A little used trail and Bass Harbor Light

Sunday August 11, 2013
Acadia National Park

 

As we get further into August it seems the crowds are really increasing.  I guess people want to get that last vacation before the summer is over and the kids go back to school.  I mentioned yesterday that even at 7:30 in the morning the Eagle Lake parking lot had 11 cars in it.  That’s nearly half full.   Of course that was a Saturday and today is another week-end day.

 

 

 

We decide to do something in the morning that we hope no one else will be doing and we are very nearly right.  In my former life, I was on the speaker’s bureau for The Nature Conservancy.  As such I was given tons of information about all of the “preserves” they own around the country.  Some are huge and others are small spots of some biological significance that they have been given as a donation or that they have purchased to preserve them.  I have my “preserves” information with me and also before she left, Nancy Mills gave me some information she had gotten on this one.  Thanks Nancy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a small preserve on Mount Desert Island called the Indian Point-Blagden Preserve.  It is 110 acres on Indian Point Peninsula west of Bar Harbor on Western Bay.  The preserve was donated to the Conservancy in 1968 by Donald and Zelina Blagden.  It had been their summer home for many years.

 

 

It is located on the part of Mount Desert Island that escaped the devastating fire of 1947.  It is described as providing a contrast to the central and eastern parts of the island which were severely burned.  Today as we walked the Big Woods Trail, we found that the woods had major blow downs and while there were numerous huge old trees especially oaks, the general forest floor was very thick with the blow downs as though an extremely strong weather event had recently occurred.

 

 

 

When we arrive at about 7:45am this morning, there is not one other car in the parking lot.  YES!!  We start down the trail into the very dark woods.  Please won’t somebody tell me know to take better pictures in the woods with this bright filtered sunlight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Right away we see some enormous Oak trees that must be hugged.  Oaks are not terribly common on MDI or at least we haven’t seen that many and they are my favorite hard wood tree.  If I can be said to favor one over the other.  It’s so dark in here David has to use the flash to show me in the picture and you see what that does to the little pines behind my tree.  I can’t get my arms even half way around this great tree.

 

 

As we walk along we try to imagine owning this beautiful spot.  The path is quite varied, wet in some places, rocky or packed pine needles in others.  The light just plays havoc with my camera.

 

 

 

 

    

 

The huge fern patches throughout the property are impressive.

 

 

At one point we are scolded very loudly by this little red squirrel who isn’t happy with our presence.  They have very big voices for such small creatures.

 

Eventually we come to what must have been a field at one time.  There are old apple trees on one side.  Being former fruit tree growers, we recognize that they haven’t been pruned in years and thus the fruit has gotten smaller and smaller.

We move onto the shore path and the meadow becomes filled with  goldenrod heralding the arrival of fall.  August 13 seems very early for fall to be here but it looks and feels like fall.

 

 

 

 

As we walk along, we get many good views of the shore where there are said often to be harbor seals basking on the rocks.  This was the main reason we came to do this hike although we knew there was a good chance we would not see any.  And we don’t.  It is low tide.  That is one thing we forgot to check.  But the views are lovely none the less and Adirondack chairs have been provided at several spots along the shore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We enjoy the chairs and the view scanning around as far as we can see for those illusive seals but no luck.

On our way back, rather than retrace our steps over what was a path with fairly difficult footing and way too many mosquitoes probably due to the recent heavy rains, we walk the former driveway which is lined with tall trees and patches of ferns.

 

 

 

Along it off to the left is an old graveyard in the woods.   A hand scratched sign on one of the entry posts says Deacon Oliver’s Cemetery.   We have no idea if this means the Deacon and Oliver families or the descendents of Deacon Oliver.   There are no last names on any of the headstones.  

 

 

 

All of the stones are from the 19th century and most mid century, the 1850’s and 60’s including a pair of children who died within a month of each other in February and March of 1863.  I’m imagining some childhood illness took them both at ages 4 and 2 years.

 

On that sad note we leave the property and drive on down Pretty Marsh Road with plans to stop at the waterfront picnic area for a snack.

 

 

 

 

 

But the map shows a road going off toward the water before the road to the Pretty Marsh picnic area.  When we get to its intersection we find it is called Bartlett’s Landing Road.  We drive to the end and find  – Bartlett’s Landing.  The map also tells me that across from the landing is Bartlett Island which sitting between Blue Hill Bay and Western Bay. 

 

 

 

Bartlett’s Landing is obviously a working rather than a tourist dock.  There are some sail boats but many lobster boats.  Lobster traps are on the dock.  It’s Sunday so the area is quiet.

 

 

 

 

 

I spy what appears to be an abandoned row boat alongside the dock.  Looks like a perfect place for a snack on this beautiful day.

 

 

 

 

While we are eating we watch a sea kayaking outfitter get his boats and clients out on the water.  As he comes by the shore where we are sitting we hear him talking about Bartlett Island.  We don’t hear everything he says but we do hear “condominiums and golf course……until they saved it”.  That’s enough to intrigue me to do a little research before publishing this post.

 

 

I find that Bartlett’s Island is a 2000 acre island and one of the largest privately held islands along the coast of Maine.  In 2007 two major landowners, David Rockefeller and the Paula Ingalls Family recently donated conservation easements on their property on the island to the Maine Coast Heritage Trust.   This will pretty much stop development forever.  What a grand and generous thing these people have done.   To read more about this and other amazingly generous donations that make Mount Desert Island the beautiful nature sanctuary that it is visit this and other links to the Maine Coast Heritage Trust.  VERY hopeful reading for anyone with environmental sympathies.

 

 

 

After the snack, we do make our way to the Pretty Marsh Picnic Area which is just south of the town of Pretty Marsh.  Isn’t that a great name.  It would be fun to say “My address is 312 Pretty Marsh Road, Pretty Marsh Maine”

The picnic area is dark and woodsy with several tables.  If you walk down the fire road you will come to a gazebo with 2 tables and a fire ring overlooking the water.   We take the stairs down to see the water front and Pretty Marsh Harbor.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We leave Pretty Marsh Harbor and drive on down Route 102 headed for Bernard another cute little town on the water.  I’ve never seen it before but all these little towns on MDI are darling.

 

 

 

Bernard is really my kind of town.  It too is a working lobsterman village with no commercial area at all.  No shops. The only tourists hanging around here are those at Thurston’s Lobster Pound where they are fast eating up all the catch of those lobstermen.

 

 

 

 

Of course we have to see what this is all about.  We find multiple bins of lobster in different sizes.  You tell them what size you’d like and they try to find it.  They weigh it and you pay by the pound.

 

 

 

 

 

Thurston’s is clearly a working concern.  Lobster traps are piled everywhere outside.   Lobster buoys adorn their buildings.

 

 

 

 

On our way inside we pass this antique Thurston’s truck.  David’s in love!  He wants a picture of it from every angle.  Perfect license plate and logo.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even though we’ve brought out lunch with us for a picnic, we decide to have lunch here of course.  I want to compare the Lobster Stew with what I had at Jordan Pond House.  So we get one order of Lobster dip appetizer and two Lobster stews, one cup and one bowl.

 

 

 

 

We are lucky enough to get a seat upstairs with a great view.

 

 

In the distance you may be able to see the building below.  It intrigued me, so after lunch we drive over to check it out.

The only thing I know about this wharf, overlooking the anchored lobster boats and  covered with lobster buoys is that it was dedicated in 1982 to the Harding Lobstermen Charles, Bill and Clarence who fished from the wharf for over 50 years.   What a great tribute!  I just love little towns and how they care for their own.

 

 

 

These are the homes and boats of the lobstermen who live here in what looks like a terrific little town.  It just says MAINE all over it doesn’t it??

 

 

 

On the way out of town on the only road in, we pass by two places we remarked about on the way in.   David wants me to stop and get a picture of this old store.  It sits almost in the middle of the road on the corner before you drive down into Bernard.  The name on the side says The Old Red Store.  It has recently been an antique shop.  But the sign in the window sets me to thinking.

 

 

 

It’s for rent.
How about The Old Red Store: David’s Pies??

 

When I suggest it, he takes about 5 seconds to respond,
“I’m retired”.  
But it really is a good idea, don’t you think?

 

 

 

The other place we didn’t stop was the library book sale.  Seems all the little villages have their own libraries up here and they all have their used book sales in August to trap the readers among the hikers.   I slid by on my way in but they hook me on my way out.   I just love that every town has a little library within walking distance.  All the better in the middle of winter to curl up with a book.  This island must have a lot of readers to have so many libraries.  It also indicates people who value books.  This is my clan.  I have to give them my support.

 

 

 

 

I look all around the tables under both tents once before going back again.  I really shouldn’t buy anything even at 50 cents a piece hardback or paperback.  But I can’t help myself.  It’s an addiction I know.  But I love to turn pages, smell the printer’s ink and be transported to someplace else or be someone else for a while.   We do walk away with $5.50 worth of books and old videos.  When we finish with them, we will donate them back to some other library or put them on the bring one/take one shelf at a campground.  But for now they are ours to dream with.

 

Our last stop for the day is in Bass Harbor.  We want to see the Bass Harbor Lighthouse.

 

 

Bass Harbor light stands at the southern most tip of Mount Desert Island marking the entrance to Blue Hill Bay and Bass Harbor.  It was erected in 1858 when nearly one in five people in Maine was a mariner.  Today Swan’s island is the only island off the coast shown on this map with a year round population.   In 1858 there were 300 populated islands off the coast of the entire state of Maine.  Today there are 14.   This strikes me as sad.  Although I suppose islands are happy to be in their natural state.

 

 

 

The lighthouse is private property, owned by the Coast Guard.  A Coast Guard family lives here.  I wonder if my friend Paul Dahl ever thought about living here.  There sure isn’t much privacy during “the season” with all the tourists walking around right outside your house.   This is the house above and it is connected to the light house behind.  As you can see the public walks around two sides of your house to see the light.  They are asked not to disturb the residents or walk on the grass.  At least while we are there, people are considerate though not very quiet.

 

 

The light is red.  Bet that’s been the butt of many a joke, BIG red light shining out over the seas.  What say you Paul?  Would the other Coasties be kidding this guy “Hey isn’t your house in the red light district”??

 

 

The other side of the lighthouse is one of those iconic Acadia pictures so we set off down the Bass Harbor Lighthouse Trail to take that shot.
It’s a short trail leading to the steps down to the rocky coast.

 

 

 

 

And here it is, the calendar picture. 
Or my version of it anyway. 
There are actually calendar pictures all over this island. 
Wish I never had to leave.