Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1125082
NORTHSHOREMAG.COM 54 JULY 2019 I N - D E P T H PHOTOGRAPHS, TOP TO BOTTOM BY STEFANIE TIMMERMANN/ISTOCK, BY ROBERT BOYD I N - D E P T H Here's a reminder, in case you need it: We live in a place where other people vaca- tion. That's because the North Shore is a bona fide destination, where take-your-breath-away beauty is painted onto every rocky cove and woodland grove. This is especially true in sum- mer, that golden, sun-drenched season when the days warm up and life slows down. So don't pack your bags this summer. In- stead, stick around to soak up the sun-warmed sand, surf a few waves, and hit the trails. Fill up your weekends with tons of summer fun on the North Shore. S U R F ' S U P If your endless-summer dreams include riding the waves, the North Shore has a few spots that are surfboard ready, especially for begin- ners. Take, for example, Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, where sandbars and consist- ent knee-high waves combine for the perfect conditions for learning how to surf, according to Christian del Rosario, co-owner of the surf shop Surfari. "It's a really easy learning wave," he says. Among Surfari's most popular summer offerings are the adult surf nights (wom- en-only on Sundays and coed groups on Tuesdays) from 5:30 to 7:00, which are open to everyone from "total newbies" to experi- enced surfers and include a lesson and the chance to get out in the waves. Just bring yourself to the beach (but sign up in advance because spots fill up quickly); Surfari sup- plies the board and wetsuit. Another great spot to learn to surf is the shallow bay at Nahant Beach, where surf shop Ocean House Surf in Swampscott takes its beginner surf students. "It's this really nice, gentle, long rolling wave that's perfect for be- ginners to learn how to surf," says Ocean House co-owner Tim Oviatt. For more experienced surfers, both Surfari and Ocean House Surf offer gear and rentals, as well as advanced lessons. Oviatt says a lot of people don't know you can surf on the North Shore, but "when it's good, it is really good." And if you try it, you might just fall in love. "It's a life-changing experience," claims Oviatt. "Once you stand up for the first time, you're instantly hooked, and once you get hooked, that's all you want to do with your free time." Visit surfcapeann.com and oceanhousesurf. com to learn more. P E T E M A R OT TA' S FAVO R I T E N O RT H S H O R E H I K E S "I hike all over the place," says Marotta, who is a hiking enthusiast as well as the stewardship data and projects coordinator for The Trustees of Reservations. On the North Shore, he looks for places where he can experience three of the region's most iconic landscapes: coastal, wood- land, and agricultural. Here he shares some of his favorite North Shore hikes. Hike the trails on Crane Beach's Castle Neck in Ipswich to find a wide variety of coastal flora and fauna, sweeping views of the Essex River and Ipswich Bay, and easy trails that can be made more strenuous by hiking up and down the dunes and loose sand. Hike the outer loop at Ravenswood Park in Gloucester by connecting the Ledge Hill Trail (or- ange blazes), Fernwood Lake Trail (blue blazes), and Magnolia Swamp Trail (yellow blazes) to see glacial erratics throughout the rocky woodland landscape. Combine that with either Stage Fort Park or Magnolia Woods and Rafe's Chasm for an added coastal experience. At Dogtown Common in Gloucester, look out for notable glacial erratics like the "Bab- S U M M E R T I M E T I P At Nahant Beach, the best time to surf is the morning, thanks to the favorable winds. Nahant Beach S P O T L I G H T O N Mass Audubon's nearly 2,000-acre Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield, which boasts 12 miles of interconnecting trails that wend their way through forests, meadows, wetlands, drumlins, and eskers. There you'll find a huge diversity of wildlife, as well as hiking, birding, evening paddles, and other events throughout the summer. "The Ipswich River is what makes this place really magical," says sanctuary director Amy Weidensaul, Ph.D. "If you're hiking, the views along the trails are just wonderful." Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary