Coastal Maine Trip September 2007
This year it was decided to take a trip to coastal Maine and to visit Acadia National Park. My general assessment of the region is that it is very much like Pennsylvania farm country, isolated from the hustle and bustle of the big city. I can not make an appraisal about the entire state of Maine since my visit was focused on the coast.
From Portland to Lubec the coastal region is very bucolic. The people are hard working yet live straightforward lives. This is not to say that the industries of the coast are not dynamic. The life of the sea and harvesting its bounty requires exceptional skills handed down from generation to generation. Lobstering is a way of life that resides deep in the bones of the down east people. Among other economic resources in the region are abundant fields of wild blueberries, rich forested lands that are heavy with the fragrance of pine and a long rocky coast that attracts tourism dollars. Lobster is not the only item sought in the ocean waters; haddock, clams, and crab are also brought into the market. However, lobster is unquestionably king in these parts.
I will try to provide and appealing account of my trip. As photography was one of the key reasons for this trip, that subject will be highlighted throughout the text. Many tips and helpful comments will be found regarding the topic. Supplementary information to help guide would be visitor’s can also be found.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
The flight from Pittsburgh to Portland via JFK was uneventful. Upon arrival, I acquired an Enterprise Rental Car. Portland Head Light was the first stop and finding it in South Portland was not too difficult because a very convenient local map was provided at the Airport. The sky was a horrid white, the bane of all photographers. There is not much you can do with a white sky. It cannot be polarized to deep rich blue and without interesting clouds it is useless. The only resolution to it is to avoid it all together. Compose the image without including the sky. At Portland Head Light that is imposable. The thought entered my mind that it would be easy enough to replace the sky with Photoshop. I spent little time at the light because of the conditions and worked the coastline from Portland to Waldoboro. Along the way lunch was enjoyed at the Brunswick Diner. I could have saved money at the diner but splurged on a lobster roll and clam chowder along with a local micro brew named Lobster Ale. The lobster roll was overflowing with fresh lobster and the clam chowder was full of calms. A lobster roll is a hotdog like bun filled with cold lobster chunk’s slightly coated with mayonnaise.
A first stop going north was out onto a peninsula where Bailey’s Island is located. The island is an attractive village setting and down along Mackerel Cove on route 24 is a pictorial lobster shack with innumerable multicolored buoys embellishing it. It is not easy to shoot because the only set up position is at the periphery of the narrow road. I did what could be done and moved on. In the right light a nice shot can be made using the birch trees as a frame.
Coastal route 1 between Brunswick and Bath is a 4 lane but then becomes a two lane from Bath to Lubec. Although route 1 is the chief coastal route it does not offer views of the ocean by the most part. It is necessary to travel down peninsula roads to access ocean views and to see the coves, harbors, and working lobster villages. I continued north until my arrival at the first over night of the trip. After researching on the web for options, Moody’s Motel and Diner was selected. Moody’s diner was established in 1927 and has been a family owned business ever since. A good amount of land is occupied with the diner situated down on route 1, a group of about 20 cottages above, and several homes and buildings. From the exterior appearance of the cottages they seemed uninviting; however the interior is well updated and comfortable. After settling in, I proceeded to enjoy dinner at the diner. Again, I could have saved money but splurged anyway. The home cooked selections went on forever. The diner is famous for its blueberry muffins, pies of all kinds, and onion smothered beef tips. Each day they offer a different special and on Saturday night it was homemade baked beans with macaroni and cheese. I chose the clam chowder again and it was in contest with the Brunswick diner’s clam chowder. Chowders in this region are not thick but a thin broth of milk and butter. It reminded me much of my grandmothers homemade potato soup with clams added in for good measure.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
6 am the next morning I awaited the diner to open, enjoyed a modest breakfast then proceeded north. My objective today is Stonington, an isolated working lobster village on an island at the end of a peninsula. This is a chosen destination due to its chocolate box setting. Stopping at Owls Head Lighthouse, I managed to polarize the blue sky and capture some nice shots of the light including the long row of steps as a leading line. Other lighthouses going north included Moose Point and Fort Point. Exploring the communities of Rockport, Camden, and Rockland proved interesting but few camera-friendly opportunities presented themselves. Camden Height’s State Park offers an outstanding view of the harbor.
Along the way I stopped north of Searsport for lunch at a place called “Just Barbs” the price was too high and the lunch was nothing to write home about; it is not recommended. I could not understand why the locals seem to like it so much. It must be that nothing other than Barbs was available. The reason I stopped was all the cars parked in the lot. Today the weather was bright sunshine all day and warm temperatures. Bright sunshine is difficult to work with photographically, because the camera cannot compensate for the harsh light and dark shadows like the human brain can. Our eye gathers the information much like the film or sensor but our brain can process the information compensating for the extremes. The camera cannot do this and thus bright sunshine is not preferred by photographers. A balanced mellow light is favored and a mild side light as used in portraiture lighting is ideal. One trick to use when the sky is blue is to polarize it with a filter creating a rich, almost cartoon like deep blue. The perspective of light must be right for it to work well.
Getting to Stonington down route 175 then route 15 proved to be a long drive that seemed it would never end. The roads are much the same as Pennsylvania roads, neglected, ruff, and in need of TLC. The bridge that connects the main land to Deer Isle was being worked on and well it should be. Stonington was unimpressive upon arrival and I was concerned about where to find the proper locations for capturing the harbor and the boats. I checked into the Boyce Motel on Maine Street and much to my surprise it was a very nice accommodation that I would recommend to anyone. I was surprised because of the economical rate that was charged for the night $ 55.00. I explored the area and sought out a location. After some time seeking out the right spot, I found, at the far end of West Main Street, a Lobster business at the end of a long pier. I parked the car and walked down the pier, looked back toward the village, and discovered what all the hype is about. A very pictorial view unfolding before me with lobster boats in the harbor as a foreground and Stonington village with all its quaint houses and shops as a background. The light was not at its best but I knew come first light it would be much better, my resolve was to get up before dawn and go down to the same pier and photograph the postcard setting.
