7/26
Today we are back in Martha’s Vinyard, stopped over in the afternoon to give the kids some beach time and a break from the ship. They had been onboard for three full days and done very well, but were excited nonetheless for a return to civilization (something greatly lacking onboard the ship, apparently).
Last week we got to spend the day in one of my most favorite places in the country, Gloucester, MA. It is about as soaked in schooner history and east coast maritime flavor as anywhere, yet it is without tackiness or that tourist friendly candy coating, and it is a bit off the beaten path. It has a salty history and is just as salty today.
Along the shoreline drive there are monuments that commemorate the impact the sea has had on the town.
The Gloucester Schoonerman is a memorial to all the men from Gloucester lost at sea from the town’s inception in 1623 to today.
Today we are back in Martha’s Vinyard, stopped over in the afternoon to give the kids some beach time and a break from the ship. They had been onboard for three full days and done very well, but were excited nonetheless for a return to civilization (something greatly lacking onboard the ship, apparently).
Last week we got to spend the day in one of my most favorite places in the country, Gloucester, MA. It is about as soaked in schooner history and east coast maritime flavor as anywhere, yet it is without tackiness or that tourist friendly candy coating, and it is a bit off the beaten path. It has a salty history and is just as salty today.
Along the shoreline drive there are monuments that commemorate the impact the sea has had on the town.
The Gloucester Schoonerman is a memorial to all the men from Gloucester lost at sea from the town’s inception in 1623 to today.
A bit further down the road is a monument to all the wives and families of the men lost at sea. Most of the men who lived in Gloucester were wrapped up in the fishing industry, and it was up to the wives and children to take on the role of breadwinner in the wake of each lost sailor.
Another cool thing in Gloucester is the Church of the Blessed Voyage. It is a small Catholic church and all the Virgin Mary icons are holding schooners, the traditional fishing vessel.
It is incredible how much the lives of the people in Gloucester have been wrapped up in the sea. The sea is their livelihood, their source of food, their platform for greatness, and the prime author of their tragedies. They are so holistically intertwined with the sea that not even their quest for relationship with God can escape it. As a sea-sensitive soul myself I appreciate this heartily. I have been in love with Gloucester since I came here the first time ten years ago. Glad to get back. Everyone needs to go. If I ever get married I want to have it in this church. If you notice in this last picture, the walls are lined with models of fishing vessels, schooners, and other kinds. Just like all those wrapped up in crossing waters, it is impossible for me to separate seafaring from spirituality. 
1 comment:
very, very cool, Ben!
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