Lobsters and Lighthouses

This blog post is for Labor Day (Monday).  We started a leisurely drive on the east side of the island along the Acadia Park Loop Road with stops at Thunder Hole and several of the overlooks.  These narrow one-way park roads and the carriage roads were established by John D. Rockefeller as part of the several different family estates on Mount Desert Island.  Along the edges of the road are large two-foot square granite boulders, known as Rockefeller's teeth.

The island became popular in the 1880's by painters of the Hudson River School, including Thomas Cole and Frederic Church, inspiring patrons and friends to flock here. These were the "rusticators." Undaunted by crude accommodations and simple food, they sought out local fishermen and farmers to put them up for a modest fee. Summer after summer, the they returned to renew friendships with local islanders and, most of all, to savor the fresh salt air, beautiful scenery, and relaxed pace.

Bass Harbor Head Light in the Sunny Fog

Mount Desert island became a retreat for prominent people of the times. The Rockefellers, Morgans, Fords, Vanderbilts, Carnegies, and Astors chose to spend their summers here. Not content with the simple lodgings then available, these families transformed the landscape of Mount Desert Island with elegant estates, euphemistically called "cottages."  Their contributions of money and land created the start of what is now Acadia National Park. It was a very nice drive, but still very busy, because there are still a lot of visitors to the island for the day, as it was a three cruise ship day in Bar Harbor, and we saw buses and vans everywhere we went.

Two of the three cruise ship in Bar Harbor

We were going to stop at Jordan Pond for a bite of lunch, but there were cars and buses everywhere.  So we decided that it would be a good time to visit the west side of the island.  We made tracks for Beal's Lobster Pier (www.bealslobster.com) in Southwest Harbor.  It was time for Neil's daily fix of lobster, and he got a big one.  At Beal's, you can pick out the size of lobster you want.  Most lobsters you get are on the smaller side; about 1 1/4 pounds, but they had bigger "Jumbo" lobsters, up to 4 pounds. Neil picked out a 2.3 pound lobster and it was just about right.  We learned that lobster fishers can only keep males between 1-1/4 and four pounds, so Neil's wasn't a monster, but plenty big enough for lunch.

A Bit of Lobster - Nearly Three Pounds

And Into the Steamer He Goes

Here We Go!

The Aftermath - All Gone But the Shells

We then drove out to Bass Harbor Head, but it was a little bit foggy and pictures were not the best.  To get a picture of the light, you have to climb down several flights of stairs and scramble on the rocks to get a low angle up at the light.  We then drove up to very scenic Bass Harbor and back to the campground, where we watched the fog roll in again

Lobster boat and traps

This has been another good day in the neighborhood.

Neil and Pamela