Before retiring for the evening dinner was enjoyed at Fishermen’s Friend Restaurant. I could not resist ordering yet another lobster dish. Lobster stew is a milky broth with chunks of fresh lobster and nothing more. It is a great way to savor the lobster without picking a whole lobster apart. They call this lazy mans lobster down east. It has a relatively high price but what the heck; a vacation is a vacation – right!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Before the sun let it self be known, I was down on the pier set up and anxiously waiting the light. Lobstermen arrived for work in pickup trucks. They take small row boats out to the big boats anchored off shore. The boat captains guide the boat around the harbor as if it was a four wheel drive on land. Overhearing the conversations, one can take notice of the New England dialect. Weather and hope of a good catch on every tongue. The down east vernacular drops the “R” and lets each sentence draw out at its end with a unique effect. Richard would be more like “ Richahd” and so on.
Teams of two to three in a boat go out. Most are family teams. The harbor gradually fills with the hum and chugalug of the boats while first light begins to break the horizon. On the pier the intense odor of wet dog, old fish, and large pallets filled 5 feet high with bags of special salt used to make preservative life sustaining saltwater for the lobsters, is pungent. Each boat is given a name that is inscribed on the side of them; usually family members, wives, or long lost loves. One of the boats had written across it the word “Provider”. I stopped to contemplate it and the whole business became personified in that one word. Each of the lobstermen is providers, not only for their family but for all the people that love a lobster meal once in a while. The business reaches down into the roots of what being a father or husband is all about. What better way to make a living than to hunt for food. Lobstering is a trade handed down from generation to generation that is in the blood of those that love the salty air lingering along the rocky Maine coast.
The finger of god painted the sunrise with stunning rich hues of violet and peach across the sky. Not much time is given to capture this treat with photographs. I worked as diligently as possible while the light was favorable. Shades of orange reflected off the boats and shimmered over the water.
After the sunrise splendor, breakfast was had at the Harbor Café and was good. Route 172 going back up to route 1 and then to Ellsworth was not lucky for me but the last five miles of it was very nice. Once in Ellsworth route 3 was taken going to Acadia National Park. The park has several natural attractions of interest. Among them are Cadillac Mountain formed of solid granite and old growth woodlands, Jordan’s Pond a fair sized fresh water lake surrounded by rolling forested hills, Thunder Hole where the ocean waves gush into a narrow rocky gap, and the Park Loop Road. I handed over the entrance fee of $20.00 and proceeded onto the one way park loop road. Another attraction is the carriage roads throughout the park that have been preserved from long ago when horse and buggy was the primary means of transport. Large stone bridge’s traverse several locations along the carriage roads.
The weather and light conditions where not favorable and so several locations along the loop road were explored. Lunch was enjoyed at Jordan’s Pond restaurant. The host asked if indoor or outdoor seating would be preferred. Quite naturally the outdoors is preferred. The host guided me to an open-air location in a field overlooking the lake and it was rather enchanting. The wind was refreshingly cool and blustery as it carried the aroma of pine all around. The lunch selection of crab cakes was joined with wild rice and steamed vegetables. A Popover is presented with every meal and is rather flavorsome. It is a fresh dinner roll that has an open center that is accompanied with local wild blueberry jam.
Another interesting attraction on the Mount Desert Island Peninsula is the small town of Somesville at the northern most section of Somes Sound. Along route 102 is an out of the ordinary arched white bridge with a reflecting pond in front of it. Late in the day I made my way down to Bass Harbor Lighthouse and found that the right-hand paved path leads to a point blank view of the lighthouse. The better way to go is the left-hand path called lighthouse trail that leads down to the rocky coast in front of the lighthouse. It is there that one can view the cliff face on which the light is perched. Evening light is best and if time allows star fish might be found among the tidal pools along the rocks.
Other than Bass Harbor light, Acadia is a perplexing place to photograph. Conditions must be almost perfect in order to come away with prize winners; conditions such as fog, snow, storm clouds, and good light. It could be that I have become spoiled from visits to several other National Parks but I hope not.
Tuesday, September 25th 2007
Rather than spend more time at Acadia, early in the morning I started to trek north on route 1 and stopped at Young’s Market around 5am. The market is a Mobil gas station with a small convenience store, not a big deal to me, but to the locals it seems to be a major meeting place where everyone knows each other. I discovered this later on in the trip but for now this morning a group of lobstermen gathered before a days work to talk. It was a brackish bunch speaking the language of the sea, about hopes of a good flounder catch and favorable weather. Following the route 186 loop road along East Schoodic Drive and venturing down Pound Road a very photogenic working lobster village was discovered. Before this, things seemed not to be going my way. The early morning light helped me make some nice images here. I moved on and the loop took me to the village of Corea. Corea is exactly what I have been looking for all along, an ideal small village. Corea is a hidden jewel with several small lobster shacks and older piers. In my opinion Corea is better than Stonington photographically speaking. It has a heavy concentration of lobster boats. The cove or harbor that it is on has a horseshoe road called Crowley Island Road that goes all the way around the harbor but dead ends at a friendly lobster co-op with a long pier offering great vantage points. At this time in the day most of the boats are gone out to sea. They will return around 3 in the afternoon. This is a definite early morning or late day place to be, Corea is serious stuff. Sunrise is very nice at the curve of the horseshoe road which I will discuss later when talking about my second visit.
