Did Someone Say Cranberries

There are a ton of little Islands around the coast of Maine and we wanted to go over and visit some of them. The Cranberry Isles consists of Great Cranberry, Little Cranberry, Sutton, Bear, and Baker Islands. It got its name from the wild low-bush cranberries that grow throughout the islands in the fall.  The views of the Islands from Acadia National Parks Cadillac Mountain and Mount Desert Island are spectacular.

Great Cranberry Island is the largest of the Cranberry Isles off the southern end of Maine's Mount Desert Island. Access is by private boat or ferry service only so we decided to take the Beal & Bunker Mail Boat over to the Islands and spend the day exploring the Great Cranberry Island and Little Cranberry Island. The most well-known village, Islesford, is on Little Cranberry Island. Acadia National Park has a maritime museum near the public dock there.  Of course we got another stamp for our National Park Passport book.  The ride over was very nice and kinda fun being on the small passenger and mail boat. We passed Baker Island on the way there and saw the lighthouse that sits up high on the cliff of the island. 

Our first stop was the Great Cranberry Island. According to historical records, the likely first permanent settler of Cranberry Island was Benjamin Spurling in 1768. Spurling, a ship builder and sea captain, arrived here from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. During the British war with the American colonies, he was captured and held prisoner in the depths of one of the British ships. Already having a reputation as a "high-spirited man of great bravery," his command given to his son to partly console him as well as being a call to action, inspired many of his day. The words were "Never mind me, Rob, I am an old man; but give it to these dashed Britishers as hard as you can."
The Great Cranberry Island, the largest of the Cranberry Isles, has a truly commanding and spectacular view of Mount Desert Island and the mountains of Acadia National Park in Maine. Located near the southern entrance to Somes Sound, you can view Manser, Southwest Harbor and Somes Sound to the northeast from the public pier. Sutton Island and Northeast Harbor are to the north. Little Cranberry Island and Islesford are to the east.  We enjoyed a leisurely walk around the Island taking in all the flowers and quaint homes.  Along the way we visited a Museum and Church.  When we returned to the piers we had a little lunch at the local cafe which also had the local  grocery store in it too.  We visited the small post office which the mail had been delivered to from the Mail Boat we took over to the Island.

Islesford and the rest of Little Cranberry Island, has a very unique and relaxed lifestyle that is desired by many. The experience is like being able to take informal, safe, and unfettered strolls through out a large extended neighborhood, where soon, you begin feeling as if you are a member yourself. People are relaxed, very friendly, and accommodating.
One of the first settlers of Little Cranberry Island was John Stanley, Jr. His father, John Sr. began the lineage of the Stanley name that exists to this day throughout Hancock County. There are many places that bare the name as in Stanley Brook in Acadia National Park, within Seal Harbor, part of Mount Desert. There were many settlers trying to make a go of agriculture as this was the accepted view of where the area's worth was. It wasn't until Colonel Black was able to effluence the perspective that the area's wealth was actually in the timber industry, that this really took off. It seems obvious today that the rocky soil is not a good bet for agricultural endeavors. It is a great little Island to spend the day wandering around and actually had more to offer then Great Cranberry Island and be sure to eat at the little restaurant at the end of the pier... the Cod Balls are really good ~ YUM!

We really enjoyed our day going from Island to Island on the Mail Boat.

Have Fun, Travel Safe & Stay Healthy!!!

Lobsters Big & Small ~ What Fun

While you are visiting the area of Mount Desert and you have some time go visit the Mount Desert Oceanarium & Lobster Hatchery ~ is located at 1351 State Route 3, Bar Harbor, ME 04609 and is open daily 9 to 5 except Sundays.
 

When we went by it on the way into Bar Harbor we instantly knew we wanted to go there and see what it was all about.  So on a rainy day we hopped into the car and headed over there ~ luckily for us it stopped raining as we arrived.

As soon as you enter the front office you are greeted by several young people who are interning here.  After purchasing your tickets you are given a schedule of times for the different events...
Our first event was the Discovery Pool where they showed you different sea critters and told you what they were.  You could hold them if you wanted to but we left that to the kids...

Discovery Pool

Enlarge to see the thousands of eggs in her tail

After visiting the Discovery Pool it was off to the Lobster Hatchery where they get Female Lobsters that have eggs attached from Lobster Fisherman.  They put them into a tank where the eggs will hatch a little at a time and then when the female is all done delivering the babies they are released back into the ocean.  NOTE: The female Lobster carries the eggs inside her for a year and then they are released to her tail where she carries them for another year.  YIKES!  As soon as they hatch they scoop them up and put them into a tank where they number how many are in there and when they were born .  They raise the babies until they are about 2 inches long and then through a special release program they are released back into the sea where only about 50% will reach maturity.  It was very interesting and the intern who gave us the demonstration was so passionate about what she was talking about.  That made it all the more interesting.



