May 27-29, 2024, Essex, MA

May 27, Essex, MA

We decided we needed a break from the business in Marblehead. So we secured a Harvest Host reservation at Ernie’s Service Station in Essex, MA. Essex is a small town of 4,000 about half an hour north of Marblehead at the root of Cape Ann. It lies on marshland surrounding the Essex River. First settled in 1634, it was once a leading supplier of schooners for Gloucester and other Atlantic fishing communities but it failed to adapt to the use of steel for shipbuilding. Economically, it now relies on the shellfish industry and tourism.

Fittingly, several popular restaurants along its main thoroughfare feature oysters and clams. We had a delicious, if a bit pricey, lunch at CK Pearl, one of the waterside restaurants along that section of road.

Ernie’s Service Station isn’t much to look at but it is clean, secure, flat and offers free electricity, sewer dumping, water and a dumpster. Ernie and his wife are also campers and enjoy meeting those who choose to stay at their place. If there’s a downside, it is the two lane highway that passes by the station. While it’s good for Ernie’s business, there is the noise associated with passing traffic. Fortunately, the speed limit is low and there are no traffic lights so we didn’t hear vehicles braking and accelerating.

On our arrival day we took a couple of hours to visit nearby Manchester-by-the-Sea on Cape Ann. It was first settled by English colonists in 1629 and was officially incorporated in 1645. Today its population is a bit over 5,000. It is a beautiful town. Interestingly, there is a railroad lift bridge that crosses the snug harbor right in the middle of town.

Exploring the town, we stopped by Masconomo Park which extends out into the harbor. And, heading south through town, we also noticed a small park on our navigation system. Turns out it is named Tucks Point and it sported a large picnic pavilion, with a kitchen, known as Tuck’s Point Chowder House, that can be rented by the public. It also features a lovely rotunda out in the water. Small public boat docks extend out from the rotunda.

Rotunda on Water at Tuck’s Point Park

Rotunda on Water at Tuck’s Point Park

Manchester-by-the-Sea Harbor from Tuck’s Point

Manchester-by-the-Sea Harbor from Tuck’s Point

May 28, Essex, MA

Today we decided to begin by exploring the other towns on Cape Ann and then extend our travels along the Essex Scenic Byway that follows the coast to the border of New Hampshire.

Our first stop was out near the tip of the cape at the town of Rockport. We’d been there on a previous trip and love its harbor. Like most of the public, we especially love the prominent red fishing shack on Bradley Wharf. The shack is popularly known as “Motif Number 1” and has for years been one of the most famous sites on Cape Ann. It is the subject of thousands of paintings and photographs, and is visited by artists and tourists alike from all over the world.

Rockport’s Inner Harbor is Well Protected

Rockport’s Inner Harbor is Well Protected

We Pose in Front of “Motif Number 1”

We Pose in Front of “Motif Number 1”

Classic View of “Motif Number 1” Without Distracting Tourists

Classic View of “Motif Number 1” Without Distracting Tourists

As its name implies, the town was the source of high quality granite, quarried from nearby Sandy Bay quarries. As well, the town was a source of timber and home to a large fishing community. Today the economy revolves around fishing and tourism. The town has long been known as an art colony. Many of it’s artists have their studios along the quaint, narrow streets of Bearskin Neck.

View Into Rockport Harbor from Bearskin Neck

View Into Rockport Harbor from Bearskin Neck

Seaweed Covered Rocks on Bearskin Neck

Seaweed Covered Rocks on Bearskin Neck

We were tempted to visit Halibut Point State Park but we found its $20/person entrance fee unpalatable. A little further along the road we came to the public Plum Cove Beach. There we were able to park and walk along the small beach, apparently a favorite of local residents.

Backside of Working Fisherman’s Warf

Backside of Working Fisherman’s Warf

The largest town on Cape Ann is Gloucester. Our first visit there was for the wedding of our good friends’ son. We didn’t spend much time there this visit but did stop for photos of the iconic Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial statue and park that stretches along its beach. For Memorial Day, the town honored its veterans with a very long row of flags set along the walkway. Each flag bore the name, service and rank of the veteran it honored written along the flag’s hoist.

Gloucester’s Fisherman’s Memorial

Gloucester’s Fisherman’s Memorial

Flags Along Beach Walk Memorialize Specific Servicemen

Flags Along Beach Walk Memorialize Specific Servicemen

Remembering Ofc Brendan Chipperini US Army E-5

Remembering Ofc Brendan Chipperini US Army E-5

Schooner Makes Its Way Out Gloucester Harbor

Schooner Makes Its Way Out Gloucester Harbor

Continuing along the Essex Scenic Byway, we passed Ernie’s Service Station on our way to Ipswich.