Continuing up the coast the route187 loop road is great going to Jonesport and Beal’s Island. This is true down east Maine now. The type of picturesque hopes that I had when planning the trip are now realized. It seems that those locations north of Acadia have been left alone and keep a traditional aspect about coastal life. The motels and B&B’s are no more and the tourist traps are gone. Machias is yet another nice village community with a great little steepled church in town center. A rather nice waterfall along the road is hidden by a cement wall and inaccessible. It seems a waste of good natural resources for possible tourist dollars but perhaps they would rather not attract tourist into the area. Helens restaurant along route 1 is a good place to eat in this location.
I started to pick up Canadian radio stations at this point and a news report included an incident that was astonishing. A bus loaded with about 20 people hit a moose on the road across the boarder. The driver had to be taken to hospital, the passengers got shook up good, and the moose was nowhere to be found since it got up and returned to the woodlands on its own power. The bus was a total loss. Hard to believe but that was the story. I know those things are enormous from witnessing a couple feeding in the mountains up close during a trip out west, but never thought they might recover from an encounter with a bus loaded with people.
When I arrived at Lubec it was a disappointment. The once vibrant community seemed run down and dead. It was sad to see. I checked into the Eastland Motel along route 189 near Quoddy Head Lighthouse. Quoddy Head State Park’s key attraction is a very photogenic lighthouse. It has a candy cane design and looks great from the top of the path leading down to it. Great early morning shot if the sunrise is above average.
On the advice of the keeper of Eastland Motel the village of Cutler would be a good location to go in the morning after a visit to the lighthouse. Since the general area was a disappointment I decided to change my original plan to stay another night here with no penalty and go back south in the morning. My only concern was that by doing so I would miss some first-rate opportunities without assessing the area more fully.
Wednesday, September 26th 2007
The return trip south began after a mellow sunrise at Quoddy Head Lighthouse. When approaching Cutler on route 191 turn down Destiny Bay Road and follow this paved but ruff road to Fitzhenry Pier. Photographs from this location are best of Cutler village. It would be better at dusk because the sun comes up over Cutler and will glare at you in the morning.
The drive south offered better weather conditions as the sky was filling up with gothic clouds. I stopped at ZacRays store just outside Jonesboro. ZacRays is a small store with a few odds and ends and a nice kitchen. As I entered the weathered building grandmother was behind the counter mixing apple cake batter with her accomplished hands. After a short exploration of the place I noticed various cakes and quick breads on sale and purchased the banana bread. The banana bread was mouth-watering. Discovering little gems like ZacRays make travel across this great land all worth it.
One item worth a mention is that many properties have no trespassing signs or private road signs. However, they also have notice that you may pass at your own risk and if you ask the locals most will let you pass for the purpose of photography. I had no trouble from anyone during the trip and ventured onto some questionable locations if I do say so myself. I do not guarantee anything but that was my luck this time around.
The leaf color was about 10 to 15 percent change on my way up north but on my return the change has been rapid enough to change those figures to between 15 and 20 percent change with a few very nice patches here and there.
Rogue Bluffs State Park was a disappointment and it is not worth the trip down to visit it. Columbia Falls has a picture at the town landing looking back at a nice steepled church.
Returning to Corea on route 195 a detour down Lighthouse Point Road leads to a picturesque lighthouse near a government radar installation. The property that had the best vantage point to photograph it was abandoned and for sale. I just so happened to meet the caretaker and asked to have access to the property to take a few pictures. He was happy to let me know I could do what ever I pleased and that I might even park my car off the road into the driveway. He left bidding me farewell and I was pleased to work freely.
Back in Corea the lobster co-op is a fine place to work from and setting up the tripod on the pier was no trouble at all. A large stack of lobster traps boxed in one section but plenty of room was available around them. The pungent odor of fish decay could not be avoided but after a few moments the olfactory nerves become adjusted to it. After working on the location an effort was made to find a place to stay for the night. I no longer had a reservation since changing my plan in Lubec. I looked and looked then stopped and asked a person working at a church painting the front steps if they knew of a place to stay. He looked up at me in wonderment, “ They ain’t no place to stay ahound heah fom Ellswoth to Machias” and then smiled revealing half the teeth he once had. Don’t worry the typo’s are intentional. Well what to do. It was my resolve to sleep over night in the car or should I say cah. I did just that and went back to the lighthouse location to set everything up for the night. It was still early so I returned to Corea and had a wonderful evening shooting the harbor and just taking it all in.
At dusk the car was my motel and into the back seat I crawled. It stormed during the night and then the moon shown full and bright. Sleeping in the back seat of a small car is no fun. It’s hard to stretch out the legs and they start to protest as does the back. Looking on the bright side I saved about $65.00 off the total trip expense. If the going gets tuff the tuff get going.
Thursday, September 27th 2007
In the morning before dawn I went down to Corea Harbor and shot many long exposures. It suddenly came to me that the camera battery did not get charged over night as it would have under normal conditions. I was concerned but new the backup battery would help if needed. I continued here for a while and managed to capture the fire glow of sunrise reflecting off the sparkling ocean. The next goal was to find a good breakfast and did so in Winter Harbor at a place called Chase’s Restaurant. A featured item at this popular local gathering place is Wyman’s Wild Blueberry Juice. The country breakfast was filling and the blueberry juice hung on most of the day with no complaints from me. One establishment near the area that I later discovered is called the Bluff House Inn off route 168. I stopped to check it out and was quite impressed with the place. It is a very nice property with reasonable rates; it comes recommended even though I did not stay.
Talking about wild blue berries; along some of the roads, huge wild blue berry barrens can be found and all the low growing plants were turning crimson. Whole fields of the stuff look quite interesting and colorful. Some of the barrens have several large granite boulders randomly placed here and there. The barrens become even more impressive when late season wildflowers of gold grow thick among the scarlet berry plants. One needs to explore different inland roads to find them.
