Cape Ann---"The Other Cape"

We are way behind in getting travel posts published this summer because we're having too much fun traveling! So we won't be confused about when each "wandering" happened, we'll start each blog with its actual date.

August 7, 2022

This summer we have experienced several "capes." That's another word for a peninsula of land that juts out into a body of water. Since we've been hanging out on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, we've seen Cape May in New Jersey, Cape Henlopen in Delaware, Cape Cod in southern Massachusetts, and now Cape Ann in northern Massachusetts. When people in Massachusetts mention they are going to "The Cape" it is understood that they are going to Cape Cod. But the people on Cape Ann often have to fight for the recognition of being "The Other Cape." We stayed for four nights, and we found lots of things to keep us busy on Cape Ann.

For example, we found an outdoor Sunday worship service in the park in the town of Beverly. They were celebrating homecoming in this town, with a whole list of activities today. We thought church in the park sounded good until we realized the line-up of preachers ranged from a Zen leader to a Bahai pastor. The only Christian represented was a Quaker woman that shared a few words. 

After that unusual church service, we checked out the Beverly beach, and the very nice city park.

We remember the Salem Witch Trials, so our next Cape Ann stop was Salem, Massachusetts. Actually, Salem might be too far inland to be considered part of the cape, but it was another interesting stop while we were in the area. There's a Salem witch statue greeting visitors to the Salem Witch Museum downtown. There was a long line waiting to get in the museum, so we opted for other stops in town.

We found lots of witchy-hype in Salem, but we headed to the national historic park office to get the real story. The film at the visitor center explained more about the trials in 1692 and 1693 that found 30 people guilty of witchcraft. Twenty people were sentenced to death. A very helpful ranger provided us with a map and instructions on the best way to experience the sights of Salem. The first stop was the Charter Street Cemetery where some of the high profile people in the trials are buried. 

The most high profile people, or course, were the alleged witches. They weren't buried in the town cemetery. But the Witch Trial Memorial to them was built much later right beside the cemetery.

Each one has a memorial stone, and flowers and trinkets are still being left here. Nineteen of the alleged witches were hanged . . .

but one was "pressed to death." We don't even want to imagine what that means. One source said it was the only such state-sanctioned execution of its kind.

On a more cheerful note, our map led us to some other historical sights in Salem. This is the Salem Maritime National Historic Site--complete with its tall mast ship named the Friendship. We should tell you that it is 98 degrees in Salem with 70% humidity today. It felt really hot while we were walking all over Salem.

But that heat didn't stop us from walking all the way to the end of the jetty to stand beside the Derby Wharf Light.

This was the first national historic site ever created in the United States, and we will go out of our way to visit places like this. We would just wish for a little less heat when we visited.

As we walked the jetty, we watched sea gulls dropping something on the rocks beside us. It was low tide, so they were able to fish for the clams in the shallow water. They would fly high above us, and then drop the clam to break open the shell on the rocks. Then they would swoop down to harvest the goodies inside before another gull beat them to it.

The Maritime National Historic Site consists of 14 structures and 66 archaeological sites. One of those structures was the 1819 Custom House. At one time, author Nathanial Hawthorne worked here, and he set the introduction of his book "The Scarlet Letter" here.

It's not surprising that the next stop on our list of Salem sites, was the birthplace of this famous American author. This house was the setting of another of Nathanial Hawthorne's novels about a family living here during the Witch Trials.

This is the original dwelling of "The House of the Seven Gables," written in 1851. If we had a little more time on our hands, we should have done some reading to brush up on our early American novels before heading to Salem.

It was so hot in Salem that we opted for a little stop at a McDonald's just for some free wifi and air-conditioning. We wondered why the place was deserted except for a group of high schoolers. Once we got our order and sat down we found out why. They were wrestling and cursing and jumping over booths, and over-all the worst behavior we've ever seen at an eating establishment. Even though the air-conditioning felt good, we didn't stay long. Maybe the witchy hype has affected the young people of Salem!?! Then we were off to find another lighthouse. This is Hospital Point Light, now a part of a private residence near Beverly, Massachusetts.

