One stop at any store says it all. Back-to-school clothes fill racks, and notebooks and backpacks line shelves.
Summer — sadly — is on its last leg.
While fall doesn't actually take hold until Sept. 22, the first day of school all but closes the door on summer. And for some, that day comes as early as Tuesday.
But before you pack away the sunscreen and flip-flops, there's still time to enjoy a last breath of summer. Head to the beach. Hit the golf course — of the country club or the miniature variety. Crack open a lobster, or grab an ice cream and a spot in the shade.
If you're feeling a little more adventurous, here are six ways to put an exclamation point on summer.
An eco-angle on the Great Salt Marsh
Well, this puts Plum Island in a whole different perspective.
At high tide, a shallow draft boat can slide into the salt marsh between the island and the mainland, opening up a new view of an otherwise familiar landscape.
Longtime Newburyport Harbor Tours operator William "Captain Bill" Taplin runs a 21âÑ2- to three-hour Ecotour of the Great Salt Marsh pretty much every day.
The Ecotour departs from Newburyport's central waterfront boardwalk, proceeds under the Wilkinson Bridge and meanders along the Plum Island River all the way to the Parker River — where passengers can get a close look at the progress being made in the replacement of the Route 1A bridge.
While navigating the 33-foot-long boat called the Joppa Flats, a 1995 Navy launch, Taplin keeps up a running commentary of local history (mostly accurate), the Great Marsh ecosystem (again, mostly accurate) and the occasional joke (mostly lame).
On last Saturday's Ecotour, for example, several species of birds were going about their business on the marshy shores — great egrets, snowy egrets, a great blue heron, at least a dozen lesser yellowlegs and swarms of tree swallows.
Taplin at one point maneuvered the Joppa Flats for an up-close-and-personal view of an osprey, a large raptor that usually nests high off the ground. He noted the bird species count should rise as the fall migrations get underway in earnest.
Here's a pleasant surprise — no bugs. The insect repellent that had been packed in anticipation of a mosquito invasion wasn't needed at all.
— Victor Tine
Great Salt Marsh Ecotour aboard the Joppa Flats
Where: Departs from Newburyport boardwalk along the central waterfront
When: High tide daily through Oct. 12. (Since the time of high tide changes each day, the time the boat departs varies as well.)
How much: Adults $30, children under 12 $15. (The boat seats 24 passengers; a minimum of six is required to run the trip.)
Info: Reservations required; call 603-682-2293. A schedule is also available at www.harbortours.com.
A thrilling ride, lap for lap
Four decades ago, beachgoers to Salisbury looking for excitement apart from the waves could ride a Ferris wheel or roller coaster. Those are gone, but for now, one outlet for thrill-seekers remains — the humble go-cart.
"All the amusements have closed down," said Salisbury Kartland owner Jack Goldman. "We're the only entertainment left."
The winding track off Beach Road is the oldest operating track in New England and has hosted drivers of all ages for 43 years, Goldman said.
But its days may be numbered, too. In 2007, Goldman and his sons received approval from the town to develop condos on the 13-acre property, and the go-carts may go the way of the Ferris wheel in a few years.
On a recent sunny Sunday, though, people were eager to take three laps around the track at top speed while cars driving away from the beach crawled along at a near standstill.
Small children ride for free if they're accompanied by an adult, Goldman said. But, he said, the biggest thrills are experienced by the youths old enough to ride by themselves but not experienced enough to know the difference between revving a go-cart and an actual car.
"A 10-year-old thinks he's driving a Lincoln Continental," Goldman said.
The racing season has been slow this year, Goldman said, in part because of rainy weather making for a slick track and also because of high gas prices. But families Sunday were making up for lost time — as soon as one of their races ended, they were back in line at the ticket window.
— Daniel Atkinson
Salisbury Kartland
Where: 191 Beach Road, Salisbury
When: Open daily
How much: $6 for three laps
Info: www.kartland.com
Seeing the future, crystal clear
Put down your inner tube and step off the beach just long enough to glance into the crystal ball of your future. A trip to the fortune teller might be more physically relaxing than a day of go-carting and mini-golfing, but it can test even those with nerves of steel.
For 70 years, two psychics — a mother and daughter — have occupied the small booth next to Sal's Pizza at Salisbury Beach Center, at the ready for vacationers and visitors who want to gain some insight into their lives.
Miss Helen, who has followed in the footsteps of her mother, Madame Jean, remembers realizing her gift for handwriting analysis as a 5-year-old. That childhood awareness of her psychic abilities led her to a 40-year career pursuing what she says is her calling to help people.
The inner room of her booth is quiet. A telltale crystal ball adorns the table along with many other crystals and a grouping of tarot cards. The walls are littered with photographs and articles of Madame Jean, who was once featured on the TV show, "Chronicle."
A typical reading begins with Miss Helen's disclaimer that she will be honest and deliver both the good and the bad that she sees. After making a brief wish, your past, present and future is revealed in ways you probably were unaware existed.
A palm reading is the quickest — and least expensive — one Miss Helen offers. She also specializes in tarot card, crystals, mind reading and handwriting analysis.