After the Lobster Hatchery it was off to the Thomas Bay Marsh Nature Walk where we learned about the plant vegetation and wildlife.  Our guide took us through explainingwhy the marsh exist and how the plants and wildlife partake in that.  It was a great time and we really enjoyed all the information we learned.

Last but not least was our one on one chat with Oceanarium director & owner David Mills. David relishes his role of teacher and enjoys taking his time to explain the Oceanarium and the life of a Fisherman/ Lobster career.  He is an outstanding man and very interesting talk to.  This is his passion and you can hear his love for it in his chat.

It was a great day and we really enjoyed our time at the Oceanarium ~

Have Fun, Travel Safe & Stay Healthy!!!

Acadia National Park III ~ I hear the Thunder!

It was a beautiful sun shiny day on Mount Desert Island day 3 and we headed out early for another day of sightseeing.  Today our goal was to check out Thunder Hole, The Jordan Pond House, Wildwood Stables, and Cadillac Mountain.  Each place has it's own beauty and we are excited to visit them
Our first stop was Thunder Hole ~ I think you have to time it just right because we have been here twice and never seen it at its full potential.  Thunder Hole is the place in Acadia National Park to experience the thunder of the sea against the rocky shores of Maine! On calm days you may wonder what the fuss is all about. But wait until the waves kick up a few notches. Thunder Hole is a small inlet, naturally carved out of the rocks, where the waves roll into. At the end of this inlet, down low, is a small cavern where, when the rush of the wave arrives, air and water is forced out like a clap of distant thunder. Water may spout as high as 40 feet with a thunderous roar! Hence the name: Thunder Hole. Last time we were here we saw a little action and this time the sea was so peaceful we didn't see any... I 'll have to come back and camp out right there to see it in full force.
BIG TIP: go visit Thunder Hole when the seas are restless ~ you'll get a better show!!!

This is a picture from the internet showing what it does when conditions are right

Next we were off to Jordon Pond House ~ The famous Jordan Pond House, the only full service restaurant located within Acadia National Park, is located in a spectacular park setting overlooking beautiful Jordan Pond with the North and South Bubbles in the distance. It is a modern full service restaurant offering lunch, dinner and afternoon tea. You may continue a late 1800's tradition of having afternoon tea & popovers on the lawn while savoring the spectacular view.  We decided to do lunch and sat outside on the lawn area with a view of the pond. 

Jordon Pond

Lunch at Jordon Pond House

After lunch we headed down the road to Wildwood Stables where you can get on a horse drawn wagon and tour the Carriage Roads.  The Carriage Roads and stone bridges were financed and directed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr., between 1913 and 1940, for hikers, bikers, horseback riders and carriages. Approximately 45 miles of Carriage Roads within the park allow for the activities of hiking & biking. The Carriage Roads are the best example of turn of the century “broken stone” roads in America today. Granite from Mount Desert Island was quarried by the construction crews for road material and bridge facing. Native vegetation such as fern and wild blueberries was tastefully used to landscape the roadside. (Click Carriage Roads for a map furnished by U.S. National Parks.)

Last but not least is the drive up to the Summit of Cadillac Mountain.  Last time we were here it was a bright sunny day however by the time we got up there it was a little foggy.  At 1532 feet, Cadillac Mountain is the highest point along the North Atlantic seaboard and is the first place to view sunrise in the United States from October 7 through March 6. It is one of over 20 mountains on Mount Desert Island, Maine, that were pushed up by earth's volcanic forces millions of years ago. If it wasn't for a huge glaciers that sheared off their tops, they would be even higher than what we see today. Note the slopes on the islands in the distance to see the impact the glaciers had on the land. The northside is on the left and the steeper slope or the down side is on the right.

Cadillac Mountain is largely composed of pink granite with forests of spruce and pitch pine. Views of Acadia National Park from the top of the mountain are spectacular. The winding and scenic road that ascends to the top of Cadillac Mountain is approximately 3.5 miles long and was officially opened in 1931. There are several small observation points along the way that offer great viewing opportunities. It is easy to get caught up in the views while driving ~ be careful as much of the road is right beside steep cliff like areas. Just a little scary at times. 

It was another wonderful day and still there is so much more to see and do here.  I am telling you to come to Mount Desert Island and enjoy visiting all the small coastal towns and the wonderful Acadia National Park.  You won't be disappointed!

Acadia National Park II ~ AHHHHHH Nature♥

Our second day had a lot on our agenda ~  Sand Beach, Sieur de Monts a natural spring, Wild Gardens of Acadia, Nature Center and a interpative trail at the same spot.  There is so much nature and beauty here that you can spend hours just strolling through the Gardens, Woods or Seashore and get caught up in the breathtaking beauty.  We started at Sieur de Monts which has the Nature Center where we saw animals of the region and plant life. Then walked outside to the Springs and the interpertive walk.

