Sept 18, Marblehead, MA

Overnight low at Gloucester was 36 degrees this morning early but the temperature had already warmed up to 55 by the time we got out for breakfast about 8 am.

Typical Gloucester fishing boat

Swordfish tails

Tromp L'Oeil (these are not real widows)

Interesting paint job on this car

Low tide in Gloucester

Breakfast spot

We walked the Gloucester area near our marina and found a commercial fishing yard, several restaurants and many art galleries. This area could use some redevelopment.

Art studio

Waterfront fixer-upper

More art studios

Specialty Gloucester fishing boat with forward platform for harpooning tuna

We left about 11 am and motored about 10 miles to Marblehead, Massachusetts, which is just down the coast toward Boston. We are staying at the Town Dock right at the foot of the village. This is a classic New England village with many homes from the 1700's and very narrow streets. The homes and shops are crowded right up to the streets and are almost all wood frame with narrow lap siding. The area looks well tended and prosperous. Marblehead is an unusually attractive community in that it is an old fashoined walking village. The homes (large and small) are all clustered together and it is easy to get around the village by just walking even to the grocery which is almost right in the center of the village. Interesting that the grocery is not visible from any street as you drive through the area but can easily be reached by car down an alley which opens up into a small parking lot hidden from the street. It is a meduim sized store with a very good selection of upscale items.

Harbor in Marblehead, Massachusetts

A Marblehead residential street

Marblehead is a mixture of uses all close to each other

Well tended shopping area

We saw lots of older folks enjoying the sun on the park benches in town looking out at the harbor. Reminded Linda and me of the benches in St Petersburg.

We found the supermarket within easy walking distance of the marina. We stocked up on supplies, including some corn of the cob and a 3 pound lobster to be enjoyed later. There must be 300 boats here in the harbor on moorings so this is a very active boating center. Beautiful homes line the waterfront, many built right on the granite rocks that line the coast.