Points of Interest::
Stripped bass regularly swim along the shore in front of the house and it is not uncommon to see schools of strippers and bluefish chasing small fish on the surface out in Ipswich Bay. Although it is illegal to collect lobsters without a license, you will be tempted to pick up little lobsters at low tide from under the rocks that line the rocky sections of shore in front of the house. It is easy to find starfish in the tidal pools and sand dollars on the beaches. The snorkeling and diving in the area is very good. There are local shops which rent diving equipment. Gloucester has a choice of whale watch boats which go out in search of whales and porpoises. We saw a huge school of porpoises swim by from the front porch of the house during the summer of 2007, so you don't even have to go on a trip to enjoy nature. Bring your binoculars. There are also people who provide fishing adventures that range from catching cod and haddock to chasing strippers and bluefish or pursuing tuna.
In addition to the private sandy beaches by the house, the area has many long sandy beaches to explore. Some of them provide good body surfing, surfing and skim boarding. Plumb Island has huge sections of uninhabited beach and is a great place to go birding. Crane's Beach offers wonderful walks through the sand dunes.
Halibut point is just down the coast a couple of miles from the house and there is a spectacular old granite quarry there in a a state park, which makes a great kayaking destination on a relatively calm day. We like to go there during big storms because the granite shelf that extends into the ocean creates huge waves, which crash onto the ledges. It is often spectacular there during a storm.
The old port city of Gloucester is near by and has many wonderful restaurants and shops. I particularly like the Portuguese restaurant, the Azorian and Virgulio's bakery. Salem has museums and a wonderful old sea fairing feel. I have found some excellent deals on things nautical there. We usually to to Peabody to see a movies and often combine the trip with a little shopping. The malls there offer a wide range of choices. There are antique shops scattered through the picturesque little coastal towns on the north shore, which can provide hours of interesting poking around and treasures. Please feel free to ask for further suggestions of adventures further afield.
