New Bedford

We are about 10 minutes from what was the one of most important whaling ports in the world during the 19th century.  We started at the Visitor Center at the the New Bedford Whaling National Park located in New Bedford.  This towns a very old, dating back to 1652, when it was purchased by the settlers from the Wampanoag Indian Tribe.

They had a wonderful exhibit, lot of pictures and a movie.  In fact we felt like we had seen most the history of Whaling (including our trip to Mystic Seaport) that we decided to skip the Whaling Museum., knowing that we would come across more Whaling history on our travels.

World Whaling Map

A display of the "Home" flags that few at the top of the Whaling Shops

 
We saw the original church and it was featured in the Moby Dick movie (Herman Melville, he author of the book is from New Bedford).

This is the Mariner's Home, for the laborer of the ships, when they were in port or for the whalers who spent all their money at the taverns and brothels.



I love that they still have the cobblestone streets.

The highlight of the day, and the best thing we have done for the money, was an hour tour of the Acushnet River on the Acushnet boat.

This is a working fishing harbor.

 
There are two main types of fishing done here

Scallops boats

Their scallops are a lot bigger than our bay scallops

And Long Line Fishing for bottom fish.
 

 Unloading the fishing boats


  

New Bedford Harbor Hurricane Barrier - Completed in 1966.it protects about 1,400 acres in New Bedford, Fairhaven, and Acushnet from tidal flooding ( they were flooded in the September 1938 and August 1954 by  hurricanes.)

They have not had to use them yet for a hurricane but  open them about once about when it is the high moon

 There is a seal (we saw him) in there somewhere, waiting with the birds for lunch

View across the river to Fairhaven.

 The docks

 The first church, the one without a steeple, lost it in a hurricane.

Shoreline sights

The Palmers Island Lighthouse -  Established in 1849 and deactivated in 1963

Fort Phoenix - A nameless American Revolutionary War Fort that  was destroyed by the British in 1778. and rebuilt six years later and  given the name Fort Phoenix (after the Mystical bird that rose from the ashes.  It was rebuilt again after damage during the War of 1812.

Then it was three days in Cape Code