Life by the Water

Come join us for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water, and the gorgeous Head Lands property. This is your…

* Reservations Required

Please note that this event has been canceled.  Climb aboard the historic schooner Adventure for a harbor sail and living history experience. As you cruise Gloucester Harbor, a docent shares how fishermen worked from small dories on the Grand Banks—launching from schooners like Adventure. Hear true stories of risk, skill, and survival while sailing on…

* Reservations Required

Come join us for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water, and the gorgeous Head Lands property. This is your…

* Reservations Required

Come join us for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water, and the gorgeous Head Lands property. This is your…

* Reservations Required

Join us for a 2-mile paddle on the Ipswich River and connect more deeply with the waterway you live, work, and explore alongside every day. You’ll learn about the key challenges it faces—low water levels, water quality, dams interrupting its flow—and the real solutions underway to protect and restore this vital resource. Then you’ll experience…

* Reservations Required

Join Mass Oyster Project and The Trustees for a community conversation about the future of Plum Island Sound. Share observations of changes in local waters and explore nature-based solutions to strengthen and protect coastal landscapes. This open discussion will be led by Valerie Perini North Shore Education Manager of The Trustees and Liv Woods, Executive…

* Reservations Required

Come join us for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water, and the gorgeous Head Lands property. This is your…

* Reservations Required

Step back in time with a visit to Lowell’s Boat Shop! The sights, smells and sounds that greet you as you step into this working museum will bring to life centuries of boatbuilding as skilled craftsmen continue to build the dories that were once the mainstay of the fishing industry in New England. Established in…

Come join us for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water, and the gorgeous Head Lands property. This is your…

* Reservations Required

Step back in time with a visit to Lowell’s Boat Shop! The sights, smells and sounds that greet you as you step into this working museum will bring to life centuries of boatbuilding as skilled craftsmen continue to build the dories that were once the mainstay of the fishing industry in New England. Established in…

Shellfishing around the Great Marsh suffers from both a decrease in clam populations and an increase in closed areas due to bacterial contamination. Why so few clams? We’ll demonstrate our use of screened boxes on the mud flats to assess abundance of baby clams in the estuary as well as predation on clams. Can we…

Following the Museum’s annual business meeting, local diver and and maritime historian Ray Bates will discuss shipwrecks off Cape Ann and exhibit artifacts from his finds. The event is free and open to all with membership encouraged. Only members are permitted to vote in the business meeting.

* Reservations Required

Come join us for some fun on the water! No experience necessary. Depart from our private beach in one of our safe, stable kayaks or paddle boards and paddle around the historic Rockport Harbor for 30 mins. See lobster boats, Motif #1, the Rockport Break water, and the gorgeous Head Lands property. This is your…

* Reservations Required

Join Essex Heritage for a FREE 1-hour narrated harbor cruise departing from Central Wharf at the Salem Maritime National Historic Site as a part of Trails & Sails. Come aboard our boat, Naumkeag, and discover the wonders of coastal Essex County. From lighthouses to military fortifications, historic houses to grand estates, the sights of Salem Sound tell…

* Reservations Required

Step into Newburyport’s maritime past during Trails & Sails at the Custom House Maritime Museum! Families can enjoy free admission, hands-on STEM exhibits, scavenger hunts, explore a lighthouse, and a kid-sized Custom House. Kids ages 7+ can join guided craft hours (12:00-1:30 pm) on Sept. 19 to create nautical flag banners and Sept. 26 to…

* Reservations Required