August at Halibut Point State Park features another full month of standard programs and special events. There are special events every weekend, beginning on Saturday, August 4th at 3:00pm with photographer Leslie Bartlett’s program, Halibut Point in Winter. Les will present images from his extensive portfolio of the park created over the years, this time focusing on Halibut Point in the “off-season.” For more about Leslie Bartlett and his work, you can find his website here. On Saturday, August 11th, Halibut Point will serve as host to the Essex National Heritage Photo Safari. This event, held in two sessions at 8:00am and 1:00pm, features demonstrations, lectures and tips from professional photographers and camera manufacturers followed by participants imaging the park. Registration is required for this event – find out how at www.essexheritage.org. On Saturday, August 18 at 2:00pm Halibut Point will have the very popular live animal program, Snakes of Massachusetts and the World with Rick Roth and the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team, with another month of Birding for Beginners the next day, Sunday, August 19th at 8:00am. And on Sunday, August 26th at 3:00pm there will be a Sunday Sounds series concert, this time with the jazz, funk and hip-hop sound of Otis Grove. Besides these special events, Halibut Point in August is scheduling these 2007 season standard programs: The Quarry Tour, Tidepools, Geology Rocks!, The Mineral Club and Ceremonial Time: The Fifteen Thousand Years of Fifty Acres. Coming in September, Halibut Point will feature more standard programs and special events like The Atlantic Path, a trek along Rockport’s resplendent public coastline with The Trustees of Reservations interpreter Ramona Latham, another Sunday Sounds concert, and on Saturday, September 29th, the unveiling of a new interpretive display inside our Visitors Center about the military and technological history of Halibut Point. See below for the dates and times of August’s programs and events, or you can download a flyer here.
Quarry Tour Saturdays 10:00am
Attend our weekly granite walk around the former Babson Farm Quarry. Beginning with the showing of a short film, this program features a stone-cutting demonstration, explains how rock is quarried, details the unique geology of Cape Ann and presents the history of building with natural stone in America. Later, the Visitors Center will be open for a climb to its five-story World War II observation tower. This program lasts approximately 90 minutes and entails a one mile moderately paced stroll around the quarry. The Babson Farm Quarry, in operation from the 1840’s until 1929 (though stone was cut at the site from the 1790’s, perhaps even earlier), is an excellent place to view evidence of progression in stone-cutting techniques and learn about the role stone harvesting, transporation and building played in the development of technology that led to the Industrial Revolution.
Geology Rocks! Sundays 11:00am
A rock is not a thing, but a drama! It refelcts the universal axiom: “As above, so below.” Geology is the great unifying science of the world. Cape Ann is one of the most geologically active areas in the United States. Learn about all this and more during this trek to some of the fascinating geological regions of Halibut Point. 90 minutes. Moderate two mile walk
The Mineral Club Mondays 11:00am
Build a volcano … create a sedimentary rock … construct a seismograph … play mineral tic-tac-toe and more. Geological activities for kids 8-12.
Ceremonial Time: The Fifteen Thousand Years of Fifty Acres
Wednesdays 6:00pm
A “psychological” history and the “spirit” – past, present and possible future of a place gleaned via history, anthropology, architecture, geology, intuition and more. Inspired by John Hanson Mitchell’s book.
Tidepools August 22 @ 2:00pm; August 25 @ 3:00pm
Halibut Point has wonderful tidepools. Come explore its intertidal life and learn about coastal splash zones. This program lasts about 90 minutes and there is some climbing about on rocks that may be slippery. You have to watch your step but the trip is worth it!
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
Leslie Bartlett – Halibut Point in Winter Saturday, August 4 3:00pm
Photographer Leslie Bartlett’s extraordinary images of Halibut Point during the “off-season.”
Essex National Heritage Photo Safari Saturday, August 11 8:00am and 1:00pm
Demonstrations, lectures and tips from professional photographers and camera manufacturers followed by participants imaging the park. Two sessions: pre-registration required. Go to www.essexheritage.org for details.
Snakes of Massachusetts and the World Saturday, August 18 2:00pm
Rick Roth, the Cape Ann Vernal Pond Team, and over a dozen live snakes!
Birding for Beginners Sunday, August 19 8:00am
Meet Peter Van Demark in the parking lot.
Peter reports spotting these birds on July’s walk:
Northern Cardinal
American Robin
Mourning Dove
Common Yellowthroat
Great Blue Heron
Barn Swallow
Cedar Waxwing
Great Black-Backed Gull
Herring Gull
Double-Crested Cormorant
Common Eider
House Sparrow
Blue Jay
Catbird (many, all over, singing like Mockingbirds)
Goldfinch
Brown Thrasher
Eastern Towhee
Bank Swallow
Sunday Sounds
Otis Grove August 26 3:00pm
The jazz, funk and hip-hop music of the guitar and keyboard Otis Grove trio. Sponsored by the DCR and Friends of Halibut Point State Park.
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