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go on a whale watch take an ice cream tour Plan a theme party spend a day on the water Also inside

Summer

Local sculptors boston carousel

Theres no shortage of ice cream options in the city

mong the many lures of Newburyport is its variety of choices. Here, it seems theres more than one of everything. Antiques stores. Pizza shops. Coffee vendors. Restaurants. If you dont like one, theres probably another that will suit your taste. Tourists might not think of our city as a destination for ice cream, but with so many options in the downtown and beyond, the selection of sweet treats is nearly impossible to resist. How about a Guinness and pretzel gelato? A Joppa Sludge frozen yogurt? For a healthy kick, you can add some sunflower seeds instead of chocolate sprinkles. There are four shops downtown that specialize in ice cream, frozen yogurt or gelato. Despite all the competition, the owners of each say that when the sun is shining, business couldnt be better because theyre all a little different. But to start our ice cream tour of Newburyport, lets take a short trip outside Market Square to the oldest ice cream shop in town.

How sweet it is
ByWill Courtney Photos byJim Vaiknoras

Emily Warren and her friend Aramys Almanzar enjoy their Simply Sweet ice cream cones in Market Square.

Spotlight

Menagerie in motion
Courtesy illustrations

Port sculptor creates one-of-a-kind carousel for Bostons Greenway

culptor Jeff Briggs didnt ride his first carousel until he was an adult. Now, at age 66, he spends nearly every waking minute immersed in the creative details of one, a custom design set to open in Boston during Labor Day weekend. Working out of his Dalton Street studio in Newburyport, Briggs has spent the last three years bringing to life creatures native to the sea, air and land of Massachusetts that will encircle the carousel hes creating for the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway Conservancy. Children who are sea lovers can ride a lobster, a whale, a cod, a sea

Greenway Carousel Park

`` Opening Aug. 31 `` $3 per rider. Discounted ticket books of $25 for 10 rides will be available. `` Across from Faneuil Hall and Christopher Columbus Park in Boston `` www.rosekennedygreenway.org turtle, a harbor seal chariot or a gondola complete with a mythical sea serpent. Landlubbers might prefer a fox turning its head, a squirrel, a skunk or a stationary rabbit eating

At left, Newburyport sculptor Jeff Briggs talks about creating his sea serpent gondola, which started with the sketch above and will seat three riders on the carousel that he is creating for the Rose F. Kennedy Greenway Conservancy in Boston.

By Jill Oestreicher Gross Photos byJim Vaiknoras

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whale of a time
A
ByMac Cerullo Photos byJim Vaiknoras

nature

A trip out to sea in search of majestic mammals can provide super-sized fun

oung children line the city boardwalk, clamoring with excitement for their day at sea to begin. Decked out in colorful windbreakers and armed with binoculars and disposable cameras, the 30 or so students from Inn Street Montessori School are ready to see some whales. The students parents, teachers and some chaperones mingle among them, all of them ready to enjoy this end-ofschool treat. Although the skies are overcast and a thin fog hangs over the harbor, the rain is expected to hold off and the temperature is hovering somewhere in the mid-70s. With relatively calm seas and no solar glare on the water, the conditions for todays whale watch are close to ideal. Finally, the blue-shirted crew members open the gate and welcome the passengers onto the boat. Within a few minutes, downtown Newburyport is disappearing into the distance, as the Captains Lady III ferries its guests out to sea for a day

Every summer, the Newburyport Whale Watch attracts nearly 10,000 people eager to see some whales, like this diving humpback. At top, Amy Warren directs passengers aboard the Captains Lady III for a recent excursion. In the center, passengers relax below deck before the adventure begins. At left, the humpback whale dubbed Satula by the crew shows off its tail.

of whale watching. The Newburyport Whale Watch annually attracts nearly 10,000 people to Newburyport every summer and has been one of the citys most popular tourist attractions since 1982. This particular trip is only the second of the year, but it

is also only the second since the popular franchise was taken over by its new owners. In the past, the cruises were held aboard the Prince of Whales, a 100-foot craft owned by waterfront businessman George Hilton. Over the winter, Hilton
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Recreation

Speedboard USA founders Nick Corvinus, left, and John Wilkinson, also on facing page, test the waters on the Merrimack River at Cashman Park in Newburyport.

