Time to once again head out to Essex County, eventually landing on Cape Ann. This was both an unusual - and special - trip as well. Unusual in that a light agenda was planned. This was meant to be more for rest and relaxation. Special, in that it is a new direction in my life - retirement!
As is often the case, one or two sites are taken in as I make my way across Massachusetts. On this, the first day, it would find me just south of the Mohawk Trail at Redemption Rock. In its vicinity lies an old - now unused - tomb once containing the remains of at least two members of the Everett Family. Although I first visited this site a number of years ago, much to my chagrin, I was unable to find in again several years ago. This visit went well and I quickly found the old burial chamber.
Landing in West Gloucester gave me a chance to look up an old postcard of the Fishermen's Rest memorial located in a local cemetery. Not surprising, things have changed a bit since the days when the picture was taken for the old postcard - approximately 80 years ago.
The next several days were spent visiting my usual favorite site up at Pigeon Cove, kayaking rivers on the west side of Cape Ann, hiking out to 'Cave Rock', and revisiting Merlin's Cave - first seen on my late April trip.
When day five rolled around, a receding tide prompted me to move on Middlesex County. Here, I returned (via river) to the Two Brother Rocks, some of the earliest land boundary/landmarks for Massachusetts. Their history can be traced back to the 1630's. Upon returning to the put-in, a thunderstorm (with weather service warning) was moving in. So the time had come to roll on to Rt 495, and home via the Mohawk Trail.
