A Sailing Adventure to Acadia, Conclusion: Bar Harbor and Thunder Hole

Monday was THE day for me to see Acadia National Park, a place I'd heard of, but knew very little about. In the end, I am so happy I got to experience it, even in the little time I had there, because it's such a beautiful, beautiful place.  

On that Monday it was just three of us, me, Xavier and Tati.  Kevin had reconnected with a friend he'd met last year, the harbor-mistress' son, and he went off to spend the day playing whilst the three of us set out to explore.  In the morning, we had moved the boat to its week-long spot at the marina and so we now had a home base in the town, Southwest Harbor.  

Maine-based clothing manufacturer LL Bean operates a free bus service throughout Acadia (very cool!), with several routes to be had, and Xavi wanted to take me on the one that made a loop around the most scenic spots. The bus that took us from Southwest Harbor to Bar Harbor, where we'd catch that bus, offered me glimpses of the many, many scenic spots to be had here, including campgrounds, lakes, hiking trails, and more.  At this point, I had already decided that I want to come back here for an extended stay, as this visit would not afford me all of its beauty.

Alas, we got off to a late start, but we got to Bar Harbor early enough to catch a bus to one of the most popular spots on Mt. Desert Island, a place called Thunder Hole.  Wow, what a beautiful place this was! Imagine any painting you've ever seen of the Northeast coast, with waves crashing along craggly rocks along the shore.  That was this place.  Just take a look...

From Thunder Hole, we hiked along the coast southwards towards Otter Cove before hopping on a bus once again to go back to Bar Harbor.  Bar Harbor itself is a typically quaint New England town, complete with a town square and park, gift shops, restaurants and inns.  There's a beautiful waterfront area with picturesque views of the harbor and several islands.  The place reminded me of a town straight out of a Stephen King movie, which perhaps it once was.  Anyway, the place was awesome and I would have loved to have spent more time there...another reason to visit again.  

The three of us dined in a local eatery before catching a cab back to the marina and one more relaxing night on the Maria Cristina.  I tell you, these types of vacations, full of exercise and wonder, sure tucker you out! That last hike along the coast was pretty much it for me, as the better part of Tuesday was spent hanging out at the marina waiting for my flight back home.  This sailing adventure to Acadia was the perfect ending to a somewhat disappointing P-Town vacation, and I'm so happy I went.  

Acadia reminded me a lot of the Region de Los Lagos I visited in Chile late last year.  The scenery was oddly similar between the two areas.  It's definitely one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen and I do want to go back again and check out some of the places I didn't get to see and do, like exploring Echo Lake and seeing the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain.  If you ever get the chance to visit Acadia National Park in Maine, I highly recommend it!  Till next time, check out some more of beautiful Acadia...

Check out the first three posts on my sailing adventure to Acadia...

Setting Sail

Arrival

Welcome to Beautiful Maine

A Sailing Adventure to Acadia, Part III: Welcome to Beautiful Maine

After mooring the sailboat in the cove, we decided to take the dinghy into the marina so that Xavier could check in and we could all get some food.  It was my first ride ever in a dinghy and I'll say I was more than a little nervous.  That thing goes pretty fast, and having to wear a life jacket, well... The ride was fun, though, and the views were spectacular!  There was a slight fog coming downside a small mountain above the water and there was also a very cool empty-decked schooner anchored out there...very cool! That was the first of many fun and out-of-the-ordinary things I did over the next two days.

After lunch we returned to the cove where I went kayaking for the first time ever with little Kevin as Xavi and Tati rested.  Again, I was so out of my element, but once I did it, it was actually fun.  We did a little exploring up on some rocks and along the beach before heading back to the boat.  By that time Xavier was awake and suggested a hike, which was more my speed.  

I like hiking (and I am making a mental note right now to do it more), and this hike was awesome!  Our walk took us to the summit of Flying Mountain, elevation 284 feet.  I know it doesn't sound like much, and the hike was relatively easy, but the views from the top were incredible!  By the time we reached the top, though, it was already dusk and we had to hurriedly backtrack our way downward without getting lost in the deep woods. Of course, nothing happens in my life without a little drama, and my imagination ran wild during that trek, bears and mountain lions dancing in my head, but in the end we made it down just fine. . 

Once we'd made it safely back to the beach, it was time to head back to the Maria Cristina in the dinghy. The rest of the evening was spent enjoying a nice dinner and playing some card games before heading off to a peaceful slumber.  To that point and throughout my visit, this was a vacation unlike what I'm used to.  Where I usually enjoy seeing sites and shopping and such, this type of holiday was more like a camping trip...and I liked it!  I was impressed with the beauty of Maine that first day and couldn't wait to check out some more of Acadia National Park on Monday.

...to be continued...

Check out my first two posts on my sailing adventure to Acadia...

Setting Sail

Arrival

  

A Sailing Adventure to Acadia, Part II: Arrival

When I woke up that morning, I was quite groggy and at first I wasn't sure exactly where I was, but a big wave that caused me to roll on my bed jolted me back to reality.  When I saw the light coming through my window, I was excited.  I'd made it through the night! I dressed quickly and headed up to the deck to check out where we were.  I could see land!  I'd made it through the worst part.

A light morning fog hung over the gulf, and from that I knew we were nearing Mt. Desert Island, our destination.  Xavier had planned the timing of the trip to avoid the worst of the fog, which apparently is a usual occurrence out there in the mornings.  It wasn't the type of heavy fog I'd expected, but still it gave the sea a quiet and eerie feel.