Paddleboard company fulfills need for speed for aging outdoorsmen

challenge
Corvinus and Wilkinson begin slipping on wet suits as Blair takes two carbon fiber boards off the top of his company truck. The baldCorvinus shares that he will be riding a stand-up paddleboard, commonly referred to as a SUP, for the first time since he underwent hip surgery in October. The taller, gray-haired Wilkinson trumps him by saying hes only been on a SUP a handful of times in his entire life, and he is the oldest in the group. With a collection of people watching from the boat ramp, Wilkinson wades into the shallow Merrimack River before standing on the board, which rocks on the surface of the water. Next to him, Corvinus boards his SUP on his knees and paddles his way into the river with both hands. Eventually, Wilkinson steadies his balance against a stiff wind and choppy surface, only to carve out a path toward a pair of fishing lines being cast from the shoreline. Blair shouts warnings to Wilkinson, John! Fishing lines! Get down! With both feet facing in the direction he wishes to travel, Wilkinson begins pulling with a single paddle as if he were kayaking. Unable to make the turn in time to avoid the fishing lines and heeding the advice of Blair the 73-yearold Wilkinson drops to his chest on the board and cruises under the lines before popping right back to his feet. Corvinus and Wilkinson go on to demonstrate the proper SUP technique for about 10 minutes before they make their way back to the boat ramp. When they do, Wilkinson finishes the way he started. He paddles his board into the concrete siding of the boat ramp just as the water grows shallow enough to stand. Again, he

Standing up to the

eady to demonstrate the health benefits of standup paddleboarding, Bob Blair gathers his team of Speedboard USA investors at the boat ramp at Cashman Park. At first glance, it could be confused for a meeting of AARP members. No, Speedboard USA isnt founded by a group of men in their 20s and 30s trying to get ahead of the next big sport. At 59, Blair, of Rowley, is the baby of the team of five. Two more founders Nick Corvinus, 65, of Newburyport and John Wilkinson, 73, of Newbury step forward as the days demonstrators. Another founder, Bob Bodwitch, 73, of Newbury, watches from the shoreline. The fifth founder, Bob Hanks, 69, of Newburyport, is spending the day in Florida.

ByDan Guttenplan Photos byBryan Eaton

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Parting shots

SEPTEMBER SUNSET
MOLLY SALMON Danvers Molly has loved taking pictures ever since the Christmas she was 5 and her mom put her in charge of the camera that day. I felt so important, she says. Though the 21-year-old now lives on the North Shore, she grew up in Newburyport and visits her mom here nearly every day. This past September, she was checking out the Bartlet Malls memorial to 9/11 victims when she snapped this photo of one of the prettiest sunsets Ive seen. I love the mall so much, Molly says. I have many fond memories, all the Olde Fashioned Sundays I used to play there. An early childhood education major at North Shore Community College, Molly says she hopes to be a professional photographer one day.

AN EGRET AT SUNSET
ANITA ROSSELLE Newburyport Anita describes herself as a snap and run photographer who totes her camera almost everywhere. Late last summer, she was taking pictures of the sunset at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island. I was lucky enough to catch this egret as he started running through the water, she says. I love the soft golden color created by the setting sun and the way his feet are pulling at the water. A former legal assistant in Boston who moved to Newburyport in 2011, Anita picked up photography as a hobby while on a trip to Greece in the 1990s. Ive had a few classes, but most of my knowledge comes from studying other photographers work and experimenting on my own, she says.

Parting Shots is a recurring feature in Newburyport Magazine that spotlights photos taken in Newburyport, Newbury and West Newbury. We want to show off the talents of local amateur photographers in each issue. We invite readers to be creative and open our eyes to something new. To learn more about Parting Shots, please visit our website at www.newburyportmagazine.com.

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