The first thing boaters see when entering the harbor is the large water tank in the center of Marblehead, then the distinctive spire of Abbot Hall, the seat of town government. Marblehead Light (fixed green beacon) warns mariners from its position above the rocks on Marblehead Neck.
The light is part of the 3.74-acre Chandler Hovey Park, which offers pavilions, benches, picnic tables, restrooms, swimming (if you can stand the icy waters) and spectacular views of Salem Sound and Marblehead Harbor. Originally owned by the U.S. government, the land was purchased in 1948 by Marblehead resident Chandler Hovey, who donated it to the town.
Upon passing the park and entering the harbor, you’ll spy the grand Corinthian Yacht Club to port, followed by the collection of postcard-perfect Colonial buildings lining the rocky shore of Marblehead Neck. A bit farther along is Eastern Yacht Club and the Pleon Yacht Club, the latter founded in 1887 by a group of boys with “boats too small and finances too meager to join the older senior clubs in Marblehead,” according to the club website.