Monday, June 13, 2011

Riptide Oysters


Riptide Oysters in Westport, Massachusetts

Now this is one place I instantly felt at home. Anywhere near the ocean just feels right to me.







A young couple (on the upper right), Kerian and Kristin, own Riptide Oysters. They started the business without any competition in the immediate area. It's a tough business, working year round through all sorts of New England weather, but I imagine the independence is worth the trade off. On the bottom left is their little girl. Isn't she the cutest thing ever?!!! I could have photographed her all day long!



Kerian was an excellent speaker, giving us all the details of oyster farming and demonstrating where they live and grow




Above: Riptide's boat
Below: a view of some young oysters

I believe they said it takes 2 years for the oysters to fully mature before they can be harvested and sold. Hopefully I'm right on that. It was one of those moments where I really should have taken notes and didn't.





The whole day was overcast but once we arrived by the water the fog was rolling in.









The Harbormaster building

As I said, I really loved this place. It almost pained me to leave because I wanted to walk around and take more pictures, but we had one last place to visit before the long drive home ... a local farm. That will be the last part of the tour. Phew! We packed in a lot of stuff in one day!

30 comments:

Chrissykat said...

It looks like such a wonderful place. I want to go...right now!!!
p.s. Go Bruins!

The Retired One said...

Wonderful, wonderful photos...and the ones with the fog made me feel like I was there, smelling the sea air! Fabulous!!

Kerri Farley said...

Fog is FAB! Great captures!

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

What gorgeous photos. I would love to visit there and see its quaintness for myself.

Gone Country said...

What an interesting place! Like you, I love being near the water. Your photos are great and I love the fog! It gives the photos a sense of mystery!

Janet Metzger, Artist said...

I LOVE New England and have family in Newport,RI.

beautiful photos and I am craving seafood now ;->

janet xox
http://theemptynest-janet.blogspot.com/

Ginny said...

Beautiful! I don't swim and never really vacationed near the water, except our Honeymoon in Mystic, Ct. But, yet I said looking at the couple walking their day, "I could live there". Strange. Thanks for sharing, can't wait to see the farm.

Pamela Gordon said...

Beautiful photos! I like the history of the town on the sign. And, I always enjoy the seacoast even in the fog. Pamela

Unknown said...

I love the foggy photos...so New England!

Pondside said...

This post made me homesick.
While I live on an ocean, it's not the Atlantic, and not the same at all. Sometimes I long to go home to Cape Breton and take a deep breath of that foggy, briny air.
Thanks for the foggy little interlude.

Anonymous said...

It looks so quaint and typical New England.

Sometimes fog is comforting, isn't it?

Di

Campbell Kids said...

Beautiful photos as always! I would love to visit New England. Of course, I'm in the Pacific NW, so it will be a bit of a journey.

Blessings,
Dianne
www.mysouthernheart.com

Carolynn Anctil said...

Brrrr...it looks like a chilly day.

My favourite shot is the one of the boat reflected in the rippled water.

Candis said...

Love the foggy photos. Beautiful.

Carol Mattingly said...

Sounds like a beautiful trip and I'm waiting on the farm portion. Wonderful images. Carol

Pat said...

I can almost smell the salty water and feel the chill from the fog! Great pictures!

Sheilagh said...

Beautiful atmospheric photo's, I can almost smell the air.

So need to go back to New England. Thank you.

Sheilagh

Ocean Breezes and Country Sneezes said...

What a beautiful excursion! Your photos are just lovely!

Hula Girl at Heart said...

"I wanted to walk around and take more pictures."....Oh, how I can relate. Looks like fun.

Carole said...

Your posts really prove to me that I really need to " get out more"
Boy it sure is pretty out there in New England......put I guess I could be stuck in a worse place. Flowers are a good concelation prize. haha

thanks for the virtual vacation....I needed that.

Hope all is well,
Carole

Elaine said...

Westport looks like a quintessential New England seaport town.

Your little trip must have been fabulous. You did so much in such a short time and you explored some place new. It must have been great fun!

Wendy McDonagh-Valentine said...

Your photos are absolutely wonderful!! I swear I could smell the salt in the air!! : ) Have a great weekend!!

~ Wendy
http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

Sharon Lovejoy said...

Ok, now I am sounding geo-centric, but you MUST taste our Pemaquid Oyster in Damariscotta, Maine. FABULOUS and supposed to be, according to gourmands, the BEST.

We have an oyster festival every year. Come taste 'em.

All joys,

Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

Country Girl said...

I seemed to have missed this post. Glad I found it!

My Secret Rooms said...

Truly amazing photos, thanks for sharing!
These places looks exactly like I imagine they would :-)
Wonderful!

Sea Witch said...

Just love this post. From the beautiful gray's to the water and the birds, just lovely.

Mary said...

Omigosh, you know how I love a good fog! And though I was not raised close to the ocean, strangely enough I feel as though I could be at home there, too. I think the beautiful architecture calls out to me, and I love the idea of seeing the ocean in all seasons. I know that it must be a hard life, especially in the winter. But there is something beguiling about the thought of being so close to nature...

How corny does that sound?! Anyway, hope you have a great weekend, Sharon!
xoxo

aspiritofsimplicity said...

What a beautiful place. I am assuming it's out by the cape.

Leeann @ Join the Gossip said...

Your posts always make me want to up and move to New England! I would adore a little seaside town like this one.

And I love that you took a picture of the sign - I enjoyed reading the history!

Lisa said...

Just beautiful.