'Sadness In Seeing It Disappear': Beverly's Iconic 'Lobster Rock Monument' Removed From Harbor

BEVERLY, MA — A familiar site in Beverly Harbor used for more than a century to help boaters avoid the dangers of the lobster rocks that lurk just under the surface at high tide is no longer there.

The Beverly Harbormaster's Office noted the removal of the granite monument at Lobster Rocks on Thursday, six years after the U.S. Coast Guard disestablished the #13A Daymark in 2020.

• Beverly Harbor's Lobster Rock Monument Set For Removal

"Its removal marks the loss of a familiar landmark and a tangible connection to generations of mariners who knew these waters," the Harbormaster said. "Beverly's maritime story is written all along its shoreline.

"From the historic fishing community of Fish Flake Hill, where cod was salted and laid out to dry, to the working waterfront that remains part of our identity today, the harbor connects us to the people and traditions that shaped this city.

"The Lobster Rocks Monument was part of that story for generations. There is a sadness in seeing it disappear."

The Harbormaster's Office noted that while the granite is gone, "the natural hazard it marked remains beneath the water."

Boaters are urged to take caution navigating the busy section of the harbor, with currents coming out of the Danvers River and two nearby fuel docks.

While the rocks are exposed at low tide, they are hidden at high tide.

The Harbormaster said the city plans to pursue a Private Aid to Navigation in the form of an anchored buoy at the site. The plan is subject to Coast Guard approval.

"It may not have the character or presence of the old stone monument, but we hope it will serve its purpose and continue to alert mariners to the Lobster Rocks hazard," the Harbormaster said. "Though the monument is no longer part of the harbor's landscape, its place in Beverly's maritime history remains.

"It stood as a reminder of our enduring connection to the sea and the people whose lives and livelihoods have always been shaped by these waters."