Textures and Shapes at Historic Shipyard

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It was a perfect cloudy day for roaming the Gloucester Marine Railway on Rocky Neck in Gloucester looking for patterns, textures, and shapes. Here is the oldest continuously operating shipyard in the USA, and to my eyes it is full of character and life.


Giant chains attached to a wooden sled (I’ve made up the name) pull ships from the harbor. The freshly painted bow of the historic Schooner Adventure. The 122 ft vessel is undergoing a complete restoration courtesy of donors and the City of Gloucester.

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Rusty gear works are part of the mechanism of the marine railway.

Wind Turbines Bring Green Energy to Gloucester

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The public has been invited to tour and explore the tower sections and rotor blades on the grounds on the Blackburn Industrial Park. The giant carbon fiber structures were delivered to Gloucester Harbor on barges and moved to the site at night in a slow caravan.

 

Three giant wind turbines are being erected in Gloucester, MA. Reaching 492 freet from the tower base to the top of the rotor, the  turbines will be among the highest in the Northeast. Two turbines will power public buildings in the city of Gloucester, which is expected to save at least $11 million in electricity bills over the next 25 years. Continue reading

Autumn Night on Cape Ann

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Bearskin Neck in Rockport, Massachusetts is a year round mecca for tourists but traffic slows down considerably by mid-November. It’s a bit like Provincetown, MA in minature and much more intimate and approachable. You’ll find photography, painting and print galleries; T-shirt shops; ice cream; a great year-round coffee shop with a view of the harbor; potters; pewter, jewelry; and collectables of all kinds. I especially admired the work of potter and painter Scott Tubby who spoke with us at length in his new, 2-story gallery. This photograph is a composite of three images, each made with an exposure time of 15 seconds.

On an autumn night Jupiter dominates the heavens above a cemetery in Gloucester, MA.

In contrast to the color and vitality of Bearskin Neck this view of the night sky, features Jupiter in all his majesty. If I’d had the patience I would have make a 1 or 2 hour capture of the star trails. Yet,  I think the rendition of twinkling stars offset by the silhouette of a grand, leaf-less old tree is sufficient.

As always, these photographs are available as large format archival prints suitable for display in galleries, homes, offices, and institutions; and as stock images licensed for commercial use. Click the image for a larger view and purchase information.

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Bridge Photography From the Air

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© Paul Mozell

I have a client who engages me to photograph temporary bridges over highways and waterways. No doubt you have seen some of these projects; bare steel structures that stand for months or even years while new crossings are built or old bridges repaired. On this day I hired a single engine plane and a pilot to fly over the Merrimack River in Lowell, Massachusetts.

The 1250 foot long Rourke Bridge over the Merrimack River in Lowell, Massachusetts. Fall foliage is about a week before peak color here.

The pedestrian walkway on the Rourke Bridge resembles a giant hamster cage.

 

Restoring A Grand Old Wooden Schooner

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John Hinckley caulks the hull of the Highlander Sea with traditional tools.

The bowsprit of the Highlander Sea. From this angle the 2 masts are hidden.

© Paul Mozell 2012

The Highlander Sea, a 154 foot long wooden schooner is being repaired at the Gloucester Marine Railways. Originally christened “The Pilot” after The Boston Pilots Association it was launched in Essex, MA in 1924. The boat changed hands a number of times and most recently has been cruising the Great Lakes with up to 10 passengers enjoying the schooner’s luxury accommodations. A number of planks in its hull are being replaced by a small crew of skilled workers at the Marine Railway. This facility has been in operation since Lincoln was president, according to John Hinckley, who is seen here hammering caulking material between the planks.

If you have ever wanted to own a grand sailing vessel here is your chance. This boat is on the market for a $2 million dollars. The schooner Adventure built in 1926 and the gill-net fishing boat Phyllis A. launched in 1925 are current neighbors in the boat yard. If you are in the neighborhood of Rocky Neck in a couple of weeks you may be lucky enough to see the Highlander Sea slide back down the railway into the harbor.

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End of Summer On Plum Island

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The crowds are gone, the plovers aren’t nesting, and six miles of sand and dunes were mine…along with a few other folks…very few.

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A sawn log delivered by the tide on Plum Island at the Parker River Wiildlife Refuge, Newbury, MA

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A Great Egret flying home with dinner at the Parker River Wildlife Refuge in Newbury, Massachusetts

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Sunset at Sand Point State Reservation at the Southern tip of Plum Island, Newbury, MA

 

Sunset At Rough Meadows

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This evening I had a sense that the light falling on The Great Marsh on the north shore of Massachusetts would be warm and wonderful. I arrived at the newly designated Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Rowley a few minutes before a gentle sunset. This 250 acre area of wetland and coastal forest is jointly managed by the Essex County Greenbelt Association and the Massachusetts Audubon Society.

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