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Boothbay Harbor and Southport Island, ME

We have some favorites when we visit Maine, things we go back to each year. Boothbay Harbor is one. There are interesting shops for unique gifts, Sherman's Bookstore, Enchantments (new age and all sorts of cool things), tons of gift shops and galleries, an ancient bowling alley and, of course, many places to eat.

The day after Hurricane Irene, a gloriously sunny day, we decided to drive there. As the crow flies, it's maybe 20 or 30 miles, but typical Maine coastline- you have to go up the Pemaquid peninsula to Route 1, then over to the top of Boothbay, then down. It's about an hour's drive.

Besides wandering around, George was hoping to find another pair of so-comfortable moose-hide moccasins, which he'd found in a gift shop. No luck in the store, but he got the website where he can purchase them. I found some fun birthday cards and a few small gifts for friends.

We decided to eat again- for the third time at least - at Andrew's Harborside Restaurant. The location is superb, overlooking the harbor, with a pleasant breeze blowing into the screened porch. However, we were disappointed this time. Our salads were so-so. What did not make me happy is that instead of refilling my iced tea glass as I requested, the waitress brought me another glass and charged me for it! Iced tea is so cheap to make. I don't think I've ever had that happen before. Last time, though. We'll find a new place next visit.

Just south of Boothbay is Southport Island. We had never been there before. George has a shirttail relative living there and my kayak partner from last week lives there too. We decided to drive across the bridge to the island and follow the main roads. We didn't find either house, but we did get photos of two lighthouses. Hendrick's Head Lighthouse is on the east side of the island. It is now privately owned. It was decommissioned in 1933 and sold. In 1951, the owner allowed the Coast Guard to automate and reactivate the lighthouse. It now has a new owner who has totally renovated it. You can see it from the water or from a protected beach nearby. The owners do not permit visitors. 

At the south end at the town landing, you can view the Cuckold Fog Signal and Lighthouse. In 2004 the lighthouse was deemed to be excess and a local group purchased it. They are actively restoring it. The sign said it was available for rental but I can find nothing about that at the website. Maybe that's in the future when it is restored. It's a picturesque lighthouse, perched on a rather small islet. (My camera was tilted- the lighthouse was unaffected by Irene!) The other photo is taken from the landing, looking back at the cove at the end of Southport.

There is one campground on Southport. Gray Homestead Oceanfront Campground is the only oceanfront campground in the Boothbay area. It has 40 RV and tent sites. I wouldn't want to take a big RV through Boothbay Harbor, though they show some longer RVs on the sites. And since there are so few sites, I'd be sure there was availability and what size RV available sites could accommodate. It's a fair drive from Highway 1 to get there and find you don't have a site. The views, though, are spectacular.

Something old, something new. Spectacular day. What more could we ask for? Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Good night Irene!

She barely hit the coast of Maine, but Irene had even this state declaring a state of emergency and battening down the hatches. As it turned out, we had some heavy rain, high winds and big waves but no damage along our part of the Mid-Coast of Maine. We got the thrill of watching waves pound into the rocks and the wind whipping our hair if we went out - just enough to remind you how powerful nature can be.

For entertainment, we drove down to Pemaquid Point to the Lighthouse. A few other weather watchers were also watching waves crash into the rocky point. We took some photos, but it is hard to get a sense of scale since they aren't monstrous. But here are a few.

Top right- looking south from the lighthouse. We've geocached in this cove. Wonder if  the cache is still there!

Looking back at the lighthouse from the south- otherside of that cove. To the right, waves breaking on the rocks at Pemaquid Point.

Another view from the south. The tip of Pemaquid Point is showing to the right of the tree. We'll try a video too. Watch the short clip. We're standing below the lighthouse, looking south. 

If a hurricane is predicted, often leaving the area in your RV is best. In this case, where we were, you'd have been better off to stay put. The hurricane went inland and did quite a bit of damage to the west, where you would probably think would be safer. Our area had little damage other than some tree limbs down. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak. Photos by George Bruzenak

 

Belted Galloway cows, horse pulls, blueberries and more

I love Belted Galloways! These Oreo-cookie cows are so unusual. The ones at the Union Fair and Maine Wild Blueberry Festival in Union, Maine were in top shape and extra cute. Cattle judging at the fair was today, and there were more Galloways than any other breed. They are one of the heritage breeds of cows that are still bred by some cattle raisers. The Galloways are raised for their meat.The first photo is them lined up for judging, the second of George posing by a bull waiting for his turn in the ring.

The Union Fair was a small one - not too many animals or displays, but that made it nice to visit. You could easily see it before the midway opened and crowds arrived. (Since the rain started around 2 p.m, they might not have had crowds today at all.) We also visited the Matthews Museum on the grounds with an elaborate display of Moxie and its advertising, once America's largest selling soda. This is the 32-foot tall Moxie bottle stand, built in 1906. We sampled Moxie- a bit like Root Beer, crossed with cough medicine.

We saw displays of vegetables. Prizes had been awarded. George could not resist this photo of vegetables below a classic Norman Rockwell painting. A few booths sold things and there were many choices of things to eat plus plenty of tractors.