Further south near Acadia the lobster pounds are more numerous along the roadside. A lobster pound is a small establishment where fresh caught lobster is boiled in large pots outside in wood fired ovens. One of the most popular lobster pounds is nearest to the bridge connecting the mainland to Mount Desert Island on route 3.
I checked into Open Hearth Inn and took some time to relax after all the hard driving. I have put on over a thousand miles and shot over 800 images. After a nap in a comfortable room I decided not to be so lazy and get going back into Acadia National Park. It was getting foggy and I new that the fog would change everything photographically. I made an effort to traverse Cadillac Mountain and found it to be celestial in the fog. Colorful granite embellished with twisted evergreens while the wind sent fog over it all. The experience was other worldly and I took as many photographs as possible before the conditions became impossible. The wind grew more passionate and the mist was more like rain soaking the camera. I rushed to the car to dry the camera off with a towel fearing its damage. I captured several nice images before my retreat and the camera was ok but a concern nevertheless.
Down below where the fog was lingering and it was much less windy many locations changed in appearance and as such became much more photogenic.
Friday, September, 28th 2007
I slept in until the late hour of 6:30am because the rain was coming down hard. I needed a rest from all the driving and hiking around. Around 7am I hit the wet road going south on route 1. It is interesting how the things you see going in one direction are not seen going in the other direction and several nice pictures were taken along the way. As one travels further south more and more motel and hotel establishments become notiacable. Along route 1 south of Acadia one should not have any trouble finding a place to stay for the night.
Continuing south many back roads were explored. Off route 32 south going to New Harbor there is a road named Shore Road that leads back to a very photogenic cove with a loan lobster shack on private land. It was difficult to shoot but at the right location it would be a gem. The village of Round Pond along 32 is a great little place with many almost but no cigar shots. In late June the lupines bloom in abundance here. I lingered in Round Pond hoping to find that just right shot. A woman at the local lobster co-op explained to me the difference between a soft shell lobster and a hard shell. The lobster molts its shell many times during its life growing larger. When it has just molted the shell is soft and so less meat accounts for its weight while a hard shell has filled out the shell and meat accounts for more of the total weight. So, hard shell lobster is a higher price than soft shell. Near by is a place called Granite Hall Store. This place is very cool as it is an old building with creaking floors. The shelves and counters are filled with penny candy and nostalgic gifts.
Once in New Harbor I found it to be a nice location to take a few picture of the harbor. It was lunch time and Shaw’s Lobster House is a great place to stop. They have a deck overlooking the harbor and the lobster boats come up to the pier just off to the side and deliver, cutting out the middle man. I ordered the Lobster roll and clam chowder. I am going broke eating all the lobster but what the heck. The cost made me savor every bit. The lobster roll was overflowing with segments of fresh lobster.
I made it to Pemaquid Lighthouse and it is an exceptional light. The rocks along the coast are a unique formation creating leading lines that point directly at the light. A tidal pool is located in such a way among the rocks that the lighthouse reflects in it. The sky began to fill with gothic clouds and made the photography much better. I took my time at this location. After considering most of my options at Pemaquid the thought came to me that the conditions down at Portland Head Light must be perfect with the new clouds developing across the heavens. I resolved to make it down to Portland Head before it was too late, the drive was frantic but well worth it when I arrived. Conditions were ideal with rich clouds perfectly positioned behind the lighthouse. The sun was setting and the sky became a pastel peach hue that created radiance around the edge of the clouds. Soft shades of violet joined in as the sun further surrendered its light to the evening. I saw that a loan fisherman was fishing off the rocks behind the fence and decided that if he can be on the rocks so can I. After jumping the fence, I noticed that he was keeping his bait fish alive in a small tidal pool among the rocks. I asked him what kind of fish they were. He let me know that they were Mackerel. As darkness took command the caretaker of the park drove around announcing over a loud speaker that the park will close it just a few moments. I made a few additional images and then went back to the car to find a motel for the night.
I found a place called Pine Haven Motel on route 1 in South Portland. It did not look too good from the road but the price was right and it ended up being very nice. It might have been one of the best places that I stayed at during the trip. After settling in, dinner was enjoyed at a nice Mexican place just down the road. Mexico Lindo had a mariachi band playing music and the atmosphere made me feel like I was in Cozumel again.
Saturday, September 29th 2007
I decided to take a break today and sleeping in was part of that break. I then put all my bags in order and the owner let me go onto her personal computer to print out a boarding pass. Just down the street a very small place was serving breakfast so I decided to try it out. The place was run by a family. Mother was serving tables; dad was cleaning and bussing tables, while brother and sister cooked behind the counter. It was a good way to start the day.
I put 1200 miles onto the car and shot over 900 images.
The JetBlue flight was not scheduled until 4 in the afternoon. Time would allow me to explore a little more and so after looking at the local map went down to Portland Harbor. I was surprised at how fresh the air was down at the harbor. The docks are filled with luxury yachts and house boats. The wind from the sea felt refreshing.
At Spring Point Shore Way there is a lighthouse at the end of about 200 yards of granite hewn boulders that create a pathway out to it. People were fishing from the pathway of rock and others just had fun climbing the rocks.
The car was returned and the flight was taken without event. I must say that JFK airport is like being in some other country with its ethnic diversity. The lay over at JFK was 3 hours and so I walked around with my carryon in tote.
So the final assessment of Coastal Maine is that it’s a nice place to visit but not on the top 10 list. It could make it onto the top ten list, provided the weather and conditions are special. Acadia is a diamond in the rough but it does not shine or sparkle like the Great Smoky Mountains do. It should not be compared to numerous western National Parks because they are in a class of there own. One needs to drive from each location of merit to the other along the Coast of Maine. Out west when you get off the plane in Jackson Hole Airport it’s all right there in front of you no need to drive that much to see it. If going, one should understand that the environment demands effort to make good images.