The land that we saw, oddly enough, was a place called Long Island.  Funny, I thought that the place I lived was the only Long Island in the world.  Anyhow, this Long Island is very different than the one I live in...it's much, much smaller and only has a year-round population of about 230.  

skypic

We rolled along the coast of Long Island, and other small islets, slowly but surely making our way towards Mt. Desert Island. This part of our sail was undoubtedly one of the coolest, as we got to see dolphins and seals doing their thing in the cool, calm waters of this chilly foggy morning. This was about as calm and peaceful one could get, I imagined, and I enjoyed every moment coasting slowly towards my newest adventure. 

Before long, we were approaching the big island that is home to Acadia National Park.  Everyone I had spoken to about the place had attested to its beauty and I was very excited to see it.  Xavi's plan was to skip the marina for the first night and moor the boat in a little cove within a fjord that cuts the island in two towards its southern side.  Sailing into the fjord was a breeze, and the views were simply spectacular! The water was very deep and Xavier had to work to find a spot that was shallow enough to anchor the boat, which he eventually did.

What can I say?  This place was absolutely beautiful...a little bit of heaven on Earth.  Check out some pictures of the cove and take in its beauty.  And stay tuned for the next part of my sailing adventure to Acadia... 

Check out Part I of A Sailing Adventure to Acadia: Setting Sail.

A Sailing Adventure to Acadia, Part I: Setting Sail

The last time I posted from P-Town, I told you that I was going on a sail, a long sail through the Gulf of Maine, all the way to Acadia National Park.  At the time, I was absolutely terrified of taking that trip.  I'd never sailed on a boat that far before (the total travel time was 24 hours!), and in open seas no less.  A feeling of dread hung over me during those last couple of days in P-Town, and it probably contributed to my elongated sickness there.  In the end, though, my little three-day adventure turned out to be the highlight of the week and one of the best times of the summer.

August 16th, 2014: Setting Sail

I was to meet Xavier and his two kids Tati, 16, and Kevin, 11, at their boat, the Maria Cristina, at 11:30 on Saturday morning.  My stomach was full of fluttering butterflies as I took the five minute walk from our house in P-Town down to the Marina.  Xavier and Tati were already preparing for the sail by checking various parts of the boat, changing filters and tightening bolts and such.  My nerves were calmed a little.

Before long, it was time to head out on our voyage, and by 1 o'clock we set sail on our way to Maine. Xavier gave me a patch to put behind my ear so I wouldn't get seasick.  Apparently you must do it beforehand otherwise it won't work.  I was fine with that because I wouldn't have expected to feel that way until we were beyond sight of land anyway and I didn't need to take any chances.

Bye bye P-Town

For the first 4 hours or so, P-Town was still in sight and I felt somewhat calm, yet still a little apprehensive. I knew the inevitable was coming...that sooner or later there would be no land in sight.  Just me, Xavier, the two kids and the Atlantic Ocean, and I was especially afraid of the dark!

We spent a lot of this time with Xav teaching me boat essentials and safety precautions...just in case!  The plan was for him to go to sleep right after dinner, around 8, and sleep as long as I'd let him so that he could take the critical, late-night helm.  

I learned how to make an mayday call, on channel 16, in case something were to happen to him during the voyage, a terrifying thought!  I learned how to read both the radar and the GPS system.  The radar lets you see if there are any boats out there in the darkness.  Gulp! I was instructed to wake Xavi if any blip on the screen came within 2 miles of us, something that thankfully never happened.  The GPS was easy enough to read.  It showed 3 lines, a red one, a green one and a dotted one, which was our desired path.  I'm still not exactly sure what the other two lines were for, but I think the red one actually showed which way the boat was pointing at any given time...it was very erratic.  Anyway, with the GPS, if I saw the boat veering off course, all I had to do was press one of four buttons, 1 or 10 degrees to the left or right.  Simple!          

About the same time we lost sight of land, it was time for dinner.  Xav and Tati cooked up a nice meal of chili, rice and spinach, which we enjoyed on the deck.  Though the feelings of dread and fear still bore themselves into my psyche, I could still appreciate the unique beauty and sights being out there afforded me, and I was taking it all in.

After dinner, it was time for Xavier to get some sleep.  He left me alone, on watch, with the two kids.  The three of us chatted and laughed and kept our eyes on the radar and the GPS as the night sky grew darker. One hour passed, then two...all along I had in my head was Madonna's "time goes by, so slowly," as indeed it did. Eventually we were in complete darkness, huddled together for warmth and trying to keep each other awake.  We wanted to let Xav sleep until at least 2-2:30, which seemed like forever away.

Kevin was the first to go, falling fast asleep at around 11 p.m.  Poor trooper wanted to stay up with us all the way, but he couldn't.  Then it was Tati and I, and let me tell you, she was good!  Having sailed on the Maria Cristina many times before and being the kind of responsible kid she is, Tati was very diligent about staying awake and monitoring the situation.  As for me, well I tried to keep up with her, which I did a pretty good job of, but I felt a lot better with her there.  

Finally, the hour came to wake Xavier up...and get some sleep.  By now, though I was kind of used to the rolling of the boat in the dark sea, sleep didn't come easy.  I was still hoping to miss the rest of the night by getting some shut eye myself.  Xavier came up to deck and I went down below.  Sleep was restless as my body rolled back and forth with the waves.  Eventually I learned to roll with it and get some shut eye.  The next thing I knew, we were approaching the Maine coast at around 9 a.m. through some early morning fog. The sail was almost over.  Maine was near.  I was officially excited!

To be continued...