Rockport Favorites

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Favorite thing: I like to watch closely at what happens around the town when noone is looking...or to see the things others pay no attention to.
A worker stepped out side the shop to have a smoke and I could see him from the place where Hoot and I were having chowder across the tiny inlet.
At the end of the day a young couple walked the beach as the sun was setting.
The fall moorings wait for the next lively season.
The yacht club shines in the sun as the harbormasters work all around it's base to help removing floating docks.
They are the incidental moments that amuse me.

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Favorite thing: Maybe its the proximity and mixture of things all happening simultaneously that I like so much about Rockport. No time to be bored. You can go from oodles of people and non-stop shopping on Bearskin Neck, to a history lesson, a kayak paddle, exquisite photography subjects, fabulous fresh shrimp and lobsters... to the placid silence of the inner harbor without taking much more than ten steps! It's all here..jammed into one of the most picturesque towns you'll find most anywhere. No wonder the artists have enjoyed being here for so many years.
The town fathers (and mothers) protect this atmosphere passionately. I'm so glad it has remained the same for all the years I can remember. Certain businesses will come and go, but the flavor and beauty remain unspoiled. I hope you can enjoy it one day. Call me and I'll meet you there. I find most any excuse to drive up to Rockport.

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Favorite thing: Flat Rock is a very romantic spot to listen to the surf...sit in the sun....day dream....or whatever....
Seems to affect everyone the same way, no matter who I bring there. It's rather remote. You have to know where the tiny path through the underbrush is. There is a sign that marks it at the turn of Eden Road.

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Favorite thing: Rockport shop owners get right into the swing of decorating and having fun with each of the seasons. When we visited in October they were all decorating for Halloween....making dummies to sit outside their shop or in an old row boat....it's always quite festive.

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Favorite thing: What a fantastic place for seagulls to live. What could be better than all the tidbits left by fishermen and the lobster boats coming after their traps? Occasional boaters probably lose a bit of lunch as well. All designed for these wonderful gulls of Rockport's seashore. Sometimes they look as if they have something to say about the kayaks and boats that pass by. They fly when you approach, but I don't think they are very worried about the silly humans who visit their warm and welcoming home.

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Favorite thing: If you leave the town of Rockport you can find a little road to wander and drive the north loop past the granite quarry, a state park, a wonderful fish restaurant by a tiny cove with outdoor tables, winding roads filled with interesting looking houses, and maybe a perfect view.
Halibut Point has a state park, parking, trails to walk, and a visitors center surrounding the old Quarry. The Babson Farm Quarry stopped its operations in 1929, but the locals have managed to protect the property and improve the visitors center, making it a terrific spot to picnic, walk, photograph, or bring your dog. (leashed, of course)

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Favorite thing: Around 4 o'clock in the afternoon the shadows begin to creep across the road and over the sand. The last of the die hards are clinging to those late hours of warm sunshine on a mid-October day. Children run, adults daze into the horizon, and I am peaceful sitting here taking a rest from the hours of walking. We've had picnics here with the seagulls in the summer time. I'll bet that there are true beach lovers who come even in the winter. This is a well loved stretch of sand.
The beach is just around the corner from town. You are a 5 minute walk from the hustle and bustle of the town with hundreds of tourists taking the walk out to Bearskin Neck and all its hustle and bustle.

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Favorite thing: Known simply as "Motif No. 1", this little red shack out on Tuna Wharf is likely the most photographed and painted building in Massachusetts, maybe in all of New England. Many people who visit Rockport for the first time actually recognize it from paintings. There is nothing really in the building except for a couple of shops.

Here's something interesting to try: Type "Motif No. 1" into Google, hit "Images" and see what you get!

The Motif even has its own page on Wikipedia! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motif_Number_1

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Favorite thing: I guess the thing about Rockport is that you can find a marvelous tablecloth from France, some excellent streudel, a local painting, or a cheap T shirt. All mixed together in a charming sort of comfortable picturesque little town. If you click on the pic, you can see the 2nd floor greeters in the windows above the shop.

Favorite thing: Scuba divers should check out Loblolly cove, just north of Pebble Beach on Penzance Street. There are two dives you can do here. The cove is quite large and includes a small peninsula. On the north side of the peninsula is a beach with a sandy entry. On the south side there's a rocky entry. Both are sheltered and very easy to get in & out, although, I think I'd avoid the south side at low tide as the rocks get quite slippery. Max depth on either side is around 35 feet.

If you've got a lobster license, this it the place to be. There are more lobster here than any other place I've seen. And they're BIG, too!

Unfortunately, you can't park at Loblolly (resident parking only - you WILL get towed), but you can drop your gear off and park at Pebble Beach (a 5 or 10 min. walk). Loblolly is just north of Pebble Beach. Continue past Pebble Beach until you see a dirt road straight ahead and the paved road bends to the left. Stay straight onto the dirt road until it ends.

See the Cape Ann Divers Find A Dive Site page for more information about this and other dive sites on Cape Ann.