This year it was decided to take a trip to coastal Maine and to visit Acadia National Park. My general assessment of the region is that it is very much like Pennsylvania farm country, isolated from the hustle and bustle of the big city. I can not make an appraisal about the entire state of Maine since my visit was focused on the coast.
From Portland to Lubec the coastal region is very bucolic. The people are hard working yet live straightforward lives. This is not to say that the industries of the coast are not dynamic. The life of the sea and harvesting its bounty requires exceptional skills handed down from generation to generation. Lobstering is a way of life that resides deep in the bones of the down east people. Among other economic resources in the region are abundant fields of wild blueberries, rich forested lands that are heavy with the fragrance of pine and a long rocky coast that attracts tourism dollars. Lobster is not the only item sought in the ocean waters; haddock, clams, and crab are also brought into the market. However, lobster is unquestionably king in these parts.
I will try to provide and appealing account of my trip. As photography was one of the key reasons for this trip, that subject will be highlighted throughout the text. Many tips and helpful comments will be found regarding the topic. Supplementary information to help guide would be visitor’s can also be found.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
The flight from Pittsburgh to Portland via JFK was uneventful. Upon arrival, I acquired an Enterprise Rental Car. Portland Head Light was the first stop and finding it in South Portland was not too difficult because a very convenient local map was provided at the Airport. The sky was a horrid white, the bane of all photographers. There is not much you can do with a white sky. It cannot be polarized to deep rich blue and without interesting clouds it is useless. The only resolution to it is to avoid it all together. Compose the image without including the sky. At Portland Head Light that is imposable. The thought entered my mind that it would be easy enough to replace the sky with Photoshop. I spent little time at the light because of the conditions and worked the coastline from Portland to Waldoboro. Along the way lunch was enjoyed at the Brunswick Diner. I could have saved money at the diner but splurged on a lobster roll and clam chowder along with a local micro brew named Lobster Ale. The lobster roll was overflowing with fresh lobster and the clam chowder was full of calms. A lobster roll is a hotdog like bun filled with cold lobster chunk’s slightly coated with mayonnaise.
A first stop going north was out onto a peninsula where Bailey’s Island is located. The island is an attractive village setting and down along Mackerel Cove on route 24 is a pictorial lobster shack with innumerable multicolored buoys embellishing it. It is not easy to shoot because the only set up position is at the periphery of the narrow road. I did what could be done and moved on. In the right light a nice shot can be made using the birch trees as a frame.
Coastal route 1 between Brunswick and Bath is a 4 lane but then becomes a two lane from Bath to Lubec. Although route 1 is the chief coastal route it does not offer views of the ocean by the most part. It is necessary to travel down peninsula roads to access ocean views and to see the coves, harbors, and working lobster villages. I continued north until my arrival at the first over night of the trip. After researching on the web for options, Moody’s Motel and Diner was selected. Moody’s diner was established in 1927 and has been a family owned business ever since. A good amount of land is occupied with the diner situated down on route 1, a group of about 20 cottages above, and several homes and buildings. From the exterior appearance of the cottages they seemed uninviting; however the interior is well updated and comfortable. After settling in, I proceeded to enjoy dinner at the diner. Again, I could have saved money but splurged anyway. The home cooked selections went on forever. The diner is famous for its blueberry muffins, pies of all kinds, and onion smothered beef tips. Each day they offer a different special and on Saturday night it was homemade baked beans with macaroni and cheese. I chose the clam chowder again and it was in contest with the Brunswick diner’s clam chowder. Chowders in this region are not thick but a thin broth of milk and butter. It reminded me much of my grandmothers homemade potato soup with clams added in for good measure.
Sunday, September 23, 2007
6 am the next morning I awaited the diner to open, enjoyed a modest breakfast then proceeded north. My objective today is Stonington, an isolated working lobster village on an island at the end of a peninsula. This is a chosen destination due to its chocolate box setting. Stopping at Owls Head Lighthouse, I managed to polarize the blue sky and capture some nice shots of the light including the long row of steps as a leading line. Other lighthouses going north included Moose Point and Fort Point. Exploring the communities of Rockport, Camden, and Rockland proved interesting but few camera-friendly opportunities presented themselves. Camden Height’s State Park offers an outstanding view of the harbor.
Along the way I stopped north of Searsport for lunch at a place called “Just Barbs” the price was too high and the lunch was nothing to write home about; it is not recommended. I could not understand why the locals seem to like it so much. It must be that nothing other than Barbs was available. The reason I stopped was all the cars parked in the lot. Today the weather was bright sunshine all day and warm temperatures. Bright sunshine is difficult to work with photographically, because the camera cannot compensate for the harsh light and dark shadows like the human brain can. Our eye gathers the information much like the film or sensor but our brain can process the information compensating for the extremes. The camera cannot do this and thus bright sunshine is not preferred by photographers. A balanced mellow light is favored and a mild side light as used in portraiture lighting is ideal. One trick to use when the sky is blue is to polarize it with a filter creating a rich, almost cartoon like deep blue. The perspective of light must be right for it to work well.
Getting to Stonington down route 175 then route 15 proved to be a long drive that seemed it would never end. The roads are much the same as Pennsylvania roads, neglected, ruff, and in need of TLC. The bridge that connects the main land to Deer Isle was being worked on and well it should be. Stonington was unimpressive upon arrival and I was concerned about where to find the proper locations for capturing the harbor and the boats. I checked into the Boyce Motel on Maine Street and much to my surprise it was a very nice accommodation that I would recommend to anyone. I was surprised because of the economical rate that was charged for the night $ 55.00. I explored the area and sought out a location. After some time seeking out the right spot, I found, at the far end of West Main Street, a Lobster business at the end of a long pier. I parked the car and walked down the pier, looked back toward the village, and discovered what all the hype is about. A very pictorial view unfolding before me with lobster boats in the harbor as a foreground and Stonington village with all its quaint houses and shops as a background. The light was not at its best but I knew come first light it would be much better, my resolve was to get up before dawn and go down to the same pier and photograph the postcard setting.
