Summer Doings - Gloucester and Rockport

Picturesque Rockport in summer - a tourist paradise
and there were lots of them there during our visit

There are many artists that have studios and shops here,
most of them excellent.

Of course there are souvenir shops by the dozens too

Bearskin Neck is a peninsula that sticks out of the mainland
and it's the center of activity in the summer.

We've had Scott Free moored here, about 8 years ago.

The residents must feel invaded in the summer. Their yards
need to be fenced in to keep the tourists out.

I'm looking forward to painting from a number of these
photos, probably watercolor and ink.

We stayed with Harvey and Gail Smith in their beautiful
home on Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester. I'm really
sad that somehow I didn't get any more photos during
our stay with them. Too busy having fun visiting with
them and Colin, Leslie and Rob. We also had Carole
& Bill over for dinner one night. 

This is the amazing Shalin Liu Performance Center
 in Rockport where we attended a great Jazz performance

Motif #1 - the famous landmark in Rockport. Painted by
thousands of artists.

Summer Doings - Visits to Larry and Dave

We drove over to Larry's via the ferry. This is the home of
the M/V Carillon, a small ship designed to emulate a 1920's
 1000 Island Cruise Boat, located at Teachout's
 Wharf, Shoreham, VT

The historic Ticonderoga Ferry is the 2nd oldest continuely
operated ferry in the U.S. Pull on a rope signal to request
a crossing! We took it over to N.Y. across Lake Champlain

On the ferry crossing. We were meeting Russ Wolf and
spending a few days with Larry before driving down
to Western Mass to see Dave Wood and get our
classical music fix.

Our brand new Toyota Prius V - our first new car for 13
years. We now have 2 cars for the first time in 9 years.

Larry's Band playing a gig at a Summer Camp Closing BBQ

At the Willsborough Recreation Park

The lovely view from the porch at Larry Barn's Essex, NY
home overlooking Lake Champlain

Closer look through the trees at the distant Vermont
shoreline.

The dock with Love Me Tender tied up, Larry's beautifully
restored wooden speed boat. We took several trips out
on the lake waterskiing and just enjoying the views.

Bottom's up; left to right, Russ, Larry and Scott

Scott gets ready to waterski

And here he is!

The Three Musketeers in the kitchen cooking up a storm

Relaxing on the front porch in the sun

Luke with his farmer's tan at a neighbors dock

A full moon watches over the lawn outside at Tanglewood
Dave, Scott and I had tickets for the BSO concert inside
on Saturday night

After we watched an Inside/Outside
performance at Jacob's Pillow

It was the Broadway interns that performed on our night.

David and Heather on David's deck in
Beckett, MA

Dick, Debby, Heather and Scott picnic at Tanglewood
on Sunday. Dave was working as a volunteer that afternoon. We all got
tickets inside after our lunch to watch YoYo Ma and the BSO.

Fourth of July 2014

Fourth of July decorations, brought by Dave and
Marty on one of the two tables we used in the dining room

Deb and Sean cooking while Marty cleans up

Dave admires the selection of cookies

Jenny and Marty working on a berry pie

Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres in the living room

That beautiful and tasty berry pie

Games and discussion in the family room

Everyone spends a lot of time in the kitchen

Molly, Julie and Russ

Sean, Will and Molly made breakfast on Saturday; French
toast, candied bacon, spiced pecans, rhubarb strawberry
compote and fruit salad (oh, and of course maple syrup)!

Deb, Leslie and Susan

Will ironing outfits for the Engagement
photos Larry took of he and Sean

Scott and David

Luke and Jenny whip the dish washers with towels?

While James and Morgen catch up on their reading

We enjoyed lots of board games. Here Molly, Heather,
Leslie and Luke

Another breakfast - Scott's granola, Jenny's
Strawberries with Coconut, Fruit Salad,
Bagels and Muffins from Deb & Dick,
Eggs ready for frying

Jenny, Sean and Luke relaxing in the sunshine

Roatan Divers, West End, Honduras

Just some of the staff at Roatan Divers - from left, Victor (boat captain), Ann (videographer), Peter (divemaster), Saaya and husband Karl (owners), Steph (divemaster), Chuong (divemaster), Iva (student), Scott and Heather

Scott with Chuong and dive buddy Philip

The hectic activity of preparing for the dive

Scott and I dove and snorkeled with Roatan Divers during our stay in the West End. Owners Carl and Saaya. Karl is a  PADI IDC Staff Instructor and Saaya is a PADI/MSDT Instructor and holds a degree in film production from USC. They bought the dive shop in November 2013 and check out Trip Advisor's reviews since - perfect! They have a new boat and group size is always small. Often Scott had only one other diver and a divemaster (either Peter or Chuong).
I went with him most of the time and snorkeled. One of the divemaster course students went with me, either Iva or Iga, both from Poland. They were a lot of fun and the snorkeling was great everywhere.
Everyone on the staff was so helpful and friendly. We felt really at home here. We left our dinghy here to shop and Karl glued the rubber knee pads back on Scott's wet suit as part of the thoughtful overall service. Scott rented an underwater camera one day and Saaya gave him some pointers. As you can see from some of the shots he took (all in his first hour ever), she was a good teacher.
We look forward to being back next season and for a longer time. This is the best place we've been to dive and snorkel, along with Bonaire.

The floor around the dive boat

Coral formations, fish of all kinds

The West End, besides Roatan Divers, is a fun place. There are lots of bars and restaurants strung out along the beaches and it's always laid back and relaxing. This area is all part of the Roatan Marine Park and administered by the West End Marine Reserve. There are a bunch of moorings being fixed up with 12 already usable. Eventually when the work is complete marine reserve officials will collect a $10 a day fee for using them.
It is possible to walk for miles along the beach from Sandy Bay thru West End down to West Bay. We did it several times, jumping into the water along the way to cool down.

Great colors

The fish didn't always stay put for their photo, but this one
did

We didn't even have to touch this one up

Well, adjusted the color and contrast

Not here, but often the wall goes down over a 100 feet

Where are all the fish?

As you can see, they're trying to get away - here a French
Angel fish.

Nice action shot here with Chuong and a hog fish