If you're moored at the yacht club, take your dinghy or the club launch in to the floats. The city of Gloucester seems remote from Eastern Point, but a short walk down any road from the yacht club will take you through some lovely neighborhoods.
Eastern Point Light itself is not open to the public, but you can enjoy the surrounding rocks and breakwater until sunset.
The harborfront of Gloucester itself has grown increasingly welcoming to visiting sailors in the past few years, with dinghy tie-up available at several convenient spots. The city is proud of its working waterfront, and you'll not confuse its wharves, warehouses and industrial complexes with other coastal towns that have prettied up for a tourist economy. (In spite of ecological and regulatory travails, Gloucester is the nation's #13 fishing port by revenue, second in New England to New Bedford.) Parallel to the waterfront and one block in is Main St., with a dense concentration of restaurants, shops and the occassional empty storefront that makes for a vital evolving city.
The large, granite and gabled house of the artist Fitz Hugh Lane sits on a waterfront hill and makes a helpful landmark from in town or on the harbor.
One Hour Ashore
A walk up and round the Fitz Hugh Lane house rewards a minimal effort with great views and still leaves time for a stop in town.
Off the Beaten Path
Stage Fort Park is on the northwest corner of the harbor, just across the Blynman Bridge. It's only about a one mile walk from the downtown waterfront.
Maritime History
The Essex-built fishing schooner Adventure is undergoing restoration on the Gloucester waterfront.
Rainy Day
The Cape Ann Historical Museum has an impressive collection of Fitz Hugh Lane's work. Their exhibits on the history of Gloucester harbor include boats used by Gloucester natives for early solo crossings of the Atlantic.
Facilities
- Launch
- Dinghy
- Showers
- Restrooms
- Trash
- Info
- Public Trans
The Eastern Point YC mooring fee includes launch service to the clubhouse (not into town). There are dinghy docks at the Town Landing (St. Peter's, the head of Harbor Cove) and at Salomon Jacob's Landing (opposite the Anchorage Area, by the Coast Guard and Harbormaster's buildings).
Brown's and EPYC have showers for mooring or slip customers. There are public restrooms in the granite Fitz Hugh Lane House overlooking the harbor, and in the lobby of the police station at the east end of Main St.
Maps of downtown are posted on old bell buoys near each of the dinghy landings. The harbormaster has a nice welcome kit that includes a map of downtown focused on the typical needs of sailors. There is a visitor center on the waterfront near the western side of downtown.
The Gloucester commuter rail station is an easy walk from the waterfront.