MASSACHUSETTS TRIP, Day 4, July 16, 2012

This morning I awoke to a bright day, full of promise, but still quite humid. After a breakfast of toast and marmalade, pomegranate Greek yoghurt, and coffee, we decided to go hiking on Cape Ann, at Halibut Point State Park. We drove to Cape Ann and parked at the Point. Halibut Point is made up of sheets of 440-year old granite that descend from a rocky headland to the tidal pools below. The area was first used by groups of Pawtucket Indians who migrated seasonally to the coast to harvest its plentiful supply of wild fruits, fish, and game. Settlers arrived in the 17th c., and when they did, the shallow soil was used for farming and cattle grazing. Samuel Gott was the first resident, and his house still stands on the walk. Beginning in the 1840s, granite was quarried from this area, first on a small scale and then on a much larger scale when the Rockport Granite Company acquired the Babson Farm quarry and expanded its operation. Shortly after the Cape Ann granite industry collapsed in 1929, 17 acres on the E side of the quarry were purchased and given to the Trustees of Reservations. The remainder of the area was unused until late in WW II, when a fire control tower was constructed to provide aiming information for the massive coastal defense guns that guarded Boston and Portsmouth. After the war, research by MIT on radar was conducted. In 1956 Halibut Point fell into private hands, and in 1981, 56 acres were purchased by the state and the park was opened. Our path led us around the quarry, then down granite slopes to the seashore, where I took lots of photos of tidal pools and ships--both masted tall ships and pleasure boats, which were plying the water. After about three miles of walking, and in a very warm sun without the protection of trees, we were glad to get back to the car and flip on the air conditioning. Marthe drove me around Annisquam, Rockport and Gloucester to show me the important sites of her childhood and young adulthood, as well as some of the houses and art galleries. We finally ended up at Rocky Neck Art Colony,home to one of the oldest continuously operating art colonies in the US. Situated on a peninsula within Gloucester's working class harbor, Rocky Neck is known for its exceptional geographic beauty, its unique and penetrating light, a rich cultural history, and a spirited and supportive community. Notable plein air artists working there included artists Winslow Homer, Edward Hopper, Frank Duveneck, Childe Hassam, as well as Stuart Davis, Milton Avery, and many others who lived and worked on Rocky Neck in the 19th and early 20th centuries and inspired the Cape Ann style of American Impressionism, a big contribution to American art history. Marthe and I entered a few art galleries, and I found some gorgeous photos which, had I been well-to-do, I would have gladly bought. The restaurant where we wanted to have lunch, the Madfish Grille, was not open, so, after visiting a few more galleries, Marthe suggested that we proceed to the Halibut Point restaurant, named after the trail we had just hiked! Marthe had a delicious Italian chowder, and I had a great hamburger with cole slaw. Two lemonades revived me brilliantly. Afterwards, we visited a Portuguese as well as a Congregationalist church in Gloucester, as well as the City Hall of Gloucester, which featured some wonderfully grand murals which had been completed as a WPA project during the 1930s. The outside of the building is currently under scaffolding and is in the process of being refurbished. After our visit to the two churches and the City Hall, we had an ice cream at a Sicilian cafe--I had tiramisu flavor, and Marthe had caramel. Very fine. On the way home, I stopped by a jeweler to have a new watch battery inserted in one of my watches which had stopped, and then Marthe stopped at Radio Shack to talk about a possible upgrade to her telephone in the future. Upon returning to Marthe's, she and I fixed a mushroom omelette and some beets, and we had those two dishes and cole slaw for dinner. Currently, I am finishing this blog, while Marthe is on the telephone. A great day, and it is always a treat to see the ocean again. Hurrah! With best wishes, Sylvia