Bill (wicky-wacky) has come through with a great photo of Eastern Point MA lighthouse. He will pop in here shortly and post his story about this lighthouse and his photo. (And maybe the story behind his screen name.)

Terrific image it's just to bad you didn't have any white fluffy clouds..

Eastern Point Lighthouse in Gloucester , MA has been in my memory almost my entire life. My family would spend 2 -3 weeks on Cape Ann each summer visiting and celebrating with my Dad's army buddies, who seemed to have chosen this area to settle down and raise a family. The mayor, a sail maker, fishermen, lobsterers, these guys made for great days at Good Harbor Beach.

I remember the day we were fishing near the Fisherman's Memorial with my Uncle Snapper (all of my Dad's army buddies became my uncles), when I pointed to the lighthouse way across the harbor. Snapper told me we would visit there later but first he told me the story of "The Man at the Wheel".

We all got in his truck and drove to the city hall. Inside was the Wall of Those Lost at Sea. Placques and scrolls, some dating back to the early 1800's, hung here with the names of crews lost at sea, never to see Eastern Point again. Our next stop was Our Lady of Good Voyage Church.
Inside, on the walls along the outer aisles were models of ships that "went down to sea". The pulpit where the pastor stood during mass was shaped like the prow of a ship, complete with figurehead. This church was a shrine of reverance for those Gloucestermen who never returned.

We then rode to the east side (Atlantic Avenue),up the hill, past the artist colony with seascapes hanging on easels outside of weathered shops, then getting a glimpse of Ten Pound Island Lighthouse on to Eastern Point Road. The houses here, I thought, were where the "rich people" lived. Many sailboats tethered to their moorings bowed as we passed by in that old Ford pick-up which all to obviously wasn't to be found parked full time in any driveway nearby.

Upon approaching the light, the first thing you feel is the wind. Situated on the point of this giant rock outcropping is Eastern Point Lighthouse. Kids my age (8 or 9) were flying kites inside a fence covered with lobster bouys of varying patterns that had washed-up on a nearby small beach. Out on the breakwater we walked and Uncle Snap told of winter storms that had moved the large granite blocks and cut the electricity to Dog Bar Light at the Breakwaters end. I thought he was teasing me about the blocks being moved by the fury of the waves because even one of my "giant steps" didn't reach across these stones. We sat down for what was quite a time watching the fishing and lobster boats return. The fog horn wasn't in use that day but when the wind came-up you could hear the bell chime.

I never forgot that day and some 8 years later I worked uncle Bill's trawler out of Gloucester.
After a time at sea it's a sign of home. I've seen Eastern Point's Light welcome me home at night and see me off on foggy mornings. For awhile I was a Gloucesterman. Since that time I've returned with my sons along the same route. My wife counts it as one of her favorite places -I think it's Rockport and the shops on Bear Skin Neck that I always take her to.

Now I sit at the Fisherman's Memorial drinking coffee and looking beyond Ten Pound Island Light toward Eastern Point and I smile.

This area is a hotbed for lighthouses. Marblehead, Salem's Derby Wharf, Winter Island, Hospital Point, Bakers Island all within 20 minutes of each other. Farther north (another 15 minutes) you'll find Ten Pound Island, Eastern Point, Cape Ann (Twin Light)or Thatchers Island, Bird Island and Annisquam Light.

My Dad and Uncles have all passed away, but they left me with great memories.

And I'm now left with the memory of a great story. Thank you.

Sandy

And you're making me want to return to this area and see all the lights you've named -- none of which I've visited yet. I'll have to make time to see "Our Lady of Good Voyage Church" as well.

I tried getting into the church on a Sunday afternoon once and found it locked. I guess that's just one more sign of the times we live in.

A great and very informative story. And, a great picture to go with it. Thanks for sharing both.

If I remember correctly, it was the Our Lady of Good Voyage Church which was the backdrop, (or at least the inspiration), for the scene in the original Moby Dick movie which had Orson Wells preaching from the ship's bow pulpit. Because the movie was based in New Bedford, MA, many people thought that it was shot at Seamen's Bethel, across from the New Bedford Whaling Museum. The Seamen's Bethel has similar maritime memorials throughout, and since the movie was released added a ship's bow pulpit similar to the one at Our Lady of Good Voyage.

Photo of Seamen's Bethel
http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/25/37125-004-870CF834.jpg

Great story Bill !!! and a great pic too !!!

I want to hear the story behind your sceen name, wickywacky ..

15 lighthouses in the area. I'm going to a wedding there this weekend, and plan to see them all!

Just back from my trip and got to see all the 15 lights. I think this is the best bang for the buck "Lighthouses per minute" EVER!

Glad you enjoyed it. I've done it many times . The bride and I are going to be back in MA for a lighthouse cruise. Will be doing the lights north of Boston. Will be nice to see them from the water. Bob, did you enjoy the skyline of Boston from Eastern Point?

Shouldn't the photo be changed to now say July 2009 - after all it is the 7th.

Larry