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Halibut Point State Park, Rockport MA |
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"Haul-About Point," the granite tip of Cape Ann, became Halibut Point over the years. It's among the most dramatic scenic places north of Boston. Come to walk, wade, fish or sunbathe. |
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Head north out of Rockport on MA Route 127, toward Lanesville and Annisquam, and after a few miles you'll see a sign pointing off to the right (north) to Halibut Point State Park. Drive to the parking lot, pay the $5 admission charge (per car), park your car, then follow the footpath through the forest for 10 minutes and you'll come to an old granite quarry, now flooded with water. The park interpretive center is in the building that dominates the quarry. Exhibits demonstrate the flora and fauna of the reservation, and how granite quarrying contributed to the culture and economy of the region. A weird World War II concrete observation tower has been grafted onto the building, a typical clapboard Cape Ann house. From the tower during the war, sharp eyes kept a lookout against enemy submarines. Continue along the path to reach the Observation Point atop a promontory of granite quarry tailings. Far beneath the promontory, the Atlantic's waves roll in and crash on the smoothed granite bedrock below. You can make your way down to the shore. Some people go swimming here, although it's not recommended: The water is always chilly, the rocks difficult and slippery, the waves sometimes perilous. Rather, stay back from the water, dabble your feet in protected pools, do some rock-hopping, or sit and sun, read or chat in this beautiful, dramatic place. |
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Promontory of granite quarry tailings at Halibut Point. Note the two tiny people sitting on the rocks in the upper left-hand corner of the photo.
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