Sunsets in Bar Harbor

The past month or so, I have had the opportunity to fill in as a deck hand on the Margaret Todd, sailing out of Bar Harbor.  Most of the trips that I have been on have been the 2 hour ( more like an hour and a half at this time of the year)  sunset cruises.

A musician joins the crew for these trips, and the passengers are often treated to beautiful sunsets ( when the fog does not roll in) …  this post is simply a small collection of some photos I took during the last few cruises.

taken from my position, tending the fore sail sheet…

passenger taking part in the sing along part of the evening.. hope she turns around to enjoy the view!

sails have been lowered, dock lines secured, and the last passenger has disembarked.. another beautiful evening on Frenchman Bay…

jt

Summer 2016 (where did it go?) part 2 – working as a crew member on the Margaret Todd

One of the neat things about being off 3 days a week is that time is created to pursue other interests.   Ever since I was a boy, I dreamed of working on a ship..  it took a long time ( I am about to celebrate my 57th birthday), but I finally turned that dream into reality.   On a bit of a whim, I wrote a nice letter to Down East Windjammer Cruise Lines  soon after arriving on MDI in late April.   My hope was that they might need  a part time crew member on the Margaret Todd, a 4 masted schooner, sailing out of Bar Harbor.   I was somewhat surprised when I got a favorable response, and, within a few weeks, I was invited to an interview sail on the Bailey Louise Todd.    In the picture above, the BLT is in the foreground, and the MLT is behind her.   This was taken one of the first mornings that I arrived in Bar Harbor as an official member of the crew.

 

It was pretty chilly the first few weeks on Frenchman Bay… The first thing I learned is that I had a lot to learn!   But, I found that my fellow crew mates were very supportive, and that was, and continued to be, a huge positive part of the job.

This is  a shot of folks boarding for the evening cruise.   In the foreground is the friendship sloop Chrissy.  She is over 100 years old and was used for trips for small groups of 6 or less.

A couple of shots that I took at the conclusion of the sunset cruises..  these tended to be quite popular trips…

There were lots of things to get done after the passengers left…  it was usually dark before we were able to call it a day…

we were treated to some spectacular sunsets!

on the 4th of july, we encouraged the passengers to remain on board for the fire works after we returned to the dock.  That was a popular option..  we certainly had great seats!

fellow crew mates,  Amanda and Greg, backing the jib during a tack.   The passengers enjoyed watching us tend to sailing duties, and especially enjoyed engaging in conversation…   I found it a bit challenging to maintain a watchful eye, while also carrying on a discussion with passengers..   i really like to talk 🙂

Janet and I had the opportunity to ride the ferry to Schoodic Peninsula …  we took our bikes and had a great day.  on the way back, we got pretty close to the Margaret Todd under sail.

one of my goals for the summer was to get a chance to climb the rigging – not something that we did on a routine basis – but one morning there was a job to be performed at the top of the main mast on the BLT , and I quickly jumped at the chance..   this is a pic taken from the top of the mast..   it never seems that high from the deck!

I did not get my phone out in time to get a good shot of this rainbow, but it is still there – if you squint and use your imagination 🙂    It was a beautiful evening, and we certainly did not expect a rainbow, but there it was…

the routine is that we show up at 8 am  and perform some maintenance tasks aboard the boats and then prepare for the 10 am cruise.    This was taken recently, early in the morning..   I am going to miss this part of the job – and lots of other things as well.   Halfway through the summer I decided that I should set a goal for trying to get through an entire day without making a stupid mistake..      soon after that  prepared to raise the sail on the foremast when there was no sail to be raised!   When one of the crew members pointed that out with a smile..  I told him ” my goal is to get through a day with no stupid mistakes… i guess today will not be that day”  🙂      in fact,  last week i kind of made it through the day… one minor goof – up..    Tomorrow is my last day on the boat..  so, one more chance!

new job!

The one down side of spending half the year in Maine is that we have not yet figured out a way to bring our sailboat along with us.  So, I decided to become creative and see if I could land a part time job as crew on the local schooner… and it worked!   (somewhat to my surprise)   I happen to have spent at least 3 more decades on this earth compared with the rest of the crew – but so far, despite me looking dumbfounded on more than one occasion,  my crew mates have been gracious and forgiving!

One of the challenges is that I am only spending one day a week aboard  the Margaret Todd –  and even though we generally make three trips a day,  I could stand a little more repetition 🙂    … there is a lot to learn.. but it is a real pleasure to be on the water again.

Here we are, boarding for a sunset cruise .. until last evening,   I needed at least 3 layers to be comfortable.. this particular night, I had 4 layers on, and I felt bad for the guy who was only wearing a t shirt!

Ran into a little fog on this particular cruise..   another chilly one, but it was beautiful despite the lack of a sunset ….    so now, in addition to living and working at the most beautiful campground ( mt desert campground)  ever,   I also get to sail on the only working 4 masted schooner in New England..  life is pretty good  🙂      jt

cp23_1983@yahoo.com

 

Bike ride around Eagle Lake

Yesterday was the kind of day that just had to be enjoyed..  a nice breeze, plenty of sun, not too hot…  I spent the morning applying bleaching oil on the shed, and then,  we set off for a bike ride ..  Eagle lake is a short 5 – 10 minute drive from the camp ground..  It is a popular access point to the carriage roads of Acadia National Park.    Apparently, the folks in the pic thought that it was a great day for a ride too!    Janet was out once before, but this was our first ride together, so we planned on just doing the ride around Eagle Lake..   one might think that sounds like a nice, level path, but, in fact, as we have found with most bike rides on the island,  there are climbs and descents everywhere –  no such thing as a level ride here!    But it was totally enjoyable to be on our bikes and to view the lake through the trees as we rode.  the carriage roads form a great network of routes to cycle ( or hike or ride horseback)   –  we are continually amazed at the resources that outdoor enthusiasts have available  here on Mount Desert Island..  there is always something to do!

