Category Archives: Massachusetts

DINOSAURS IN NEW ENGLAND- IT’S A JURASSIC WORLD

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A group of large, long‑necked dinosaurs walk through a dense prehistoric forest lit by warm golden sunlight. Tall trees rise around them, ferns cover the ground, and distant mountains fade into the background. Several pterosaurs glide overhead, adding depth to the ancient landscape.

⭐ Dinosaurs Always get my attention

The other night, as I was browsing through my streaming services for something new to watch, I stumbled across a documentary about how feathers developed in dinosaurs. I really enjoyed it — lots of AI‑generated dinos racing across prehistoric landscapes, parallels to modern birds, and a fresh twist on the whole “bird brain” idea. Turns out they were pretty intelligent.

Anyway, that got me thinking about dino digs, trackways, and all that good stuff. I actually visited a dinosaur dig in South Dakota once, and there’s that show Dino Hunters set in Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota. And of course there’s the famous dinosaur trackway in Texas. It always feels like we’re headed west to find the remains of these creatures.

Nope. If you’re New England born and raised, you can see dinosaur tracks right here in the Northeast. We have our share too. Not that a western trip isn’t a great vacation option — but let’s think about what’s closer to home.

Once you start looking into it, you realize New England has some genuinely amazing prehistoric secrets tucked between its forests, highways, and old mill towns. One of the best examples is right in western Massachusetts:

🦕 Dinosaur Footprints Reservation — Holyoke, MA

This place is a gem. It’s an 8‑acre stretch of sandstone along Route 5 where hundreds of Early Jurassic dinosaur tracks are preserved exactly where the animals walked about 190 million years ago. No casts, no replicas — the real deal.

It’s incredibly easy to visit:

  • Location: 1099 US‑5, Holyoke, MA
  • Open: April 1–November 30, sunrise to sunset
  • Cost: Free
  • Walk: A short 0.2‑mile path from the parking area

Once you’re there, you can wander along a simple trail and see:

  • Tracks from four distinct types of dinosaurs
  • Fossilized ripple marks from ancient pools
  • Plant impressions and invertebrate traces
  • Layers of sandstone that literally hold the footsteps of creatures who lived long before New England had forests, colonists, or even mountains in their current shape

A couple of rules keep the site safe:

  • No crossing the railroad tracks
  • Dogs must stay leashed
  • No mountain biking

If you want to make a day of it, the Amherst College Museum of Natural History is nearby and has the world’s largest collection of dinosaur tracks — over 1,700 specimens, many from the Connecticut River Valley. Granby, MA also has additional track sites if you’re in full dino‑detective mode.

⭐ And here’s the funny part…

Even when you’re in western Massachusetts, you’re still kind of “going west” for dinosaur tracks — just not that far west. Holyoke, Granby, Amherst… they all sit along the Connecticut River Valley, which turns out to be one of the richest dinosaur trackway regions in the entire country.

Follow that ancient rift basin south, and you hit one of the biggest dinosaur track discoveries in North America.

🦖 Dinosaur State Park — Rocky Hill, Connecticut

If Massachusetts gives you a taste of New England’s prehistoric past, Connecticut serves the full entrée.

Dinosaur State Park is home to over 2,000 dinosaur footprints, most attributed to a three‑toed carnivore called Eubrontes. The tracks were discovered in 1966 during construction work — imagine being the person who looked down and realized the bulldozer had just uncovered a dinosaur highway.

Only a portion of the site is visible under the geodesic dome, but thousands more tracks remain buried for preservation. It’s one of the largest trackways ever found, and it’s only a short drive from anywhere in southern New England.

The park also has:

  • A museum with exhibits on the Triassic/Jurassic world
  • Outdoor trails through the rift‑valley landscape
  • A casting area where kids (and adults, no judgment) can make their own plaster track replicas

It’s the perfect example of why this post had to become Dinos in New England, not just Dinos in Massachusetts. The whole region is part of the same prehistoric story.

⭐ Closing

So go west, you dino hunters of today — just don’t go as far as you thought. Explore western Massachusetts and the Connecticut River Valley. Wander the sandstone, follow the ancient rift, and let those fossilized footprints pull you straight back into the age of dinosaurs. All of it waiting right here in our own backyard.

One More Thing

If you’re craving something a little more fantastical after all that real science, you can also check out Dino Safari at CambridgeSide. It’s a walk‑through adventure featuring life‑size animatronic dinosaurs, hands‑on fossil digs, a scavenger hunt, and even a virtual‑reality experience. It’s a limited‑time exhibit, closing on September 7, so don’t wait too long to visit.

 

The Day I Met a Giant Jellyfish Off Cathedral Rocks

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A large jellyfish with a purple‑pink bell drifts through green murky water, its long translucent tentacles trailing behind it.

