Maine! Day 5

We slept in a bit after our big meal at Primo, and then took another lighthouse side-trip prior to driving up the coast to Acadia National Park.  This lighthouse was called the Rockland Breakwater Light.  The city of Rockland sits in a harbor next to the Atlantic, which up this far north is known for its rough seas.  A breakwater was made out of huge granite blocks to protect the town from large waves coming in from sea.  The breakwater juts out a mile into the harbor, and as it was being built piece by piece they stuck a light on the end to warn incoming boats - moving it bit by bit as the project progressed.  After completion they left the light at the end and built a house there for the light keeper.  Turns out the total 2 mile walk across huge blocks of granite was kind of tricky as there are gaps between them.  It was a good way to get a little sweat in before we ate more lobster that day!

View from the beach with the lighthouse tiny in the distance

Rockland beach

Granite path leading to the light

Stuart found a nice place to lean on the breakwater

After our 2-mile hike we drove again up Coastal 1A on to Acadia National Park!!!!!  Acadia takes up most of Mount Desert (pronounced Dessert, apparently) Island, which is broken down into several harbors.  We stayed in Southwest Harbor because it's a bit less touristy than other parts of the island - specifically Bar Harbor where cruise ships dock every day throughout the non-winter seasons.  After we arrived there was just enough time to enjoy lunch prior to a boat tour later in the afternoon.  We stopped at a place which looked straight off Diners Drive-ins and Dives called Thurston's Lobster Pound.  A "lobster pound" is a unique place where fresh lobsters (among other seafood) are caught right outside the restaurant.  At the cashier they have big pans of LIVE lobster, and you can pick out the one you want before they drop it into the pot.  Eek!  We picked lobster rolls because the poor little guys had already been picked and we didn't have to do the dirty work.

Turns out these lobster rolls put Red's Eats to SHAME.  Man oh man.  The lobster was cut into perfect bite-sized pieces and was sweet and juicy.  It didn't come with any butter or other dressing, and it didn't need it!  Served on a buttered crispy bun, it was a lobster masterpiece.  I probably could have eaten 2, but wanted to keep my waistline relatively the same during the trip.

Lobster #6 (4 and 5 were on the bun at Red's) 

The deck of Thurston's, where the lobsters are dropped off fresh from Bass Harbor

I think he ate too much, too

Where lobsters don't want to go

From Thurston's we could see across the Harbor exactly where we were supposed to hop on our boat tour, but unfortunately had to drive halfway across the island to get there.  We joined about 20 people on a (thankfully) sturdy boat with Robin and Eli as our captains. They take people out into Bass Harbor and a bit beyond daily to show them the water-view of Maine's coast and to teach a bit about Maine's history and ecology.  It was a wonderful experience!  Not touristy at all, a bit cold and windy, but I didn't even get seasick!  Stuart and I decided that the lobster roll at Thurston's right before gave me my sea legs!

We learned the history of Maine's settlers, and got an appreciation for how "hardy" these folks are - particularly the ones that spend the winter here.  We learned some about lobster-men, and how tradition-based of a job it is.  For instance, if you don't have lobster fishing in your family, they make the license application process so tedious that the average wait for a license is 52 years!  And finally we spotted some wildlife (3 bald eagles, about 20 seals, and a lot of Maine coastal birds) and caught a lobster!  So much fun.

Bass Harbor, littered with lobster boats docked for the day

Harbor seal!  Isn't he cute?!

Bass Harbor Light

Gott's Island.  No electricity, no ferry.  If you live here you have to bring your own supplies over on a boat.

Bald Eagle

Various and sundry birds (herring gulls, double crested cormorants)

Rarrrr!  Look at that guy!

After our tour we were both freezing to death and decided to check into our B&B, the Kingsleigh Inn.  It's owned by two past-engineers who are super sweet and cater to your every whim.  We were spoiled with espresso machines, advice on what to do in Acadia, and three-course breakfasts (you read that right).  It was a fantastic place.

After check in we walked 2 blocks to one of the reportedly finest restaurants in Southwest Harbor: Red Sky.  It was a romantic little place.  Stuart had crabcakes and I had lobster risotto (lobster #7).  No worries, turns out lobster twice in one day isn't too bad!