester Skyline Winter Sunset
In preparation for my adventure to Mexico to film the Monarchs, nearly every afternoon I have been “hiking” around Eastern Point. According to my car odometer, from the Niles Beach parking lot to the lighthouse and back is just a little over two miles. I realize that I must look fairly comical with headphones, hiking boots, and loaded down with a full backpack, all while trying to dodge the black ice. The walk is always beautiful–the freezing temperatures and icy roads not so much!
Raymond’s Beach Sunset
Raymond’s Beach Cherry Tree
Rosa rugosa
Eastern Point Lighthouse
From earlier in the day while the storm was still blowing ~
Benjamin Duckworth Building an Awesome Fort
Super High Tide
Don’t forget our feathered friends. I filled the bird feeders three times!
Mourning Dove
White-breasted Nuthatch
The sun started to break through mid-afternoon. I headed to Smith’s Cove and then drove (precariously) to Eastern Point to catch the setting sun. Happy Snow Days!
North Shore Art Association
Our Lady of Good Voyage
Eastern Point Lighthouse
Eastern Point Yacht Club
See original post and comments on Good Morning Gloucester
The taller ships start appearing around 1:50, but I liked seeing all the smaller boats, too. Look for the Stanley Thomas lobster boat closer to the beginning. After the Parade I walked out onto the rocky ledge near the Eastern Point Lighthouse, but as you can see in the second-to-last clip, a thunderstorm was on the way and I had to skedadle.
Beautiful Event to film-to many of us, Gloucester is our “somewhere over the rainbow.”
Eastern Point Lighthouse Sunrise from Dog Bar Breakwater
Thank you Terry and Joey for helping me get this footage for my Monarch project!