One other main activity today was the horse pull. The first was for teams less than 3,000 lbs. The second was for teams more than 3,000 lbs. In each, the horses pulled twice their weight. Only one team of Belgians entered the first contest so that we couldn't tell if their performance was good, bad or exceptional. We also weren't sure what how they ran it. In the 2nd contest, the horses may have also been Belgians, but were larger. They had to pull 6200 pounds! We found out from the judges, that in each case, the team had 5 minutes to pull the sled as far as they could. They could (and needed to) take breaks. The horses knew what they were supposed to do and were anxious to get started. Amazing that they could pull that amount. Like weight lifters bench pressing an enormous weight, muscles bulged and they had to recuperate after each effort. It takes us back to the days when we relied totally on horse power to pull and move things.

I had to put these photos in: faces only a mother could love!The alpaca looked funny to us because only his head had longish hair. And, the Belted Galloway bull's coat was shaved/shaped to show off his muscles. However, his ears were hairy!

That was our day. The Union Fair and Maine Wild Blueberry Festival was definitely worth a visit. It's going on for three more days, if you are in the area. The fairgrounds has some hookup RV sites, though all may be taken by vendors during this time. Different activities as well as entertainment make each day unique. Stop and see the Belted Galloways in the animal barn if you go. Participating in local activities like this are what make the RV lifestyle so special. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak. Photos by George Bruzenak

 

Sea kayaking in Muscongus Bay, ME

We were a colorful bunch even though we didn't go as far as we had planned. Yesterday, I kayaked in  Muscongus Bay, thanks to Spectrum, a nonprofit organization which sponsored the class and tour. We got a discount price and a fun afternoon.

 

Our guide, Katie, from Midcoast Kayak, matched us up with a kayak (and a partner, in some cases), outfitted us with skirt, paddle and PFC. A quick lesson in how to stroke and we lugged the kayaks to the put in. I was going to paddle solo but decided to paired up with Sharma, a woman from Southport, a small island off the tip of the peninsula that is Booth Bay. When the wind picked up on the way back, we were glad to have two of us paddling!

The original plan was to paddle over to Hog Island - which we could see- where the Audubon Society has a camp. However, we had some participants who had never set foot in a canoe and that open stretch of water looked daunting. Instead, we hugged the shoreline and returned. By then whitecaps appeared in Muscongus Bay and it was an effort to paddle back. We were relieved to get back to the sheltered harbor where wind was not a factor. We had heard (and some had seen) a pair of osprey. In the cove, we watched a Great Blue Heron stand absolutely still and blend into the background. He took off when we got too close. The rattle of a kingfisher helped us spot him flying from tree to tree. And we had come close to a cormorant out in the more open water. It was a fun introductory paddle.

The experience level was varied. Sharma had done a little kayaking and wants to get her own kayak. Another woman had paddled in Puget Sound. A man came along with his own kayak but had little experience and at least four people had zero experience. Everyone did very well and Katie was quite encouraging. She was quite the diplomat, too! Some of us were chomping at the bit to head over to Hog Island, but when you are with a group, you need to consider everyone. The goal was to make this a pleasant experience so we'd want more - not scare some people to death. In that, it was successful.

 

I was delighted to learn more about Spectrum Generations. They have seven community centers,including one not too far from me in Damariscotta. They offer all sorts of activities in the areas of health, computers, exercise and outings. They have games, clubs and programs at the center. They'll have a summer's end surf and turf lunch at the end of the month with very reasonable prices. There centers are north and south of here, so check them out if you are ever in the area. They have a fundamentals of kayaking in Damariscotta next month plus a trip to Monhegan Island. What a great way to find out more about the community and meet locals.

I am also excited to have found out more about Midcoast Kayak. I had checked with another company but Midcoast has a location in Damariscotta plus at Muscongus Bay. And, they'll deliver kayaks to your location if you want to rent them. Or, they offer several tours. My daughter and I and three grandkids will do the trip I had hoped to do yesterday- paddle out near Hog Island, see the shipwreck and hopefully seals and other sea life and birds. If the weather is bad on Saturday, we might be able to switch to Monday or do a river closer to home.

I love the colorful picture we made out on the water. We were like ducks paddling on water, staying fairly close to mama. George got some wonderful photos, as you can see.

If you RV to mid-coast Maine, this should give you some good ideas of things to do in the area. Park your RV and explore the real Maine! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak  Photos by George Bruzenak

 

Have Prius, will RV travel!

Now this is a hoot! Maybe you wouldn't call this RVing, but it is a pop-up trailer simplified. A Prius, with a low GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) could tow this and you could get you outdoors in a recreational vehicle - perhaps a litte more sheltered than a tent on the ground.

The product is designed to appeal to "'gear heads'— those outdoor enthusiasts who appreciate well-designed mountain bikres, kayaks, backpacking or rock climbing equipment," rather than the typical RVer. It's a hybrid! Read more about it at Asheville's CitizenTimes.com

Whatever floats your boat!

Lobsta delicious!

