We set off from Cape Cod heading for northern Maine. There was no rush, so we made brief stops along the way. New Hampshire is just north of Boston. There are outlets at Kittery and after a hot coffee, we diverted from Rte 95 to the more scenic Rte 1.
York, Maine is home to Neddick (Nubble) lighthouse. It was a classic Maine scene, with rocky coast and a churning channel between the lookout and the light. Ogunquit is a popular summer escape, but quiet this time of year. It was hard not to stop in Portland, Maine’s largest city, old seaport and hip, urban enclave. We pressed on a little further and spent the night in Ellsworth, not far from Acadia National Park. Dinner just had to include lobster: sautéed and dipped in butter for me and over linguine for D.
The morning was sleety and cold, and the summer resort town of Bar Harbor was mostly empty, save a coffee shop and a café. We saw the fishing boats in the harbor and many others in dry-dock, wrapped and stored for the winter. From there, we head to Acadia.
The main loop road was closed for the season, but a back portion allowed us to reach the well-known Sand Beach, starkly beautiful in its desolation. We took advantage of the rare opportunity to walk alone on the shore. A short hike ended in sleet, so we pressed on to Thunder Hole, where the sea forces its way through the rock at certain times of day, the rush causing rumbles and crashes that resulted in the name. We had to turn back at Otter Cliffs to head on around the bay at Southeast Harbor. To be continued. . .
For photos, click HERE.