We Noticed a Number of Churches Converted to Antique Shops

We Noticed a Number of Churches Converted to Antique Shops

Ipswich is known for its large number of well-preserved 17th and 18th-century first period houses. The houses were cherished as the homes of ordinary townsfolk who could not afford to modernize them and make the kind of changes that might have spoiled their simple Colonial architecture. But even these houses are recent developments. Native Americans are known to have been living along these coastal areas since at least 9,000 BC.

We walked the blocks of East St and N Main St, one of the sections of town with a large concentration of first period (built before 1725). All of the homes were well maintained and looked like they’d not been modified since their original construction.

Historic Plaque Notes this House Built 1687

Historic Plaque Notes this House Built 1687

Build Date of 1709 Makes this House First Period

Build Date of 1709 Makes this House First Period

Not First Period But Still Historic at 1770

Not First Period But Still Historic at 1770

Sign Above Door Denotes Shoemaker Worked Here

Sign Above Door Denotes Shoemaker Worked Here

Next on our tour were the towns of Newbury and Newburyport. While every place we’d visited this day were very picturesque and well maintained, these towns really wowed us. They are truly crisply maintained. Not a single shrub or blade of grass seemed out of place! And, of course, there was the lovely waterfront along the Merrimack River.

One of the town’s features is a boardwalk and bike path along the waterfront. We walked and rode along the Harborwalk Rail Trail and then turned right onto the Clipper City Rail Trail. The Clipper City trail was notable for all the artwork displayed along the way. There were numerous paintings on fences that lined portions of the trail, lots of sculpture installations and a beautiful, well tended butterfly garden, too.

View Along Harborwalk Rail Trail

View Along Harborwalk Rail Trail

One of Many Sculptures Along Clipper City Rail Trail

One of Many Sculptures Along Clipper City Rail Trail

Paintings Decorated Occasional Fences that Lined the Trail

Paintings Decorated Occasional Fences that Lined the Trail

We paid a short visit to the Custom House Maritime Museum. The building is an imposing granite edifice built in 1835. It houses an impressive set of collections that tell the story of Newburyport and its maritime history.  We were short on time so the director allowed us a truncated visit to the first floor. An interesting display showed the incredible detail of an early lithograph of the town. It’s amazing how finely painted the original was.

Imposing US Customs House Converted to Maritime Museum

Imposing US Customs House Converted to Maritime Museum

We somehow managed to miss the short drive out to Plum Island. Yeah, we know. Everyone we talked to said we shouldn’t miss it for its beauty. But it simply slipped our minds. Next time!

Last on our list was Salisbury, just across the river from Newburyport. Quite different than its neighbor, the beach access area and boardwalk reminded us of a slightly down market version of Bethany Beach, DE. Featured next to the boardwalk entrance was the Salisbury Beach Carousel. It’s beautiful, but, sadly, was closed for the day. We decided to make up for that disappointment with a delicious bowl of soft ice cream!

Boardwalk Entrance Reminded Us of Bethany Beach, DL

Boardwalk Entrance Reminded Us of Bethany Beach, DL

View Along Salisbury Boardwalk

View Along Salisbury Boardwalk

Salisbury Beach Carousel was Closed

Salisbury Beach Carousel was Closed

We Admired the Brick Work on Salisbury’s O’Shea Building

We Admired the Brick Work on Salisbury’s O’Shea Building

Returning to our camper, we decided to have some local seafood for dinner. Woodman’s of Essex is the largest place that tourists stop to eat and, behold, everything they serve is gluten free. But everything they serve is fried. Instead, we continued a mile down the road to J.T. Farnham’s where we got takeout grilled haddock.

May 29, Essex, MA

Today we returned to Marblehead and our mission to prepare Sandy’s cousin’s home for sale. Before we headed out, though, we wanted to see Manchester-by-the-Sea’s famous Singing Beach. Well, you’re not about to hear an ancient sea shanty as you walk the beach. Instead, as you shuffle your feet through the loose sand above the high tide line, you can hear a distinct creaking sound. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and certainly a worthwhile stop as Singing Beach might be the prettiest New England beach we’ve ever seen!

Sandy Explores Rocks at North End of Singing Beach

Sandy Explores Rocks at North End of Singing Beach

Singing Beach May be Prettiest New England Beach We’ve Seen

Singing Beach May be Prettiest New England Beach We’ve Seen