Cape Ann

This summer we have committed ourselves to see each nook and cranny of New England that we have yet to explore.  This past Saturday we made our way up to Cape Ann. Our first stop was Manchester by the Sea. Each time I drive past this tiny fishing village, I want to pull off the freeway. There is something about it's name that lures you down it's winding roads, lined with quaint shops and historical buildings, to it's harbor, which is one of the most picturesque in New England. I read about an arts festival taking place in the town center on Saturday, so I suddenly had every reason to see this charming inlet. We spent our time meandering through the artist tents admiring the handmade jewelry, pottery and canvases. We stopped to listen to the band play a mixture of jazz, disco and country numbers. Annelise and Sophia had their faces painted and we found yet another incredible local homemade ice cream stand.

We then headed north to Halibut State Park. We knew that we were off the beaten path when the ranger asked in amazement if the park was actually in the New England travel book that I had on my lap. We were the beneficiaries of this apparently little known and traveled to spot in Rockport. The park was an abandoned granite quarrie. A lake now filled the massive hole left behind by years of chiseling out chunks of granite for various purposes. Beyond the lake, huge granite slabs lay in their tumbled positions, creating tide pools around the Atlantic ocean. We brought a picnic and our creature catching nets. With the park almost to ourselves, we enjoyed our afternoon.

Our last stop for the day was Wingaersheek Beach, one of our favorite spots on Cape Ann. The tide was out, which provided some of the best beach combing we have done. The highlight of the evening was finding hundreds of perfectly shaped sand dollars. The kids scoured the seashore, looking for dark circular edges poking through the packed sand. We left the beach, after the sun had set, with nets full of shells to bleach in the morning sun.