entering natick sign

entering natick sign

Natick Report

More than you really want to know about Natick, Mass.

  • Subscribe to daily email
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Eat
  • Schools
  • Summer Camp
  • Letters to the editor
  • Guidelines for letters to the editor
  • Redhawks sports schedule & results
  • Embracing diversity
  • Charities/Community
  • Arts
  • Events
  • Kids
  • Business
  • Environment
  • Top 10 things to do
  • The Swellesley Report
  • Beyond Natick
  • History
  • Government
  • Seniors
  • Support independent journalism
  • Natick Nest articles
  • Fire & police scanner
  • Town Election 2023


Beyond Natick: Cruising the Essex River

June 26, 2021 by Bob Brown Leave a Comment

While temperatures in the low 80s and the beauty of the North Shore’s beaches were calling us in late June, the realization that even a toe dip in the ocean would be bracing gave us pause. What else to do up that way that we hadn’t done before? 

We stumbled upon the Essex River narrated cruise as an option, and made a 1pm launch the centerpiece of a Saturday excursion to Essex.

essex river cruise

It took us a bit more than an hour to arrive at the pier, which has plenty of free parking, and is nearby a handful of waterfront restaurants. We ordered $28 adult tickets for the 90-minute cruise ahead of time. Prices are lower for seniors and kids, and it looked as though most of the passengers were either under the age of 10 or over the age of 40. If not enough people sign up, cruises can be nixed, though ours was pretty full with a few dozen passengers, and the cruise on the schedule was filling up, too, according to our hosts.

You can either sit facing the outside of the boat, or with your back against an outside railing. We sat on the outside, but I could see the attraction in hindsight of grabbing one of the inside seats instead, to avoid neck craning.

This narrated sightseeing cruise operates within a tidal estuary, exploring salt marshes and nearby islands. The covered open-air vessel we cruised on does not make it to the ocean, so you don’t need to worry about big swells, but you’d be well advised to bring along a sweatshirt or windbreaker to stave off chills. The operators encourage you to eat your meals before or after, though you’re welcome to bring non-alcoholic drinks and snacks aboard (they also have a small selection of drinks and snacks for sale on board).

Our narrators were just right: They wove in history, including about the grand Crane Estate in Ipswich that came into view. They got into some science and environmental issues, but avoided getting preachy.

We definitely learned a few things, including:

  • Cormorants, those aquatic birds that are so much fun to watch diving underwater, don’t have the same amount of oil on their feathers as some other birds, so need to keep drying them off. 
  • Filming of The Crucible movie with Daniel Day-Lewis on Choate (or Hog) Island had its challenges, including transporting people and animals back and forth, and keeping modern watercraft out of the background for this film set in the late 1600s.
  • The grasses that stick out of the estuary play a key role in keeping the water clean, making for good quality shellfish.

Humans (not on our boat) and animals put on a show that day, too.  One fisherman hauled in a sizeable fish and mugged with it for us to see. Ospreys were everywhere, and we got to see one snagging a stick and bringing it back to fill out its nest.

Overall, we found the 90-minute traveling time just right.

essex river cruise

Agassiz Rock trail

Following our cruise, we got off of our butts and went for a short hike at Agassiz Rock, a Trustees of the Reservations trail we’d noticed on the way up.

This property consisted of 4 color-coded and well marked trails, with the highlights being 2 big boulders. While the second boulder was bigger than the first, the first was more in the open, so more impressive. The hike included 2 loops and 2 out-and-back trails, which included just enough elevation to keep things interesting. 

Agassiz Rock Essex

Agassiz Rock

 

Halibut Point State Park

Next stop, not getting quite enough exercise at Agassiz Rock, was Halibut Point State Park in Rockport. We’ve been here numerous times, but it was just 20 minutes away, so why not check it out.

The parking lot and entrance to the park is undergoing a major renovation, which at first almost spooked us. As it turned out there was plenty of parking, and plenty of company, many of whom seem to park there as a way to get down to a rocky oceanfront area.