Why Cape Cod’s Lion’s Mane Jellyfish Made Me Remember

Hearing about the invasion of Lion’s Mane jellyfish on Cape Cod had me reminiscing. Remember, I’m old enough, so I’m allowed.

So let me tell you about the time I met what I now think might have been a Lion’s Mane jellyfish.

Cold, Murky New England Diving Conditions

I was scuba diving off Cathedral Rocks in Rockport.  The water is pretty deep there, and New England waters are never clear. It’s not like diving in the Caribbean where the water is warm and you can see for 100 feet or more. Diving up here, even in the summer, requires a ¼‑inch to 1/2 inch wetsuit for warmth. Visibility is 2–3 feet, if you’re lucky.

Losing Track of My Dive Buddy

The number one rule is to never dive alone. Hmmm… I’ve been known to ignore that rule, but not on this day. I had a dive buddy, but it was just the two of us, and I’d lost track of him.

Suspended at 65 Feet in Perfect Stillness

We were in deep water. I was floating at about 65 feet. I’d hit the sweet spot — perfect neutral buoyancy.

At that depth, there’s no top or bottom. The world becomes a vertical void. You can’t look up and see the surface, and you can’t look down and see the ocean floor. The only way to know which direction is “up” is by watching your bubbles rise.

Most sport diving happens in 25–40 feet of water, so you don’t usually get this effect. But at 65 feet, suspended in the water column, you feel like you’re hanging in space. I didn’t need to move. I could just float there, watching my bubbles drift upward and enjoying the stillness.

A Shape Appears in the Murk

While I was hanging there, looking for my dive buddy’s bubbles, I caught a glimpse of something in the murky water. It was just at the edge of my vision, and it was big. I don’t remember being afraid, just curious. So I stayed very still. What a feeling.

The Giant Jellyfish Emerges

Out of that murk, a huge jellyfish came floating toward me. The bell expanded and contracted like bellows. At the time I thought it was a moon jelly, but if so, it was the biggest one I’ve ever seen. It’s possible it was a Lion’s Mane.

In any case, it was an amazing moment — the stillness, the murky water, and the perfect balance that let me just hang there and watch this thing approach.

A Movie Moment Underwater

I remember thinking it was like watching a scene from a movie where the Blob emerges to terrify the unsuspecting protagonist — in this case, me. But I wasn’t terrified. I was fascinated.

The Unexpected Sting

As the creature floated past me, I felt a sting on my face just under my mask. I’d been tagged by a trailing tentacle. It was just a tiny gossamer thread. I didn’t even see it, but I felt it.

My wetsuit and mask protected me from all but that one tiny thread. I was lucky. If it was a Lion’s Mane, I could have been seriously stung, but it was just the one tentacle, and it left me with a vision I’ve cherished for years.

Why the Moment Stayed With Me

It was one of those things that makes the ocean special to me — not something you see or experience every day. Of course, I don’t want to get stung every day, but this was no worse than a bee sting on land. A moment’s annoyance to see such a beautiful creature in the wild.

Moon Jelly or Lion’s Mane — It Doesn’t Matter

Moon jelly or Lion’s Mane — it doesn’t matter to me. It was a mystical moment.

Note: These photos are amazing photos thaken by talented underwater photographers and posted on the internet. No copywrite info was available. My thanks to the folks that shared and posted these images.

WMEO News Update — Elephant Migration Exhibit Joins Boston Tours

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WMEO Newsroom with Anchors Banner and Balboa, cats

WMEO News Update — Elephant Migration Exhibit Joins Boston Tours

The traveling Elephant Migration Exhibit is heading to Boston, and longtime local guide Christian V. — a 25‑year veteran with GoWithGuide — has confirmed he’ll be incorporating the exhibit into his popular Boston–Cambridge Tour while it’s in town.

Christian, known for his comfortable demeanor and excellent reviews, has spent decades sharing Boston’s Revolutionary history and Cambridge’s world‑famous academic landmarks. His tour typically explores key historic sites in Boston before continuing on to Harvard and MIT.

With the Elephant Migration Exhibit temporarily joining the city’s cultural landscape, Christian says guests will get an added layer of storytelling: a blend of Boston history, Cambridge intellect, and a rare wildlife‑focused experience right in the heart of the city.

WMEO will continue to follow the elephants as they “migrate” into Massachusetts.

 

This has Been a WMEO 9 News Update

Some links or mentions related to tours or services may be affiliate-based, meaning WMEO/ arounddustyroads may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support our ongoing coverage and creative projects. Thank you

End of bulletin. Please resume your regularly scheduled scrolling.

 

WMEO 9 BREAKING NEWS- Back Bay Braces for… Elephants?