Before retiring for the evening dinner was enjoyed at Fishermen’s Friend Restaurant. I could not resist ordering yet another lobster dish. Lobster stew is a milky broth with chunks of fresh lobster and nothing more. It is a great way to savor the lobster without picking a whole lobster apart. They call this lazy mans lobster down east. It has a relatively high price but what the heck; a vacation is a vacation – right!
Monday, September 24, 2007
Before the sun let it self be known, I was down on the pier set up and anxiously waiting the light. Lobstermen arrived for work in pickup trucks. They take small row boats out to the big boats anchored off shore. The boat captains guide the boat around the harbor as if it was a four wheel drive on land. Overhearing the conversations, one can take notice of the New England dialect. Weather and hope of a good catch on every tongue. The down east vernacular drops the “R” and lets each sentence draw out at its end with a unique effect. Richard would be more like “ Richahd” and so on.
Teams of two to three in a boat go out. Most are family teams. The harbor gradually fills with the hum and chugalug of the boats while first light begins to break the horizon. On the pier the intense odor of wet dog, old fish, and large pallets filled 5 feet high with bags of special salt used to make preservative life sustaining saltwater for the lobsters, is pungent. Each boat is given a name that is inscribed on the side of them; usually family members, wives, or long lost loves. One of the boats had written across it the word “Provider”. I stopped to contemplate it and the whole business became personified in that one word. Each of the lobstermen is providers, not only for their family but for all the people that love a lobster meal once in a while. The business reaches down into the roots of what being a father or husband is all about. What better way to make a living than to hunt for food. Lobstering is a trade handed down from generation to generation that is in the blood of those that love the salty air lingering along the rocky Maine coast.
The finger of god painted the sunrise with stunning rich hues of violet and peach across the sky. Not much time is given to capture this treat with photographs. I worked as diligently as possible while the light was favorable. Shades of orange reflected off the boats and shimmered over the water.
After the sunrise splendor, breakfast was had at the Harbor Café and was good. Route 172 going back up to route 1 and then to Ellsworth was not lucky for me but the last five miles of it was very nice. Once in Ellsworth route 3 was taken going to Acadia National Park. The park has several natural attractions of interest. Among them are Cadillac Mountain formed of solid granite and old growth woodlands, Jordan’s Pond a fair sized fresh water lake surrounded by rolling forested hills, Thunder Hole where the ocean waves gush into a narrow rocky gap, and the Park Loop Road. I handed over the entrance fee of $20.00 and proceeded onto the one way park loop road. Another attraction is the carriage roads throughout the park that have been preserved from long ago when horse and buggy was the primary means of transport. Large stone bridge’s traverse several locations along the carriage roads.
The weather and light conditions where not favorable and so several locations along the loop road were explored. Lunch was enjoyed at Jordan’s Pond restaurant. The host asked if indoor or outdoor seating would be preferred. Quite naturally the outdoors is preferred. The host guided me to an open-air location in a field overlooking the lake and it was rather enchanting. The wind was refreshingly cool and blustery as it carried the aroma of pine all around. The lunch selection of crab cakes was joined with wild rice and steamed vegetables. A Popover is presented with every meal and is rather flavorsome. It is a fresh dinner roll that has an open center that is accompanied with local wild blueberry jam.
Another interesting attraction on the Mount Desert Island Peninsula is the small town of Somesville at the northern most section of Somes Sound. Along route 102 is an out of the ordinary arched white bridge with a reflecting pond in front of it. Late in the day I made my way down to Bass Harbor Lighthouse and found that the right-hand paved path leads to a point blank view of the lighthouse. The better way to go is the left-hand path called lighthouse trail that leads down to the rocky coast in front of the lighthouse. It is there that one can view the cliff face on which the light is perched. Evening light is best and if time allows star fish might be found among the tidal pools along the rocks.
Other than Bass Harbor light, Acadia is a perplexing place to photograph. Conditions must be almost perfect in order to come away with prize winners; conditions such as fog, snow, storm clouds, and good light. It could be that I have become spoiled from visits to several other National Parks but I hope not.
Tuesday, September 25th 2007
Rather than spend more time at Acadia, early in the morning I started to trek north on route 1 and stopped at Young’s Market around 5am. The market is a Mobil gas station with a small convenience store, not a big deal to me, but to the locals it seems to be a major meeting place where everyone knows each other. I discovered this later on in the trip but for now this morning a group of lobstermen gathered before a days work to talk. It was a brackish bunch speaking the language of the sea, about hopes of a good flounder catch and favorable weather. Following the route 186 loop road along East Schoodic Drive and venturing down Pound Road a very photogenic working lobster village was discovered. Before this, things seemed not to be going my way. The early morning light helped me make some nice images here. I moved on and the loop took me to the village of Corea. Corea is exactly what I have been looking for all along, an ideal small village. Corea is a hidden jewel with several small lobster shacks and older piers. In my opinion Corea is better than Stonington photographically speaking. It has a heavy concentration of lobster boats. The cove or harbor that it is on has a horseshoe road called Crowley Island Road that goes all the way around the harbor but dead ends at a friendly lobster co-op with a long pier offering great vantage points. At this time in the day most of the boats are gone out to sea. They will return around 3 in the afternoon. This is a definite early morning or late day place to be, Corea is serious stuff. Sunrise is very nice at the curve of the horseshoe road which I will discuss later when talking about my second visit.