We took a trot around the quarry and checked out the lighthouse, before seeking a dinner spot.

halibut point quarry

halibut point quarry

halibut point lighthouse

We got shut out at our first dining destination back in Essex…a big party had just arrived and they weren’t serving the rest of us lonelies for another half hour or something. So we moseyed over to JT Farnhams for seafood with a view.

The fried clams were nothing special, but the spicy scallop chowder was a winner, as were the marshy waterfront picnic tables.

dinner view


Ask about Advertising on Natick Report.


Subscribe to our Natick Report daily email

Filed Under: Beyond Natick, Outdoors

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Advertisements





Tip us off!

Please send news tips, photos, ideas to natickreport@gmail.com

If you’d like to contribute $ to support our independent journalism venture, please do….

Advertisements

Categories

  • Animals
  • Art
  • Bacon Free Library
  • Beyond Natick
  • Books
  • Boston Marathon
  • Business
  • Camps
  • Charity/Fundraising
  • Charles River dam
  • Community
  • Construction
  • COVID-19
  • Education
  • Election
  • Embracing diversity
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Fashion
  • Firefighters
  • Food
  • Gardens
  • Government
  • Health
  • History
  • Holidays
  • Kids
  • Letters to the editor
  • Media
  • Military
  • Morse Institute Library
  • Music
  • Natick Election 2022
  • Natick Historical Society
  • Natick History Museum
  • Natick Nest
  • Natick track
  • Neighbors
  • Obituaries & remembrances
  • Opinion
  • Outdoors
  • Parents
  • Police & crime
  • Real estate
  • Recycling Center
  • Religion
  • Restaurants
  • Schools
  • Seniors
  • Shopping
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Theater
  • Town election 2021
  • Town Election 2023
  • Transportation
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Vacation
  • Veterans
  • Volunteering
  • Voting
  • Weather
lion publishers
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Get our email newsletter

* indicates required
Our newsletter is free, though we gladly accept contributions to support our work.

Most Read Posts

  • '60 Minutes' segment on Natick couple's harassment by eBay execs airing Sunday, March 26
  • One high school student’s push to save Natick ballroom hidden in plain sight
  • Natick business buzz: Mr. Nice Dog coming to Rte. 9; Dairy Queen is back; The Hive readies to reveal
  • Sign up now for summer camp in Natick (and beyond)
  • Natick's Wilson Middle school enriched with cafeteria composting program

Click image to read The Swellesley Report

The Swellesley Report

Upcoming Events

Apr 1
11:30 am - 1:30 pm

Fair in the Square, Wellesley

Apr 11
7:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Online meeting to address flooding in Natick

Apr 29
6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Metrowest Rocks concert to benefit Actor’s Company of Natick

May 20
10:00 am - 2:00 pm

Supercar show

View Calendar

Pages

  • Letters to the editor on Natick Report
  • Guidelines for Natick Report letters to the editor
  • Natick election 2023—guidelines for promoting candidates and ballot questions
  • Natick’s 2023 Boston Marathon charity runners
  • Natick, Massachusetts libraries
  • Comment Policy
  • Bacon Free Library in Natick, hours for winter 2023
  • Morse Institute Library in Natick—hours for winter 2023
  • Resources for seniors in Natick, Mass.
  • Natick Report corrections policy
  • Scenic Roads in Natick
  • Where to stay in Natick, Mass. (hotels, inns)
  • Private Schools in Natick (and beyond)
  • Natick Summer Camps (and beyond)
  • Where to eat in Natick, Mass: more that 70 dining options
  • Natick, Mass., history
  • Natick government
  • Natick No-Nos
  • Embracing diversity in Natick
  • Where to worship in Natick
  • Kid stuff (sports, clubs, activities in Natick, Mass.)
  • Contribute to Natick Report
  • Natick Little Free Libraries
  • Natick public schools
  • Where to sled in Natick, Mass.
  • Natick COVID-19 & vaccine news
  • Natick’s zip code & post offices
  • Natick charitable and community action groups
  • Top 10 things to do in Natick, Mass.
  • Natick Arts/Entertainment
  • About Natick Report
  • Advertise on Natick Report
  • Natick rules: Chickens yes, roosters no
  • Natick Election 2023, political candidates advertising
  • Natick election 2022—candidate interviews

© 2023 Natick Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login