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Filed by Anchors Banner & Balboa Dateline: Commonwealth Avenue Mall, Boston.. WMEO 9  We Meow-You Listen

🎙️ Banner (Orange, Overcaffeinated, Zero Chill):

LADIES, GENTLEMEN, AND ALL WHO APPRECIATE A GOOD PARADE OF ABSURDITY— We interrupt your regularly scheduled bird‑watching to report that Boston has officially lost its mind.

Moving trucks are clogging Back Bay again, but instead of college kids hauling futons, they’re unloading elephants. Not real ones. But 100 life‑sized elephant sculptures, which is somehow even more chaotic because you can’t bribe them with peanuts to move.

I repeat: ONE HUNDRED ELEPHANTS. FIVE BLOCKS. This is the greatest thing to happen to Boston since someone finally fixed the Green Line.

I attempted to climb one for “journalistic purposes” but was removed by a volunteer who said, and I quote, “Sir, please stop narrating loudly.” I regret nothing.

🎙️ Balboa (Black, Soft‑Spoken, Perpetually Worried):

Thank you, Banner. I would like to reassure viewers that these elephants are friendly, quiet, and unlikely to bite—unlike some anchors I could name.

The installation is part of The Great Elephant Migration, a global fundraising initiative bringing awareness to conservation efforts. The sculptures will line the Commonwealth Avenue Mall, creating a peaceful, tree‑lined corridor of gentle giants.

I personally inspected the scene. The elephants appear sturdy, respectful, and uninterested in stealing anyone’s kitty grass. I approve this event.

However, I must note that the moving trucks were loud, and I hid behind a hydrangea for several minutes. This is normal. This is fine.

🎙️ Banner (interrupting):

BALBOA HID BEHIND A HYDRANGEA. THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE.

🎙️ Balboa:

Please ignore him. We encourage all residents to visit the installation, take photos, and appreciate the artistry—while also remembering that climbing the elephants is not allowed, even if you are a very handsome orange cat with a press badge.

A grassy slope in front of a large brick building is filled with dozens of life‑sized elephant sculptures. The sculptures vary in size and pose, arranged across the lawn and near rocky areas at the bottom of the hill. The scene looks like a herd moving together, but the elephants are clearly art installations rather than real animals. The contrast between the realistic sculptures and the formal building behind them creates a striking, surreal visual.

WMEO 9 SIGN‑OFF

This has been Banner & Balboa reporting live from Back Bay. End of bulletin. Please resume your regularly scheduled scrolling.

 

Shark Week Is Over, But Breton Didn’t Get the Memo

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A great white shark swims directly toward the camera in clear blue water, its pointed snout, large body, and visible teeth illuminated by shimmering light patterns from the surface.

A New Englander’s Fascination With Sharks

I’m from New England, and sharks fascinate me — especially now that they’ve returned to Cape Cod waters in such big numbers. So every now and then, I like to check in on what’s happening with our top newsmakers. This year, the headline grabbers are Contender and Breton. Let’s check in with them, shall we.

Contender Makes Headlines

If you’ve been watching shark news lately, you’ve probably seen Contender splashed across the headlines. He’s huge, he’s dramatic, and he moves like he owns the entire Atlantic. Every time he pings, the internet lights up. He’s the kind of shark that makes people stop scrolling and say, “Whoa.”

Most Great Whites Head North for Summer

By late July, most of the great whites tagged off the East Coast have already left Florida behind. They follow cooler water, chase prey, and avoid the Florida bathtub temperatures. It’s the standard summer migration: northward, predictable, sensible.

But sharks don’t read the rulebook.

Enter Breton: Florida’s Surprise Visitor

While most of the great whites are enjoying their summer vacation in New England and Canada, Breton — one of the most famous sharks ever tagged — decided Florida was still on the menu.

He pinged off the Florida coast recently, surprising everyone who follows shark movements. Breton has always been a bit of a wildcard, but showing up in Florida in late July? That’s bold even for him.

It’s like he said,

“Shark Week is over, but I’m not done.”

And here’s the cool part: Contender, Breton, and dozens of other sharks and sea animals can be tracked in real time using the free OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker app. If you’ve never watched a 1,500‑pound shark take a summer road trip up the East Coast, you’re missing out.

You can find the app here

Shark Tracker: Where Are They Now?

If you check the tracker today, you’ll see something interesting: Contender’s last ping on 7/11 was off the coast of Maine.

So while he’s been dominating the headlines, he’s actually cruising the cooler northern waters like a seasoned summer traveler.

Breton, meanwhile, is the wildcard — popping up off Florida when almost every other great white has already headed north. It’s classic Breton behavior: unpredictable, dramatic, and guaranteed to make shark watchers sit up a little straighter.

The Real Shark Story Isn’t on TV

Shark Week comes and goes. The sharks keep moving.

And sometimes, they surprise us — like Breton cruising Florida while everyone else heads north, or Contender quietly pinging off Maine while the headlines shout his name.

I