Last Friday we made it to Maine. Left our CG in Monson, MA. about 10 AM and got to Portland, ME around 2PM.
Only got one picture of the CG and it is actually of the 36 acre lake with a mile of sandy beach. Very nice setting.
We met up with Ray and Karen Cowan who are also Hitchhiker owners. They are at this CG because it is a square dancing weekend for them. We visited with them after we got set up and then went over to the pavilion in the evening to watch them for awhile.
On Saturday we went with Ray and Karen and some friends of theirs (Art and Ruth) to the 47th annual crabfest festival in Yarmouth, about 25 minutes away. It is a huge event with carnival rides, arts and crafts, food, etc. It was a beautiful day and was very crowded.
Here we are waiting for the bus to take us back to our cars. Art and Ruth are on the left, I am in the middle, and Ray and Karen are on the right.
Ray took this picture so that you would know that Judy was also along!!
When we got back the to the CG, they had just finished dancing so they came over and we sat outside and visited. In the evening there was more square dancing. The dancing group was much bigger tonight. I guess alot of locals came.
On Sunday we had coffee with Ray and Karen and then said our goodbyes as they were leaving to go back home to Loudon, NH. We had some lunch and then drove into Portland to see some sights.
We signed up for a 90-minute boat ride around the harbor but had an hour wait so we went out on the dock of the Portland Lobster Co. ( a popular outdoor restaurant. They served Shipyard beer which was very good.
These pictures were on the wall.
On the pier near where our boat was docked are these pieces of concrete, apparently from the Berlin wall.
We found our boat--
Not sure why this was important, but the guide mentioned that this sail boat was being pushed by the small boat in the back!
Of course, if you are in a port, you will see lighthouses! The lighthouses in Portland date back to the late 1700's.
Here is an interesting fact - this oil tanker is unloading its cargo into a pipeline that goes from here to Montreal. It is supplying them with the oil because their port freezes in the winter whereas Portland does not.
There are several old forts in the harbor, again, built in the late 1700's to fight off the British if they should come this way. Interestingly, there never was a cannon fired so I guess they did their job!
This island also had a fort with towers to watch for enemy ships.
According to the guide, this is Portland's version of a geo-pet!
While we were in the bay, the captain got word that a diving boat was radioing for assistance as they had not heard from their diver in over an hour and could we help look for an orange buoy, which we did. We saw markers, but they were for the lobster pots. After helping in the search for about 20 minutes, we left the area and did some more sightseeing. (Before our tour was over we did hear that the diver had been found. He was exhausted but was OK).
What seaport does not have seals??
We were hungry when we got back so we walked over to the Portland Lobster Restaurant again and ordered some seafood (of course!). While we waited they gave us a 'lobster' that would buzz and light up when our order was ready!
Food was great. We got back to the CG about 7 PM and enjoyed the rest of the evening outside.
Today, Monday, we leave for Bar Harbor, about 185 miles away. We plan to drive up I-295 and then head over to the shore and follow Route 1, a more scenic route. There are some small towns along the way (Rockland for one) that are supposed to be very nice.
Will report more later...
I love the lobster buzzer.
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