Memorable Moments

Sunrise on The Annisquam River

If you have ever been at the top of a ski slope or at the head of a snowshoe trail with fresh untracked snow early in the morning, you know the feeling. A walk on a remote beach void of people and footprints, you also know the feeling.

These are memorable moments if you are the lucky one to be out there before anyone else. So it was in this case, leaving the marina at sunrise. No one on the water before me.

In a few short hours the river will be buzzing with boat activity. This warm summer day will bring many dozens of boaters up and down the river heading to the beaches or out to the bay for a day of fishing.

The conditions this morning aren’t easy to come by. The Annisquam River is a tidal river that connects Gloucester Harbor with Ipswich Bay. In between tides it has a reasonably strong current. Being a coastal community on the North Shore of Massachusetts there is a strong ocean influence that creates some degree of wind continuously, either offshore or onshore.

This morning it was exactly high tide with a reported wind of 0–1 mile an hour. Effectively, dead calm.

The combination of no wind, lack of tidal currents due to high tide, daylight, and the differing temperatures of the air and water created this surreal waterscape. The combination of cool water temperatures with warm and humid air generated mystical layers of light fog just above the water.

The glass like surface of the water allowed for remarkable reflections. It was a breathtaking experience for the senses. Not soon to be forgotten.

A truly memorable moment.

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