The Sieur de Monts Spring House was built in Acadia National Park by George B. Dorr in 1909. On a nearby rock he carved “The Sweet Waters of Acadia” which can still be seen today. This serves as an important monument to the Park's formation.

The Wild Gardens of Acadia is maintained by a  group of community volunteers. It reflects the typical habitats as found on Mount Desert Island. More than 300 native species are labeled to make identification easy in nine separate display areas.

When we strolled into the beautiful gardens, which we  wondered through and a interpative trail we walked along, it was such a beautiful feeling of peace and serenity.  I could have sat here for hours.

Our last stop for the day was Sand Beach ~ Sand Beach is a gorgeous little beach nestled between mountains and rocky shores. The beach is largely comprised of unique sand of shell fragments created by the pounding surf.  The ocean temperature rarely exceeds 55 degrees in the summer but the children don't seem to mind much. There is approximately one half a cup of salt per gallon of water.   We dipped our toes in and believe me ~ no swimming for us!

We had a GREAT day exploring more of Acadia National Park and there is still so much to see and do here... We have more then exceeded our last visit here several years ago and we are having so much more fun this time!  I guess we have learned finally to slow down ad smell the Wild roses ~ LOL!

Have Fun, Travel Safe & Stay Healthy!!!

Acadia National Park ~ Baa Haa Baa

Acadia National Park in Mount Desert Island is really a majestic park.  With everything from lush forrest, mountains and rugged shore lines ~ it is a wonderful place to visit and spend time at.  This was our main purpose for coming to this area and we are glad we did.  We arrived here on the 18th of June and were excited about exploring the National Park and surrounding area... not to mention eating lots of great seafood!
It took us 4 of our 7 days here to visit this park and enjoy all it has to offer. The very first thing we did was visit the Hulls Cove Visitor Center which was right down the road from our campground, Mount Desert Narrows RV Park, click here for complete review of park. At the visitor center we watched a movie on how glaciers formed the lakes and mountains and how it formed the granite that many of the mountains are made up of. We also got information and maps to many of the stops at this park along with how many Passport Stamps you can get here ~  12 that is how many!!! Woo Hoo :-D Looking for the places to get the stamps was a fun thing for us to do....

The first day we did part of the scenic drive around the park with a stop in Bar Harbor... What a quaint little town with it's harbor, shops and restaurants.  In town there is a National Park building where you can get a Pasport stamp.

After a visit to Bar Harbor and picking up brochures of things to do while here we headed out for something to eat ~ well I can never get enough of the fabulous seafood that New England has to offer.  We saw a few places when we came into the Island and we decided on Trenton Bridge Seafood Pound and what a good choice it was.  I highly recommend it for great lobster or steamers.

After a great lunch we traveled onto Seawall Harbor and the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse.  Now as I have told you before we LOVE Lighthouses and there are a lot to see here.  This one is run by the US Coast Guard.  The cliffside Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse in Acadia National Park, Tremont marks the entrance to Bass Harbor on the southwestern side of Mount Desert Island, Maine. The lighthouse was built of brick in 1858 on a stone foundation, stands 56 feet above mean high water and is accessible by car.

Construction started: 1858 Height: 32' 0" (9.75 m) Automated: 1974 Opened: 1858 Address: Tremont, ME Materials: Brick, Stone

This was our first day here on the Island and we had so much fun visiting the area.... There is a lot to see and do here.  The next day we visited Sieur de Monts, Wild Gardens of Arcadia, Nature Center and Abbe Museum.  Come on back and check it out!

Have Fun, Travel Safe & Stay Healthy!!!

Beantown USA!

Train from Newburyport into Boston

We decided to take a day and head into Historic Boston and spend the day.  After doing some research we found out that we could take the train from Newburyport directly into North Station in Boston ~ that sounded good to us since we didn't want to drive in or around town.  I love Boston and all it diversity & history so I was pretty excited about our adventure.  Not to mention we'll add another Capital to our list of ones we have visited.  Also we can get several Passport stamps there too at the National Park.  So we got up really early and went to the train station ~ once on the train we bought round trip tickets so we didn't have to do it on the way back.

Boston Upper Deck Trolley Tours

An hour later we were getting off the train and heading outside to pick up the Upper Deck Trolley Tour.  After some Internet research and we had taken the other trolleys when here last we chose this one and so glad we did.  They sit up high for better views and picture taking and the seats were a lot more comfortable. Our tour guide/driver was full of information and they had more stops then all the other tours.  So I highly recommend them as your guide around the town.  They picked us up right in front of the Train Station. 

