They put up trees gaily decorated with lobster traps. Good Morning Gloucester is running a completely impartial poll that lets you pick the best one: "The Fantastic Majestic Gloucester Lobster Trap Tree" or "The Crappy Unimaginative Maine Lobster Trap Tree."

Steve Borichevsky photographs a king eider serenely bobbing in the water off Gloucester.

Exclusive video of woman cavorting in the cold Atlantic waters.

Good Morning Gloucester reports they're looking for actual Cape Anners to be extras in commercials (you have to talk to the producers so they can check your accents or something). Site doesn't specify what the ads are about, but wouldn't it be cool if the Gorton's Fisherman put on an eye patch and he and his merry crew boarded one of those wussy Legal Seafood boats and stole their catch and then sank the boat (like, say, Capt. Cocklegobbler's?).

What, too much coffee this morning, you say? Or maybe it's because I'm going insane because now I can't get that "Trust the Gorton's Fisherman" jingle out of my head.

Enough so to get him tattooed on his arm.

There's at least one in Gloucester.

Good Morning Gloucester sounds a call to arms to get Gloucesterites to rise up and fight the US Mint's decision not to put their fisherman on the next Massachusetts quarter. They're starting a petition drive, even:

... Enough is enough. We don't get our fair share of school funding, they build huge research facilities in Woods Hole on the South Shore, they castrate our fishermen and consolidate our fishing industry through regulations, they force our harbor to remain in a DPA "for the good of the Commonwealth" while we get no benefits from it, and when it's finally time to for us to get a little positive recognition- voted on by over 4 to 1 by the people and on a voting system put forth from the state itself, we get bumped in favor of a building in Lowell. A building that could be placed anywhere. The Man at the Wheel is uniquely Gloucester, Uniquely Massachusetts.

We're sick and tired and we're not gonna take it anymore.

Gloucester Daily Times: Feds nix 'Man at the Wheel' for state quarter honor - even though the statue was the clear favorite in statewide voting, because it's not "federally maintained."

Instead, the next Massachusetts quarter will feature the Lowell National Historic Park. Quick, what's the first thing that springs to mind when you think of that?

Good Morning Gloucester whips up a gale of protest:

... Who the hell has ever heard of the Lowell National Park and does anyone really think that our State in any way should be associated with a park in Lowell rather than The Proud Man At The Wheel. This state was founded on Codfish you fucking idiots! What a laughing stock the state of Massachusetts will become if this travesty is allowed to happen. ...

Beth Peardon took in the schooner festival in Gloucester this weekend (don't worry - this schooner isn't actually sinking; just looks that way thanks to six-foot swells).

Good Morning Gloucester is sponsoring a contest for the best photos from the festival and has more photos. Steve B. got real close to some of the schooners, and has the photos to prove it.

Photo copyright Beth Peardon. Posted in the Universal Hub pool on Flickr.

Good Morning Gloucester shows us the triggerfish brought in by the Lady Margaret:

... In my 33 years down the dock and after handling a bajillion pounds of fish at our dock I've only seen a couple of these. ...