Continuing up the coast the route187 loop road is great going to Jonesport and Beal’s Island. This is true down east Maine now. The type of picturesque hopes that I had when planning the trip are now realized. It seems that those locations north of Acadia have been left alone and keep a traditional aspect about coastal life. The motels and B&B’s are no more and the tourist traps are gone. Machias is yet another nice village community with a great little steepled church in town center. A rather nice waterfall along the road is hidden by a cement wall and inaccessible. It seems a waste of good natural resources for possible tourist dollars but perhaps they would rather not attract tourist into the area. Helens restaurant along route 1 is a good place to eat in this location.
I started to pick up Canadian radio stations at this point and a news report included an incident that was astonishing. A bus loaded with about 20 people hit a moose on the road across the boarder. The driver had to be taken to hospital, the passengers got shook up good, and the moose was nowhere to be found since it got up and returned to the woodlands on its own power. The bus was a total loss. Hard to believe but that was the story. I know those things are enormous from witnessing a couple feeding in the mountains up close during a trip out west, but never thought they might recover from an encounter with a bus loaded with people.
When I arrived at Lubec it was a disappointment. The once vibrant community seemed run down and dead. It was sad to see. I checked into the Eastland Motel along route 189 near Quoddy Head Lighthouse. Quoddy Head State Park’s key attraction is a very photogenic lighthouse. It has a candy cane design and looks great from the top of the path leading down to it. Great early morning shot if the sunrise is above average.
On the advice of the keeper of Eastland Motel the village of Cutler would be a good location to go in the morning after a visit to the lighthouse. Since the general area was a disappointment I decided to change my original plan to stay another night here with no penalty and go back south in the morning. My only concern was that by doing so I would miss some first-rate opportunities without assessing the area more fully.
Wednesday, September 26th 2007
The return trip south began after a mellow sunrise at Quoddy Head Lighthouse. When approaching Cutler on route 191 turn down Destiny Bay Road and follow this paved but ruff road to Fitzhenry Pier. Photographs from this location are best of Cutler village. It would be better at dusk because the sun comes up over Cutler and will glare at you in the morning.
The drive south offered better weather conditions as the sky was filling up with gothic clouds. I stopped at ZacRays store just outside Jonesboro. ZacRays is a small store with a few odds and ends and a nice kitchen. As I entered the weathered building grandmother was behind the counter mixing apple cake batter with her accomplished hands. After a short exploration of the place I noticed various cakes and quick breads on sale and purchased the banana bread. The banana bread was mouth-watering. Discovering little gems like ZacRays make travel across this great land all worth it.
One item worth a mention is that many properties have no trespassing signs or private road signs. However, they also have notice that you may pass at your own risk and if you ask the locals most will let you pass for the purpose of photography. I had no trouble from anyone during the trip and ventured onto some questionable locations if I do say so myself. I do not guarantee anything but that was my luck this time around.
The leaf color was about 10 to 15 percent change on my way up north but on my return the change has been rapid enough to change those figures to between 15 and 20 percent change with a few very nice patches here and there.
Rogue Bluffs State Park was a disappointment and it is not worth the trip down to visit it. Columbia Falls has a picture at the town landing looking back at a nice steepled church.
Returning to Corea on route 195 a detour down Lighthouse Point Road leads to a picturesque lighthouse near a government radar installation. The property that had the best vantage point to photograph it was abandoned and for sale. I just so happened to meet the caretaker and asked to have access to the property to take a few pictures. He was happy to let me know I could do what ever I pleased and that I might even park my car off the road into the driveway. He left bidding me farewell and I was pleased to work freely.
Back in Corea the lobster co-op is a fine place to work from and setting up the tripod on the pier was no trouble at all. A large stack of lobster traps boxed in one section but plenty of room was available around them. The pungent odor of fish decay could not be avoided but after a few moments the olfactory nerves become adjusted to it. After working on the location an effort was made to find a place to stay for the night. I no longer had a reservation since changing my plan in Lubec. I looked and looked then stopped and asked a person working at a church painting the front steps if they knew of a place to stay. He looked up at me in wonderment, “ They ain’t no place to stay ahound heah fom Ellswoth to Machias” and then smiled revealing half the teeth he once had. Don’t worry the typo’s are intentional. Well what to do. It was my resolve to sleep over night in the car or should I say cah. I did just that and went back to the lighthouse location to set everything up for the night. It was still early so I returned to Corea and had a wonderful evening shooting the harbor and just taking it all in.
At dusk the car was my motel and into the back seat I crawled. It stormed during the night and then the moon shown full and bright. Sleeping in the back seat of a small car is no fun. It’s hard to stretch out the legs and they start to protest as does the back. Looking on the bright side I saved about $65.00 off the total trip expense. If the going gets tuff the tuff get going.
Thursday, September 27th 2007
In the morning before dawn I went down to Corea Harbor and shot many long exposures. It suddenly came to me that the camera battery did not get charged over night as it would have under normal conditions. I was concerned but new the backup battery would help if needed. I continued here for a while and managed to capture the fire glow of sunrise reflecting off the sparkling ocean. The next goal was to find a good breakfast and did so in Winter Harbor at a place called Chase’s Restaurant. A featured item at this popular local gathering place is Wyman’s Wild Blueberry Juice. The country breakfast was filling and the blueberry juice hung on most of the day with no complaints from me. One establishment near the area that I later discovered is called the Bluff House Inn off route 168. I stopped to check it out and was quite impressed with the place. It is a very nice property with reasonable rates; it comes recommended even though I did not stay.
Talking about wild blue berries; along some of the roads, huge wild blue berry barrens can be found and all the low growing plants were turning crimson. Whole fields of the stuff look quite interesting and colorful. Some of the barrens have several large granite boulders randomly placed here and there. The barrens become even more impressive when late season wildflowers of gold grow thick among the scarlet berry plants. One needs to explore different inland roads to find them.
