Going into work, mornings, at the Seaward Inn, is truly a feast for the senses. Upon entering my office, I open the window to let in the sweet salty smell of ocean breezes and welcoming melodic sounds of birds chirping. Nancy's dog, Blackberry, greets me daily with wagging tail and excited demands for attention. I give her a pat and a treat before letting her out where she scares off crows or perhaps an occasional wild turkey.

Labels: bird-watching, Blackberry

A visit to the Inn is after all, more like an experience, where you step back in time and recall those little things in life that make a difference!

Labels: bed-and-breakfast, cookbook, Inn, New-England, oceanfront accommodations, Recipes, Rockport-Chamber-of-Commerce, vacation

The next day, when they heard Rush Limbaugh's voice, once again, shouting away from the closed down building they were certain, something had to be very wrong. They decided to call the owner when they got back.

In answer to their concerns, Nancy explained that roofers had completed shingling the roof the day before the recent Nor'easter hit Rockport carrying with it heavy rains. She had felt confident she no longer had to worry about a leak springing up here and there causing damage to the rooms of the Inn. However, she was later aghast, walking into the enclosed front porch during the storm; she saw not a leak but water gushing into the room at a very fast clip. Angrily she telephoned the roofer who swore he had inspected the job and promised to return as soon as the winds died down. Next morning he climbed onto the rooftop where he discovered a large gaping hole in the rubber roof. Looking in he could see the black masked face of a raccoon who obviously picked the most scenic spot in the building to get out of the driving wind and rain and build her nest.

He quickly got down from the roof, not certain, but hoping the raccoon had not yet delivered her babies. These creatures are dangerous when cornered, especially when protecting their young. Getting her to move from cozy nest would not be easy! Racccoons are known to return "home" even if the den is boarded. They have these 5 very powerful long toes with curved non-retractable claws which can rip apart almost anything and are extremely powerful for their size. A neighbor who happened to stop by, suggested throwing an ammonia scented rag close to the hole, leave a lit lamp and turn on WRKO radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh as loud as possible (we all know, he really doesn't need amplification), for two or three days.

IT WORKED! After the first night, and upon further inspection, our uninvited guest did not return, and luckily there had been no babies. The light was kept on for a couple more nights, as was WRKO radio 's Rush Limbaugh. Nancy chuckled as she told these joggers that a few words of gratitude were certainly in order to Rush Limbaugh whose powerful voice and words were successful in scaring off even a ferocious black faced masked bandit.

Labels: bed-and-breakfast, Nor'easter, oceanfront accommodations, raccoon, radio, roofer, wildlife

Legend tells of an unhappy fisherman, who's wife would only serve him warm cornmeal each evening after a hard day at sea. Tired of her lackluster interest in cooking, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

Craving bread, the fisherman added flour, yeast and molasses to the warm cornmeal, mixed and baked it. All the while he was muttering angrily "Anna"-"Damn her" ! The result of his concoction turned out to be chewy, sweet, dense, grainy and delicious. It wasn't long before neighbors began asking for and copying the recipe. Anadama Bread has now become a New England treat. It is baked by our own Chef Peter and served in the Seaward Inn's, Sea Garden Restaurant.

Labels: bed-and-breakfast, cookbook, Fisherman, MA, New-England, oceanfront-accommodations; Wedding, Recipes, vacation, Wedding

Two guests of the Seaward Inn, visiting from Germany, asked Rose to suggest ideas for things to do nearby as they didn't feel like driving.
She suggested taking the path to Old Garden Beach for a dip, or, if too adventuresome, to just take in the ocean air and natural scenery.

Liking this idea, they headed out, winding their way along the seaside path. Upon finding the beach, they were awestruck to see a group of Frogmen, dressed in full scuba diving gear and goggles. The frogmen looked more like Aliens from a UFO than anything human.
"What are they"? they asked a swimmer who was just coming out of the water.
"Oh, they're a group of Frogmen who come here often. This beach is one of the favorite places for them to dive.
"What are they looking for''? asked one of our guests.
"It's quite beautiful underwater. They see all kinds of creatures... waif-like jelly fish, lobsters wedged in rocks, crabs, striper fish''.

Our guests were thrilled this man was was so friendly, knowledgeable and willing to share what he knew about the Frogmen. He went on to say that Old Garden beach has a rocky, kelp laden, bottom that lends itself nicely for shallow dives. "There's more variety of fish seen here than almost any other Cape Ann dive site.The lobstering is good too". He went on to say that,
a few years ago, a woman diver, Maria D. Maggio, apparently saw a Humpback Whale. She wrote that it swam so close to her, that, if she extended an arm she would have touched it. Maria explained that it felt like a never ending locomotive passing by. She was frightened and surprised! It's unusual to have one venture so close to shore".
Our guests also learned that, at one time, local residents resented having Frogmen groups descend upon their peaceful beaches but have become more tolerant, accepting and becoming respectful of each other over the years.
Massachusetts laws assures divers the same access to public beaches as any other visitor.