We were intrigued by the nearby beach, but we didn't have a reservation or the $25 parking fee necessary to stop. So it was a drive-by viewing and a very quick picture. We didn't hear any music here at Singing Sands Beach in Manchester-by-the-Sea.

Cape Ann is just across the bay from Boston, and at another stop we could see the outline of the big city sky line from the "Other Cape."

We love a good walk on the beach, and we are a little miffed at the reservation system and charges on the Cape Ann beaches. But we found a wonderful resource that doesn't charge an admission fee. Massachusetts has something called "trustee land" that is open to the public and free--a rare combination. Mark found that Coolidge Point Trustee Land had some hiking options, one of which took us to Gray Beach. 

What a great find for a walk on the beach today!

Denisa is so excited to find some sea shells and a free beach that she went right to spelling it out.

It's not as hot here at the beach with our toes in the water.

While the other side of the beach has houses, our trail side is rimmed with some nice rock ledges.

Our hiking trail continued to a place labeled as "Ocean Lawn." We didn't know what to expect, but it was a huge grassy sloped hill with views of the ocean. At one time this was a view from a mansion. When it burned down, the owners never rebuilt and the land was donated to the trustee system.

From the lawn, we could walk out to the rocky ledges.

No sandy beach here, but we love the views of a nice rocky shore line. It feels like we have wandered into another of God's wonders!

We made a loop hike by walking through the forest up Bungalow Hill. We're glad for the shade, and glad that it is getting late enough to get cooler. 

That trustee land was so good that we tried another stop at Rafes Chasm Trustee Park. Owned by the city of Gloucester (which we were taught is pronounced Glosta), there are only six parking spaces. We were blessed to get one of those this evening.

By scrambling over the rocks, we could see the chasm where the ocean comes further into the rocks.

The sun was low in the sky, making a dramatic cloud picture from the shore

The weatherman reported that we broke the high temperature record for this date at 98 degrees. They seldom see temperatures in the 90s around here, so we weren't kidding that we were hot today. The best place to be was on or near the water when it's that hot and humid on Cape Ann.

Our last stop of the day was for a boardwalk stroll in Gloucester. We're a little giddy to find a free parking spot when we stopped to see the Fisherman's Memorial. Large brass plates list the 5,368 names of the sailors that left this busy fishing port and never returned home. The memorial reminded us that these weren't just fishermen, they were fathers, husbands, brothers, and sons in the community of Gloucester.

On another day, we would return to Gloucester, to see some less sobering sights. For example, we visited "The Paper House." Yes, it is made of paper.

Built in 1924, the walls on the inside and the outside are covered in newspaper of that era. After 98 years, the newspaper is brittle and they ask visitors not to touch anything.

Even the furniture is covered with rolled newspaper.

We also stopped for an evening stroll at Wingaersheck Beach. The white sand here is the softest we can remember. It literally feels like walking in talcum powder!

This is one of Cape Ann's best beaches, so of course it requires a reservation and a $35 parking fee--during the day. After 5:00 no reservations are monitored. We were surprised by how many people were still at this beach as the sun was setting.

In the distance we got our only view of the Straitsmouth Island Lighthouse.

This evening we had just enough time to drive to the town of Rockport. This is home to the red fishing shack known as "Motif No. 1"--one of the most photographed and painted spots in America. This little sea-side village has been in many movies, including the backdrop for the movie, "The Proposal" starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds.

Hollywood transformed this fishing village into Sitka, Alaska, for the movie. It must be easier to get movie stars and filming crews in Massachusetts rather than Alaska.

Our pictures are only starring Mark and Denisa on this trip to Cape Ann. These pictures in Rockport were taken in the little harbor of Bearskin Neck. The narrow street is lined with restaurants and shops, and fun little openings that lead to alleys on the ocean.

We watched the sunset from the end of Bearskin Neck. It was dark by the time we got back to our motor home in Essex. We are really enjoying the treasures we are finding here in Cape Ann--"The Other Cape."