It always good to return to one of my "home-away-from-homes", this one being the Cape Ann area. In more recent years, the route to and fro have taken on a more 'circuitous' path as I still have many sites in need of attention with a lesser accent upon Cape Ann sites.
So on Day one of this adventure, I started by a long overdue visit to the Balance Rock Farm in Worcester County. A little over a year ago, I came upon some old photos showing the Balance Rock and other local sites. After checking in with the farm's owner, and once again visiting the namesake rock, it was on to a neighboring town and it's own local version of the Profile Rock. Frome here, it was deeper into Middlesex County for glacial boulders at the Landlocked Forest (which bumps up against the Boston Beltway highways) and a revisit to the nearby Paint Mine location. Finally, late in the day, it was time to swing on up to Cape Ann, checking for possible rock/Indian shelters (nothing here) and a walk through the Red Rocks climbing area.
I originally planned the morning of the second day to be split between Dogtown, and reach the seashore for other projects, just before noon. However, Dogtown had me tied up all morning visiting locations in its northwestern perimeter. These included the Rayne Boulder (gravesite?), Peter's Pulpit, Whales Jaw, Wharf Road, Dogtown Square, and the Merry/bull attack boulders. Later on, I continued a casual, leisurely pace, once again investigating possible rock/Indian shelters, Rockport's Emerson Plaque site on Andrews Point and Profile Rock.
The morning of the third day was an abbreviated jaunt to more northerly sections of Essex County to finally bear fruit on a long ongoing project: location of the Nubble Squid which was mentioned in John Henry Sears' 1905 book on Essex County geology. Over the years, numerous searches of various locations were undertaken but produced minimal results. This significant rocky area (which I've read is part of the Clinton-Newbury Faultline) only got a quick, casual look, before returning to Gloucester shoreline for low tide. Down at the seashore, I explored possibilities (but nothing definite) for the Old Man's Cave (antique image) and a look at the nearby, very small, sea cave. Afterward, it was to the location of the Old Man of Joppa formation to try and get a more definitive confirmation on this site.
The fourth day once again brought me off the Cape, down to the Saugus vicinity. Here I looked into the Old Indian Cave, a balanced boulder, Cannon/Phaeton Rock, Appleton's Pulpit, Shoemaker Rock, and the Pirates Glen.
Day five saw me pulling out of town late in the morning after breakfast and a seaside walk. Down to Woburn for Rag Rock then on to Fitchburg's Cogshall Park. Although I did visit Moses Rock, there are other features here than needing to be examined. Picking up the Mohawk Trail, it was westward on to the Berkshires!