Historic Fanueil Hall

We rode the trolley through the historic streets enjoying everything we saw... Around noon we decided to get something to eat and made the choice to go to Historic Fanueil Hall aka Quincy Market and eat at the HUGE food court.  There were so many activities outside ~ vendors, street entertainers and just plain old people watching... We ended up getting a Cheesesteak with fries.  Last time we were here we ate in Little Italy which I recommend if you like Italian food.  Faneuil Hall Marketplace is actually four great places in one location - Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, North Market and South Market, all set around a cobblestone promenade where jugglers, magicians and musicians entertain the passers-by.  In 1742 Peter Faneuil, Boston's wealthiest merchant, built Faneuil Hall as a gift to the city.

The best way to see Boston is do a go around on a tour trolley, which I highly recommend the Upper Deck Trolley Tour, then get off and walk the Freedom Trail.  The Freedon Trail is a red line painted on the sidewalk that you follow through Historic Boston.  It is a 2.5 mile walking trail  sites in downtown Boston & Charlestown which starts at the Boston National Park located at Fenueil Hall.

I took so many photos on this day that the only way to show you the sights of Boston is with a slide show ~ so sit on back and enjoy.

Welcome to my latest follower Patty from My Rving Life ~ she is just getting started in the Good Life so go on over and welcome her & her husband and the greyhounds to our RVing community!

Have Fun, Travel Safe & Stay Healthy!!!

Where did I park my broom?

I was excited today as we went to visit one of my favorite cities ~ Salem, Massachusetts. Best known for the witch trials that took place in 1692, Salem sure does bewitch you with its seaside charm, its maritime history and spellbinding beauty. We followed the Red Line along the sidewalks which took us on our journey through historic sites, including the Witch Trial Memorial, the Old Burying Point Cemetery and more. The Bewitched statue, the Witch Museum and the Witch Dungeon which conjured up diverse takes on witchery through history. Salem  is also full of old homes that are huge and full of  history.

We spent the day visiting the city ~ We have visited Salem many times and today we had decided to take the trolley that goes around town even though you can pretty much walk around the city ~ you can ride the trolley if want to just to hear some of the history and that is what we did.   Also there is the Salem Maritime National Historic Site on the wharf that you can visit and then perhaps stroll the waterfront and eat at one of the local restaurants.  We ate outside on the patio at Capts'... Great Clam Chowdha!

The port of Salem was at its prime between the end of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. By the time the crisis with Britain was reached in 1775, aggressive sea captains such as Richard Derby and George Crowninshield had accumulated great wealth, primarily due to the cod fish export and molasses import trades. Trading cod brought valuable cargoes of Valencia oranges, Malaga grapes, Bilbao iron, Cadiz salt and Madeira wines back to Salem, while molasses from the West Indies fueled the very profitable rum industry.

 I just love this Mystic City from the witch trails - to the history of the port and Nathanial Hawthorne who wrote House of Seven Gables... which is here and you can visit it too. If your into fortune tellers and physics then there is plenty of that here too along with great little shops and restaurants.  We had a great day revisiting Salem and I know I'll be back.

Have Fun, Travel Safe & Stay Healthy!!!

Where There's Ore ~ There's a way!

History is a huge part of the way we live today ~ It is amazing to me how the early colonist came to this country and thrived with hard work and determination.  Do we still have that drive today?

We visited the Saugus Iron Works National Site here in Saugus Massachusetts and our history lesson continued on the beginning times of this grand country of ours.

Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site is the site of the first integrated ironworks in North America, founded by John Winthrop and in operation between 1646 – 1668. It includes the reconstructed blast furnace, forge, rolling mill, shear, slitter and a quarter-ton drop hammer.

The facility is powered by seven large waterwheels, some of which are rigged to work in tandem with huge wooden gears connecting them. It has a wharf to load the iron onto ocean-going vessels, as well as a large, restored 17th-century house.

Here was built the first successful plant for the integrated production of cast & wrought iron in the new world.  When John Winthrop found significant ore deposits in the Boston area, he was offered incentives by the Massachusetts government to establish the Iron Works.

After the initial effort failed Winthrop was replaced by Richard Leader, who chose the site on the Saugus River for it's water power, water transport, woodlands and raw materials. The Saugus works was producing iron products for Massachusetts and England.

The people who worked at the works were not Puritans settlers but artisans from England and Wales, brought to Massachusetts as indentures servants.

In the early 1650's it was having financial problems which it could never recover from.  The last recorded blast was in 1668.  Despite it's short life, the Saugus Iron Works introduced a complex and demanding technology into what was still a  roughhews world.

Reflections of Saugus Iron Works

After we finished our visit at Saugus iron Works we took a drive over to Lynn, Massachusetts where we drove by to see my childhood home.  It brought back a ton of memories and was so glad the house looked like it did in the olden days.

It was another GREAT day in our adventures ~It is nice visiting where I lived as a child.  I also got another Passport Stamp for my book! YaY♥

Have Fun, Travel Safe & Stay Healthy!!!