A Beginning

Maine has always been one of my favorite places for a variety of reasons. We visited Maine when I was a young girl - traveling with family and our pet Springer Spaniel, Betty. We'd visit the ocean - of course! - typically staying near Old Orchard Beach in cottages. It was more like a family reunion as well which only added to the excitement. As I grew older the family made less frequent trips to Maine. I visited the ocean all along the Atantic shore and certain isloated sections of the Pacific in CA, but none held the beauty of Maine.

In my early 20s I was re-introduced to Maine in a big way. I was taken on a trip to the mid-northern coast - the Bar Harbor area. We traveled along Route 1 and experienced the traffic delays, stopped for fried clams and lobster rolls, rested at the beach, trolled antique shops with old fashioned lobster traps and just had FUN!

Bar Harbor has its own charm. Its location - so far up the coast, has helped maintain its charm. Weather was cool but certainly wonderful - and the shops - oh the shops were filled with crafts from local artisans as well as the typical tourist tee shirts, starfish, and candles. The highlight of Bar Harbor at that time (for us) was a small bar/restaurant called Geddy's. It hadn't been open very long, and had a rustic, local feel. There were several license plates hanging all over inside, as well as hats.....hundreds of hats!

We stayed in a bed & breakfast in Southwest Harbor. It was a quaint, victorian styled building, and I remember it having a wrap around porch, and a wide staircase upon entering in the front. Little did I know, I would be reacquainted with this B&B about 25 years later! We stayed in the B&B as we missed the ferry to Swan's Island which was our ultimate destination. The person I was traveling with owned land on Swan's Island and wanted to share the island experience with me. I had no clue what I was in for.....but oh what a magical place.

It's about a 45 minute ferry ride, and upon arrival you disembark and follow one of the roads. Many people bring bikes or just hike. We brought my car. We stayed in a house that sat on a hill overlooking the water. You had to walk down the hill to reach the shore which was so typical Maine...rocky and rough with pines along the shore. When you reached the shoreline and looked to your right - you saw the lobster shack, (the image is above). It was a working facility with traps, buoys, lines - you name it. We could watch the boat come in and the fishermen unloading traps. It was so typical of Swans Island.

There were no restaurants, no hotels, no tourist shops. It was most definately a fishing community with the lobstermen's co-op in the central harbor, a library, elementary school, (high school students had to ferry to the mainland), a lighthouse and historical society. Everyone knew everyone and the history of their families, and how that impacted the island. It was very quickly apparent that life on Swans Island was unlike anything I had ever experienced - even growing up in a small New England town in Vermont didn't compare. Life here was rugged, isolated, hard and beautiful!

Jim's land was near the center of the island, near a pond. My poor little car bounced along the dirt road...more like a path....but made it! We experienced all the pond had to offer - complete with mosquitos, ducks, deer and rabbits. We collected pinecones....so many pinecones and shells. Lovely! We dined on lobster from the co-op, (I didn't dare walk down the planks to the deck where the boats were moored....silly girl!)

It was a magical journey, a beautiful trip, and most certainly the beginning of an enduring love for Maine and its coastline wonders!