Further south near Acadia the lobster pounds are more numerous along the roadside. A lobster pound is a small establishment where fresh caught lobster is boiled in large pots outside in wood fired ovens. One of the most popular lobster pounds is nearest to the bridge connecting the mainland to Mount Desert Island on route 3.
I checked into Open Hearth Inn and took some time to relax after all the hard driving. I have put on over a thousand miles and shot over 800 images. After a nap in a comfortable room I decided not to be so lazy and get going back into Acadia National Park. It was getting foggy and I new that the fog would change everything photographically. I made an effort to traverse Cadillac Mountain and found it to be celestial in the fog. Colorful granite embellished with twisted evergreens while the wind sent fog over it all. The experience was other worldly and I took as many photographs as possible before the conditions became impossible. The wind grew more passionate and the mist was more like rain soaking the camera. I rushed to the car to dry the camera off with a towel fearing its damage. I captured several nice images before my retreat and the camera was ok but a concern nevertheless.
Down below where the fog was lingering and it was much less windy many locations changed in appearance and as such became much more photogenic.
Friday, September, 28th 2007
I slept in until the late hour of 6:30am because the rain was coming down hard. I needed a rest from all the driving and hiking around. Around 7am I hit the wet road going south on route 1. It is interesting how the things you see going in one direction are not seen going in the other direction and several nice pictures were taken along the way. As one travels further south more and more motel and hotel establishments become notiacable. Along route 1 south of Acadia one should not have any trouble finding a place to stay for the night.
Continuing south many back roads were explored. Off route 32 south going to New Harbor there is a road named Shore Road that leads back to a very photogenic cove with a loan lobster shack on private land. It was difficult to shoot but at the right location it would be a gem. The village of Round Pond along 32 is a great little place with many almost but no cigar shots. In late June the lupines bloom in abundance here. I lingered in Round Pond hoping to find that just right shot. A woman at the local lobster co-op explained to me the difference between a soft shell lobster and a hard shell. The lobster molts its shell many times during its life growing larger. When it has just molted the shell is soft and so less meat accounts for its weight while a hard shell has filled out the shell and meat accounts for more of the total weight. So, hard shell lobster is a higher price than soft shell. Near by is a place called Granite Hall Store. This place is very cool as it is an old building with creaking floors. The shelves and counters are filled with penny candy and nostalgic gifts.
Once in New Harbor I found it to be a nice location to take a few picture of the harbor. It was lunch time and Shaw’s Lobster House is a great place to stop. They have a deck overlooking the harbor and the lobster boats come up to the pier just off to the side and deliver, cutting out the middle man. I ordered the Lobster roll and clam chowder. I am going broke eating all the lobster but what the heck. The cost made me savor every bit. The lobster roll was overflowing with segments of fresh lobster.
I made it to Pemaquid Lighthouse and it is an exceptional light. The rocks along the coast are a unique formation creating leading lines that point directly at the light. A tidal pool is located in such a way among the rocks that the lighthouse reflects in it. The sky began to fill with gothic clouds and made the photography much better. I took my time at this location. After considering most of my options at Pemaquid the thought came to me that the conditions down at Portland Head Light must be perfect with the new clouds developing across the heavens. I resolved to make it down to Portland Head before it was too late, the drive was frantic but well worth it when I arrived. Conditions were ideal with rich clouds perfectly positioned behind the lighthouse. The sun was setting and the sky became a pastel peach hue that created radiance around the edge of the clouds. Soft shades of violet joined in as the sun further surrendered its light to the evening. I saw that a loan fisherman was fishing off the rocks behind the fence and decided that if he can be on the rocks so can I. After jumping the fence, I noticed that he was keeping his bait fish alive in a small tidal pool among the rocks. I asked him what kind of fish they were. He let me know that they were Mackerel. As darkness took command the caretaker of the park drove around announcing over a loud speaker that the park will close it just a few moments. I made a few additional images and then went back to the car to find a motel for the night.
I found a place called Pine Haven Motel on route 1 in South Portland. It did not look too good from the road but the price was right and it ended up being very nice. It might have been one of the best places that I stayed at during the trip. After settling in, dinner was enjoyed at a nice Mexican place just down the road. Mexico Lindo had a mariachi band playing music and the atmosphere made me feel like I was in Cozumel again.
Saturday, September 29th 2007
I decided to take a break today and sleeping in was part of that break. I then put all my bags in order and the owner let me go onto her personal computer to print out a boarding pass. Just down the street a very small place was serving breakfast so I decided to try it out. The place was run by a family. Mother was serving tables; dad was cleaning and bussing tables, while brother and sister cooked behind the counter. It was a good way to start the day.
I put 1200 miles onto the car and shot over 900 images.
The JetBlue flight was not scheduled until 4 in the afternoon. Time would allow me to explore a little more and so after looking at the local map went down to Portland Harbor. I was surprised at how fresh the air was down at the harbor. The docks are filled with luxury yachts and house boats. The wind from the sea felt refreshing.
At Spring Point Shore Way there is a lighthouse at the end of about 200 yards of granite hewn boulders that create a pathway out to it. People were fishing from the pathway of rock and others just had fun climbing the rocks.
The car was returned and the flight was taken without event. I must say that JFK airport is like being in some other country with its ethnic diversity. The lay over at JFK was 3 hours and so I walked around with my carryon in tote.
So the final assessment of Coastal Maine is that it’s a nice place to visit but not on the top 10 list. It could make it onto the top ten list, provided the weather and conditions are special. Acadia is a diamond in the rough but it does not shine or sparkle like the Great Smoky Mountains do. It should not be compared to numerous western National Parks because they are in a class of there own. One needs to drive from each location of merit to the other along the Coast of Maine. Out west when you get off the plane in Jackson Hole Airport it’s all right there in front of you no need to drive that much to see it. If going, one should understand that the environment demands effort to make good images.
1 comment:
You are a great American. Your blog is the best.
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