Ah, Cape Ann! Too long away from the ocean and an area that has been a productive 'base of operations for over 20 years.
The early morning hours found me up on the Mohawk Trail making my way eastward. The journey first started in Worcester County in the Town of Athol. Here, within the Bearsden conservation property, I sought to tie up some loose ends from years past. Explorer of New England caves, Steve H., had come across a good sized cavern (one of two that are in town) that may very well fit the description of another Bear's Den. Rumors have persisted for some time on this cave, and years ago I had swept through the area. During those days I found interesting rocks for sure but not able to confirm a Bear's Den (or perhaps in this case a Bearsden). Nearby Cats Cave is pretty well known and twice I have visited. Using previous gps data I found the site in question. It was a towering ledge of cracked and broken talus where I stuck my head in a few places. The challenge was a bit more than my limited resources, so further exploration will have to wait.
One more stop before hitting Cape Ann was at a small boulder formation in Middlesex County known as Indian Cave. Pretty much a routine visit other than finding out the access area now has a brand new home planted on it! A kindly neighbor took pity on me and assisted with gaining entrance to the necessary property.
Finally arriving in Gloucester, early afternoon, I began working a list of smaller projects. The first was a small waterfall that deposited its waters into Goose Cove. Then up and around the northern tip of the Cape to Pigeon Hill in Rockport. Part of the timing of this trip was to avoid most - if not all - of the foliage that often blocks views and visibility. Near the foot of Pigeon Hill I checked out a likely prospect for an old postcard of Boiling Spring. A possibility - yes, but nothing really exists to lend itself towards a definitive identification. Climbing back up the hill again, I worked some brush clearing around old Profile Rock. Old postcards show a magnificent view from Pigeon Hill down to the ocean. Now all overgrown.
The second day got kicked off with a visit to Annisquam. One well known, and one not so well know, rocky formations. First was Squam Rock (once known as Young's Great Rock, and occasionally, Big Rock). This is part of a land trust and I also examined a couple other outcrops nearby. Then it was a walk over to visit a find from a couple years back that proved to answer two old pieces of photography: Tilting Rock/Moving Rock.
Low tide was arriving so it was a good time to get my 'beach visit' in. A quick look at the northern side of Bass Rocks where the likely location of the Old Man's Cave might be found. The tide has never been low enough - and you might have to crawl on prohibited rocks - for me to reach this site. At a different section of the vast Good Harbor Beach, I saw that the parting of the sea to Salt Island was also not going to work. I looked over quickly a small sea cave along the shore to again verify this low tide was just not going to work.
So back inland to hack my way through the briars and thorns to Indian Rock. Well known to the local youths several decades ago, it has become engulfed by undesirable vegetation. I did a minor amount of clearing and got a few photographs before departing for Dogtown. Using an eastern approach that took me by the Turtle Rock and old Rockport Hospital site, I made my way (getting off track on several occasions) to eventually reach Racoon Rocks. Or as I see on the map, they now label it Racoon Ledges. Interesting title as it is a giant deposit of glacial debris - a moraine, actually. But an extreme proliferation of boulders. Even for Dogtown!
The previous two days left me somewhat 'depleted' so a lighter day was in order. I got in my visit to the always inviting, picturesque rocks, of Pigeon Cove. Coming in off the ocean, I wandered a bit in Andrews Woods, still seeking out the former sites of the old chalybeate springs. I eventually made the drive back down the west side of Cape Ann to do, what has also become an old standard, a visit to Lanes Cove. I checked out how many of the old fishing shacks might remain and used a back door approach to the Cove Hill Cemetery, also know as the Lanes Cove Cemetery. Established in 1720, one can find some of the very earliest settlers buried within. While in Lanesville, a return was in order to another moving rock! Followed by a quick trip into Essex County Greenbelt's Goose Cove property, the portion of Babson's cellar boulders around Goose Cove Reservoir, and a climb of the northern end of Pole Hill to see what view could be captured of the Riverdale section.
A full-on trip into Dogtown. Devoted to a portion of Babson's Boulders and related searches. Passing by a variety of boulders that numbered old cellar holes of former residents (and Merry's 'First attacked' and 'died' rocks) I arrived at Dogtown Square. Hanging a right, I quickly ended up on the Babson Boulder Trail , spending time at Uncle Andrews/Spiritual Power Rock as well as others in that immediate area. A slight reversal, and change of direction to the Moraine Trail, and I was off looking for a reported giant boulder from a former (deceased) Gloucester man. I finally was satisfied I found that rock, so wandered about picking up on other of Babson's boulderly sayings. I eventually headed north out of Dogtown Square along the old Wharf Road to locate Abram Wharf's cellar site which was missed on my last visit. Still further on lay the gigantic Peter's Pulpit. After shooting the whole morning and into the early afternoon, I made my way out of Dogtown and on to the former site of the Old Man of Joppa formation. Nothing much to be seen here as modern society has pretty well ruined it. One more location this day in West Gloucester, visiting one of its very few granite quarry sites. At the top of the quarry wall is a minor rock formation depicted on a postcard as Chief Wingaersheek. Very marginal and you'd have to know what you're looking for.
Last days are often a winding down process for me as I prepare myself for the long drive home. A quick tour of Stage Fort Park and perhaps my favorite beach at Half Moon. I wanted to hit a grocery store on the way out of town and a nice entrance to Dogtown lay nearby along the Old Rockport Road. Here it all began with my very first experience in Gloucester over 20 years ago. Tent Rock and five of the Babson Boulders can quickly be located through this 'portal' to Dogtown. Afterwards, the long journey home commenced!