We had our first lobster the other night at Shaw's Fish and Lobster Wharf. We choose the standard pound and a quarter, but the tank had lobsters that were much larger. Tempting!

Shaw's appeared in the film, Message in a Bottle. It was painted white for the film, with the proviso that they return it to its normal red color after filming. The deck overlooking New Harbor is packed with people in the evenings, especially on weekends.

We also had a lobster roll for lunch one day in Damariscotta at Larson's Lunch Box. It was ok, but after you've had lobster roll at Red's in Wiscasset, they don't quite measure up. Red's is on our list for later.

RVers can camp one of the two RV parks in the area: Sherwood Forest Campsite and Cabins or at Pemaquid Point Campground. Both are fairly close to Shaw's and south of Damariscotta. I would not take an RV to Shaw's.

We'll probably have more lobster- good source of protein and it helps the local economy. Tough job, but someone's gotta do it! Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Poll: Will your next RV be....?

What size will you choose for your next RV? larger, smaller, the same? vote below. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Dedication & Hike on Bremen Long Island, ME (corrected)

When you are RV traveling, take time to read the local papers. In the Lincoln County News, we spotted an item about a hike on Bremen Long Island. Daniel and Suzanne Goldenson (Dan's photo below) donated 180 acres of undeveloped land, 21 percent of the island, to the Medomak (Me-dom'-ak) Valley Land Trust. Today was the opening and dedication of the Berger Preserve, the name of this chunk of land. (Photo- looking out from the Bremen town dock towards the island.)

Dan was one of three boaters who took the group over. After we were all ashore, he led us on a trail he and five woodcutters had hacked out of the spruce woods in the last week to the brand new kiosk, near one of the access points. The kiosk was formally dedicated and MVLT members stapled up signs and maps and filled it with trail maps.

The preserve has two trails - the Cross Island Trail, which is a little over 2 miles round trip, and the Town Road Loop Trail, about a mile in length. Canoes and kayaks can access the island near the kiosk on the mainland side and at the rocky beach along the "flying passage" of the Medomak River on the other. Both are marked with orange reflector triangles visible from the water.

We had our choice of hikes - or head back to the dock and get a ride to shore. We were here to hike. George and I first followed the Cross Island Trail through the spruce forest. Moss-covered rocks and ledges added interest to the terrain as did colorful mushrooms. We had a rather foggy day, though the sun broke through over the island, especially on the higher middle portion. In fact, the humidity made it downright sticky. The breeze, when we crested the island, and even more so when we emerged from the forest onto the rocky beach, was a welcome relief.

 

As we enjoyed the cool breeze and a jalapeno string cheese stick, we found out that Carol (who has a house in Bremen) and Bill had explored our part of Arizona and were very interesting in hiking in the West Clear Creek Wilderness. A young man was going to college in Prescott and would be returning for the fall semester next week and another man had recently returned from a cruise to Alaska with his wife. He noticed my Alaska t-shirt. (Alaska is one of my heart places.) Small world!

We came back the same way but left the Cross Island Trail to check out the Town Road Loop Trail before meeting Dan at the boat dock.

Parking at Bremen's town dock is limited, though a smaller RV could park and turn around. Dan said he doesn't mind if people who plan to hike in the preserve tie up at his dock, but most would probably canoe or kayak over to one of the two main access points. If you have a canoe or kayak along, it would be a nice trip over for a hike and picnic.

Next week the trust has a free excursion boat ride. Rebekah and the kids will be here so we signed up. We'll be exploring some of the islands in Muscongus Bay and hopefully seeing seals and other neat things. There is an island with puffins out in the bay, towards Monhegan Island, but they may be gone by then so this trip may be more interesting.

In Maine, there are lots of local things to do, especially this time of year. Local papers are an even better source than travel planners so be sure to check them out, wherever you are. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

What a waste- RV demolition derby

If you enjoy demolition derbys, watching RVs smashing into each other might also be fun. To me, it's a waste! Two RVs go at each other until they are wrecked and in pieces. I suppose in the grand scheme of things - when you consider all the autos wrecked to make a film - it's not big deal.

If you want more information or to someday attend one, see the OCRegister. Does it surprise you it's in California? Just not my idea of fun. Jaimie Hall Bruzenak

Will "glampgrounds" come to the U.S.?

An Irish hotelier and television personality is proposing to open a campground that will cater for users of recreational vehicles (RVs) and those interested in ‘glamping’ - or upmarket camping, according to RV News Daily Report. He is planning on 35 luxury safari tents and 60 spaces for RVs. They will employ 25-30 people. That is a high ratio of employees to sites, though they will also have rooms available and large functions as well as the tents and campsites, that will need employees.

It seems to me that the prices for campgrounds have gone way up in the last few years. A reader of RV Lifestyle Ezine did tell me about one campground where rates were around $200/night, but not many RVers can or will pay that kind of money. Most of us are looking for RV parks where we can use Passport America or other half-price membership or a WalMart where we can stay at no charge in order to lower the camping bill. However, since there is a niche for upscale items, a glampground could be a success here too.

What about you? Would you be tempted to patronize an upscale RV resort if the price was more than $100/night? Jaimie Hall Bruzenak