Day 17: 9/23/14

After breaking camp we headed off to Acadia National Park again.  Linda wanted to spend some more time at Thunder Hole.  

When we arrived at the entry point I told the lady ranger that we enjoyed Thunder Hole so much we decided to come back again today.  She said we were lucky to have been there yesterday since the surf was higher there than it had been in years.

The surf is not near as high today.

My reasoning was if we were there at high tide we should get the most bang for our buck.  Wrong…while there might be higher splashes the thunder is louder at low tide since air is being trapped in a pocket under the breaking waves.  The release of air (one humongous bubble) makes the noise.  At high tide the pockets remain full of water and you lose the rumble

There is a walkway that takes you down to the far end of the cleft.  Of course a locked gate doesn't mean anything to some people so a couple who were old enough to know better (our age) went under the gate and walked to the end to take pictures of each other.  When we were walking back to the parking lot the Ranger was having a rather serious discussion with them.

BUSTED!

Since the surf was down and the tide up there really wasn't much action. Plus there were three tour buses and two school buses there so it wasn't going to be the serine setting we hoped for. We elected to see the rest of Desert Island.

Otter Cove

Seal Harbor:

We came to a Tee in the road and straight across was this little beach and lots of boats on mooring balls.  I just had to get a few pics.

Northeast Harbor:

Somehow we ended up going through Northeast Harbor. It was not on the main road.  It was a quaint little town.  Road and streets tend to be a bit narrow up here.

Northeast Harbor

Bass Harbor:

Seafood Ketch

Bass Harbor is the home to the Seafood Ketch Restaurant.  Here I experienced my first whole lobster.  Not just a tail or pieces, but a whole “Maine lobsta”.  I read a pamphlet on how to eat a lobster so not to embarrass myself, and I think I did quite well.  Almost like one of the Down-Easters do.   Linda enjoyed broiled scallops since she wasn't too keen on  having her lunch looking back at her.

I expected a laughing lobster.  But I would say by the
red face and glaring eyes this guy was steamed!

Happy Camper.

This little guy waited patiently for his mistress to finish lunch on the deck. 

Bass Harbor has an active US Coast Guard Lighthouse in which a Coastee’s family actually dwells.  While the public is welcome to walk down the path and take pictures, there is a sign cautioning you that a family does live here and please respect their privacy by not looking through the windows, knocking on the door, or walking on the lawn.

Buoy "Green 1" means your getting close to home.

On the way out of Bass Harbor we stopped to look at a place that advertised bird carvings.  That peaked my interest so we went in and met Joe and Anne Paradise.  Like a dummy I didn’t take pictures.  They have the coolest little shop/store with their beautiful hand carved and painted birds.  Linda picked out two old lobster buoys for decorations at home and we were on our way back to the Bar Harbor area.

Tonight we settled in at Bar Harbor Campgrounds which has a view overlooking Frenchman Bay.  We enjoyed a campfire on a chilly evening.

Thunder Hole:  44°19’14.4”1N    68°11’19.00”W

Otter Cove:  44°18’47.95”N    68°11’53.17”W

Seal Cove:  44°17’33.13”N    68°14’26.67”W

Northeast Harbor: 44°17’44.16”N    68°17’46.00”W

Bass Harbor: 44°14’2445”N   68°20’38.12”Wass Harbor :   painted birds.  p/store with thier verlooking Frenchman Bay.bird carvings.  thwt  a family does live here and pl

Bar Harbor Campgrounds:  44°25’57.60”N  68°16’07.19”W