Faithful patrons have been returning to the family-run psychic business for decades. Arianna Dispenza, who has been traveling to the booth from Haverhill for 30 years to get her fortune read, says "Miss Helen has helped me through so many difficult times. She always clears my mind."
Just remember, you need to come with an open mind.
— Sabrina Cardin
Miss Helen's Psychic Readings
Where: Salisbury Beach Center, Broadway
When: Daily or by appointment
How much: Readings start at $20 and can reach as high as $75.
Info: For appointments, call 978-463-5424. Miss Helen will also be at the Topsfield Fair Oct. 3 through 13.
Uncorking the flavors of a local vineyard
There's a good chance some people may not even be aware of the secluded spot off Whitehall Road in Amesbury. Hidden away from the restaurants and shops downtown and the businesses on busy Route 110 is Carriagetown's very own winery.
Taking a tour of Jewell Towne Vineyards could be just the way to enjoy the final days of summer's warm weather.
The vineyard, which officially opened in 1990, actually spills from Amesbury into neighboring South Hampton, N.H. But cruising up the stretch of driveway, it's easy to mistake the setting for Napa Valley as you take in the atmosphere of this 5-acre vineyard.
Today, Jewell Towne offers about 30 different wines — white, red, rose and ice — and produces some 3,000 to 4,000 cases of its vintages a year.
During its almost two decades in operation, Jewell Towne has grown into a tourist attraction, drawing attention from wine enthusiasts and connoisseurs as well as newbies alike.
In the late 1990s, owner Peter Oldak moved the winery's production from his basement to a renovated building on his property. Customers can now tour the grounds, enjoy a wine tasting or just browse through wine-related merchandise. There's everything from wine tags and wine glass coasters to shirts, books and baseball caps.
A tour of the property brings you outside to view the rows of grapes before heading inside to see the production room and get a glimpse of how the different kinds of wine are made.
Among the vineyard's 30 varieties are some aptly named ones. There's "River's Edge Red," "South Hampton Red" and "South Hampton White" — a semisweet wine with rich grapefruit and Muscat flavors.
— Katie Farrell
Jewell Towne Vineyards
Where: 183 Whitehall Road, Amesbury
When: Tours and tastings run year-round from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays and noon to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, or by special arrangement.
Info: Visit www.jewelltownevineyards.com or call 603-394-0600.
Free-falling to the season's end
Who says you have to go to the beach to cool off? Skip the crowds along the shores and head to Amesbury Sports Park instead.
The facility on South Hunt Road is the first in the Northeast to offer OGO, Outdoor Gravity Orbs, a globe-riding sport that's a cousin of Zorbing, which is available only in Tennessee.
The concept is simple enough. A person climbs inside a giant inflatable ball, is strapped in using a seven-point harness and rolled down a hill.
The roughly 30-second ride will send the participant end-over-end down the hill into a slight dip, which slows and stops the ball.
There's also the H2OGO. Picture five gallons of water dumped into the inflatable ball while up to three people slosh around inside as they roll down the path.
Known for its snow-tubing in the winter, the sports park added an extra track to support the summer tubing program.
— Katie Farrell
OGO, Outdoor Gravity Orbs
Where: Amesbury Sports Park, South Hunt Road, Amesbury
When: Open daily
How much: $15 per person, per ride; $10 with the purchase of a summer tubing pass
Info: Participants must be at least 8 years old and 5 feet tall. Children under 18 must have a signed parental consent waiver form. Copies are available at www.amesburysportspark.net.
Lofty views of far and near
A trip to the Isles of Shoals may not be in your future. But you can still take in views all the way up and down the coast from the top of Newburyport Harbor Light on the northern tip of Plum Island Point.
On clear days, the 110-year-old lighthouse offers a glimpse of the rocky islands along the border of New Hampshire and Maine as well as down to Cape Ann, not to mention the local shores of Newburyport, Salisbury and the Merrimack River.
First lit on Sept. 20, 1898, the lighthouse remains active today. It contains a lens that was manufactured in Paris in 1856 for use in an earlier tower, and can be seen for 15 miles on the water.
Kerosene was used to keep the lighthouse lit until 1927, when it was converted to electric. In 1951, the lighthouse was automated, ending an era of a line of light keepers on Plum Island that dated back 163 years.
In 1996, the nonprofit, volunteer-run Friends of Plum Island Light began leasing the lighthouse from the U.S. Coast Guard, which has turned the lighthouse over to the city of Newburyport.
Dedicated to preserving and restoring the structure, the friends group opens the lighthouse periodically for tours to educate people about the area's maritime history. In addition to soaking in the views from the catwalk, visitors can also view historic photographs and documents on display.
— Sonya Vartabedian
Tours of Newburyport Harbor Light
Where: Northern Boulevard, Plum Island Point, Newburyport
When: Sunday, 1 to 4 p.m., weather permitting. Also, Sundays, Sept. 21 and Oct. 12.
How much: Free; donations to support Friends of Plum Island Light appreciated.
Info: Children must be at least 5 years old and 42 inches tall to climb to the top.
