Northshore Magazine

128 From Rockport, follow Route 127A toward Gloucester, where the houses to your left eventually give way to grassy marshes and dark, snaking creeks stalked by graceful egrets and herons. At the corner of Bass Avenue, take a left to swing by the far end of Good Harbor Beach, and then continue along Atlantic Road to enjoy the dramatic rocky stretch of coast known to locals as the Back Shore. Keep an eye out for the sign designating Tragabigzanda Road. The short residential side street is a rare reminder of one of the region's first names: 17th-century adventurer John Smith originally dubbed the area Tragabigzanda in honor of a beautiful, young aristocratic woman he had known in Turkey. At the end of the Back Shore, the road turns sharply and drops down to Niles Beach and Eastern Point. Follow Eastern Point Boulevard, a waterfront strip lined with brick mansions and sprawling shingled summer homes, until the road ends at the Eastern Point Lighthouse—built in the 19th century to mark the entrance to Gloucester Harbor. A long granite breakwater and a half a mile of easy walking trails in the adjacent wildlife sanctuary make for a leisurely stroll. Before you complete your loop around East Gloucester, Rocky Neck is well worth a visit. The working artists' colony has attracted and inspired painters and writers—including Winslow Homer, Fitz Henry Lane, and Rudyard Kipling—for more than 150 years. The cluster of narrow streets gives way to sweeping harbor views, and is home to many vine-draped cottage studios and galleries. From Rocky Neck, a few more minutes on the road will place you in downtown Gloucester under the watchful gaze of the Gorton's fisherman. The main drag comprises a friendly mix of restaurants, coffee shops, vintage stores, boutiques, and gift shops. The Green Life natural living store offers NB_NS July 14_RoadTrip.indd 128 5/12/14 12:50 PM

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