Flowers of Spring– Gooseberry Island

Beach roses on Gooseberry Island

It takes us nearly an hour to get to the ocean from our home in south central MA, so for me it’s always a special occasion. We managed to arrive at Gooseberry Island, Westport, MA just in time to take in spring flowers in full bloom all over the island, a glorious sight!

Sweet peas along the shore

The foggy morning was great for me–cool, few other people, the ocean calmer than most times we have visited.

Double crested cormorants studiously ignoring the male eider duck in their midst

The tide was low, the birds seemed to have eaten their fill and those we saw were resting on rocks just off shore.

Low tide allowed us to walk out to the point and look back at the shoreline

This place has offered challenges for me in the past. Often when we walk back on the path through the center of the island, the sea breezes are blocked by the scrub on the island and I get overheated.

This crab had seen better days…

The slope of the shoreline is somewhat steep, so walking counter-clockwise works best for me, to compensate for the muscles in my ankle and leg that are very weak. But this is what’s wonderful as well about returning to the same place repeatedly.

Stunning colors in the scrub just onshore

We have learned what works best, what doesn’t work well, and have  taken pains to figure out how to work around the challenges.

my favorite shade of yellow!

The rewards are great, so we keep trying.

Hunting osprey was soon enveloped by the fog

This day was one of those “near perfect” days for me, not too hot, and little wind. While the sea birds were resting, the ospreys actively hunted just off shore. We spotted glimpses of these fish hawks hovering over the water, diving, pulling up before hitting the water, hovering again, then disappearing into the fog. Soon another osprey joined the hunt. If one hawk thought food was nearby, this must be a good spot, yes? And then another osprey appeared. Yes, the waters just off Gooseberry Island seem to offer great hunting. Fishermen on shore seem to agree as well.

Double crested cormorant drying his wings after a swim

After circling the island, we grabbed beach chairs, books and snacks, and spent another hour taking in the sounds of the waves, and watching the fog lift.

Daisies and roses along the path

The flowers were still blooming, ospreys still hunting, as the tide continued to go out. Till next time…

Marjorie

Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors, and is the author of Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, More Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, Easy Walks and Paddles in the Ten Mile River Watershed, and Finding Easy Walks Wherever You Are. Her memoir, the backstory of Easy Walks, is My Liturgy of Easy Walks: Reclaiming hope in a world turned upside down.