Due to COVID-19, Bangor is no longer a convenient destination, not that it was ever terribly convenient, truth be told. It was, however, possible to get there. That is no longer the case. For my trip to Denver, I had to fly from Boston, so I decided to make a day of it on the way back to Maine. I’m working on a time-lapse series of scenic byways, so I planned to start in Gloucester and head north along the coast, following the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway.
I mentioned this to Joseph during our days of self-isolation (long story, that ends uneventfully, with negative test results – thank goodness), and he was very excited about Gloucester, because the Wicked Tuna boats are there. That clinched it, because it is unusual that Joseph is excited about my projects, so this was a promising sign.
My first stop in Gloucester was the Visitor Center which was clearly marked as I came in from Boston’s Logan Airport on 133. It is located in the beautiful Stage Fort Park on the shore with walking trails and a large rock to climb. The volunteer was very helpful, and had more suggestions than I had time. She showed me where to find the Hot Tuna in Rocky Neck, loaded me up with guides and maps, and gave me some restaurant recommendations. There was a brochure on the Essex Coastal Scenic Byway, which was a bit different from the website that I was using to make the plan. The volunteer circled the most picturesque portions, but my plan was to make the loop and then head back to Maine on I-95.
What I learned is that I could be very happy for a few days riding my bike along the coast, taking pictures of quaint fishing villages and lighthouses, visiting art galleries, and buying some Wicked Tuna merchandise. Gloucester has a rich history as the oldest fishing port, and the home port of the Andrea Gail, which went down with all hands during “The Perfect Storm” of September 1991. Rockport is a charming town with gorgeous views, and lots of shops and galleries, an excellent place to stop for lunch.
By the way, all of these pictures were taken with my iPhone 11 Pro Max and edited through Adobe Lightroom on my iPad Pro, and they are pretty good for travel snapshots. It can be a chore to carry around a full frame camera, and it is sometimes nice to travel light, with a bandolier strap on the phone, and a credit card slid in the back pocket.
resources
cape ann vacations website
cape ann guide
The guide is excellent and includes a section on each city, and a list of the 10 most instagram-able places, page 20.
cape ann map
list of lighthouses
discover gloucester website
Pick up a map of the Maritime Trails and Merchant Guide at the Visitor Center. These were the only two brochures that are not offered on line.
discover gloucester guide
Another excellent guide to read, with an article on Wicked Tuna’s Captain T. J. Ott, page 8. There is a reading list of local interest on page 22.
essex coastal scenic byway
time-lapse video
One of the prettiest sections in along Atlantic Road, heading toward Good Harbor Beach. The road goes along the rocky coast and there were a dozen or more artists set up with easels, painting the scene. The byway takes you by lots of coves and beaches, and I think it lends itself to bicycling. I found this link to a route on AllTrails: Gloucester Biking Loop.
