Labor Day weekend brings the much anticipated annual schooner festival to Gloucester. There is something magical about seeing the harbor filled with sails. This year John and I were kayaking sans kids so we were on the water the whole morning. We saw the schooners lining up as they came out of the inner harbor for the Parade of Sails. Above you see two schooners which sail out of Gloucester: the Adventure, which is a former Grand Banks fishing schooner and the Ardelle, a pinky schooner built in Essex. We paddled very close to the other large schooner with the three masts-- the Mystic out of...Newport, RI! Yes, the RI connection is neat but we were more interested in those on board! Isaac and his friend Miles are off to the races on the Mystic. The Maritime Center offers teens to go out for free during the Mayor's Race. What an opportunity! They were all smiles and I am sure they will have tales to tell when they return to land.