Our guests were VERY happy they had taken their camera along as this impromptu trek turned out to be a highlight of their vacation. They were excited to show pictures and tell their story of the Frogmen to friends and family when they went back to Germany.
Upon returning to the Inn, they thanked Rose profusely, for a wonderful afternoon while vowing to return to the Seaward Inn for another vacation in the future.

Labels: Beach, bed-and-breakfast, Cape-Ann, Germany, Holiday, oceanfront accommodations; Sea-Garden-Restaurant, Rockport-Chamber-of-Commerce, scuba-diving, whales

Dawn had not yet broken when a young couple, staying at the Seaward Inn for their Honeymoon ventured out for a walk on Cape Hedge Beach.They maneuvered around large rocks, strewn onto the ramp as if nothing more than small pebbles...a reminder of the ocean's ferocity.

Emerging daylight unveiled nearby lobster boats tending their pots. Screeching seagulls circled around demanding any old bait being thrown overboard. In the distance tuna boats could be seen cruising by for a day at sea.

Kicking off their shoes the couple ran barefoot to the low tide mark and began walking the beach. They turned over rocks discovering small marine life and different forms of seaweed. Perhaps what attracted them most were the many odd shaped and multi-hued pebbles in the sand. They compared each, delighting in their discoveries,reminiscent of children opening gifts at Christmas.

Wet sand massaged their feet as they weaved in and out of the gentle, very cold, ocean waves. The salty sweet aroma of the sea permeated the air, adding to the rich adventure of their morning. Despite their fun, the invigorating morning had begun to take it's toll...they were starving! The fear of missing Seaward Inn's fabulous destination breakfast made them come to an abrupt stop. Laughing at the resemblance of their grumbling stomachs to the seagulls angry demands for food, they quickly turned and headed back. THEY DID NOT WANT TO MISS BREAKFAST AT THE SEAWARD INN'S SEA GARDEN RESTAURANT!

Still scanning for unusual stones, they began a slow jog back. As they neared the ramp, they saw something sparkle at the waters edge. Racing to pick it up, they discovered a very special charcoal colored pebble with speckles throughout, perfectly shaped as a HEART! They were awestruck. What a treasure!

Bubbling with excitement, they returned to the Inn where they shared their experience with other guests, while enjoying a hearty and well deserved breakfast. The experience, and of course,nature's gift, the heart, were treasures; souvenirs unlike any other, from their honeymoon at the Seaward Inn.

Labels: bed-and-breakfast, Cape-Ann, MA, oceanfront-accommodations; Wedding, Rockport MA, Sea-Garden-Restaurant, special, vacation

Rockport innkeepers John and Kathy Fitzgerald (Sally Webster Inn), Judy Liddle (Beech Tree Inn), and Nancy Cameron-Gilsey (Seaward Inn) joined with scores of their Chamber colleagues for the Rockport Chamber of Commerce mid-winter meeting. Thanks to Shaw's Supermarkets for catering the event and to the Rockport Art Association for hosting.

Labels: bed-and-breakfast, Rockport-Chamber-of-Commerce

When Rockport first felt signs of the recession, business people began to cut back, however, We did just the opposite. We diversified and began to increase our spending by launching the Sunday Morning Live Series which offeres live entertainment free for those attending the Inn's Sunday Buffet by the Sea.

Where Our Inn is "off the beaten path" even native Rockporter's were unaware that the Seaward Inn 's beautiful oceanfront dining rooms were open to the public and offer delicious, affordable breakfasts. With great entertainment, lo and behold our dining room has filled with people coming from as far away as Salem, Boston and even Western Massachusetts. The Seaward Inn's Sunday Morning Live has become a beacon for those who love breakfast, great food, entertainment and the splendor of an ocean view at an affordable price.

Our popular "Destination Breakfast";, can be seen as a video tour of the Seaward Inn along with the jazz sounds of the Barbara and Al Boudreau Jazz Trio, frequent performers of our Sunday Morning Live Series.

We invite you to take a step back in time and experience the charm, serenity, of a Sunday Morning Live Breakfast, and the unspoiled beauty that is the Seaward Inn.

Labels: bed-and-breakfast, Seaward-Inn