Back in Maine!

About three weeks ago, I arrived at Mt Desert Campground for our second season.   Last year, my wife came up first, and I joined her after the conclusion of the school year.  This year the tables were turned…  She came up a week ago.   We have been working hard to help get the grounds ready for our opening which will be Memorial Day Weekend.

It is amazing to see just how much effort goes into preparing for the season.  Each site, and all of the roads get raked..   fallen trees are cut up  and chipped..    dead trees are taken down…  the water system is  charged and inspected…   and this just represents the beginning!

The weekend that Janet showed up, we celebrated by going into Bar Harbor for dinner…   our first visit to the Thirsty Whale turned out to be very pleasant..   totally enjoyed the blackened fish and chips!    Janet’s arrival in Maine was especially well-timed..  the second night that she was here, I awoke at 1 am with a very sharp pain in my lower stomach..  within minutes it was rather intense, and we made the decision to visit the ER… first time that we needed to use health facilities on the island..  so off to Bar Harbor..    after 4 hours,  lots of pain meds,  and a cat scan,  the doctor determined that I had a  kidney stone…  he sent me home with more meds..   that was nice, because by the time we got home, i needed them…   i slept on the couch for 2 hours, and then, after Janet left for her first day of work, I curled up in bed with the cat…  he kept me company the whole day long..   by the evening, I was back on my feet, and the next day I returned to work..  what an experience that was..  pain on a scale that I can only remember once before when I experienced nasty back spasms..    thanks for being there when I needed you, dear!

Early in the spring I saw a great looking shed on Pinterest, and I dreamed of building a similar one on our site to help out with storage..  our camper is on the small side, and an extra closet would go a long way toward making life a little easier..   When I floated the idea to the owner, he quickly agreed and helped to clear and prepare a space 🙂   this is where things stand at the moment..  I just picked up the materials to make a door and to finish the trim.. after that, another coat of paint on the trim and it will be done!

this evening marked a particularly special occasion..   we made a campfire ( our second)  and we broke out the smores  ingredients  🙂     we each had two…   life is good  🙂

we have already seen some spectacular sunsets…  we are blessed to be able to live, work and play in such a beautiful area…   and we especially appreciate our co-workers and the Criaghead family, owners of the campground who take their role as stewards of a spectacular property so seriously and who delight in sharing it with so many campers who visit the campground each year.    It is nice to be back in Maine!

Feel free to comment at   cp23_1983@yahoo.com    jt

 

 

Fall is in the air

The past week included a whirlwind three day  trip to visit friends in mid-coast maine,  my daughter and son in NH,  a dear friend whose health is failing – also in NH, and my step daughter in Providence RI ..   and then back here to the campground for work saturday morning..    On Sunday evening we were treated to a wonderful Italian night  by our employers..    and today we finished the last or our current 4 day work stint..    stay tuned for the next three days events!     Here are some pics – in reverse order..

These shots were taken from the dock at the site or our Italian dinner..  we met here earlier in the summer for dinner, but the fog had us socked in.. what a splendid view that we enjoyed this time around:)

These shots were taken  at Prescott Park in Portsmouth NH.. the park is popular for lots of different reasons, but we particularly enjoy the gardens..  always so nicely maintained!  

We stopped and visited Norma – famous for running the gathering place  at the campground which is the hot bed of activity during July and August. she and her husband treated us to a boat ride around Owl’s Head – including a wonderful picnic lunch  while we enjoyed the water and the crystal clear view..

one of the highlights of last week was my first hike on the Precipice Trail..   we hiked with new friends from the campground who happen to live in the general region of PA that we call home..  on Kreg and I went up the Precipice while Janet and Martha  hiked up the north ridge trail in order to meet us on the top of Champlain mt.   After meeting at the top, we enjoyed some snacks and then followed janet on what she thought was a descent of the north ridge trail..  a great plan since that is where the ladies parked… but it was not the north ridge trail… it was the Beechcroft trail  which did not lead to the cars.. in fact, the car was a mile and a half away from where we ended up..  but no matter..  we had a nice walk back..  passed the beaver pond  where the beaver spent many minutes directly in front of us..

views from our descent of beechcroft..    

summit of champlain

 views from the precipice trail..    

the warning which greets one and all who decide to venture on the precipice trail…

And here is a nice view of the dock at the campground..  in quieter times..    in fact, we were pretty full till the end of this past weekend..   lots of cleanup on sunday..  but this week we actually have some water front sites open ..   it is quiet!

catching up ( again!)

Last week we made a quick trip to PA  to manage some medical appointments and to visit family.  The downside was a very long trip back on friday amidst all kinds of traffic..  the upside was that we brought PA  tomatoes and peaches to share with our coworkers 🙂           we devised this wonderful plan of making peach shortcake and inviting our coworkers over.. but we had to split the groups up..  so last night we made shortcake for the third time this week … with another invite out for this evening..   that means shortcake 4 times in one week for us!

Janet had a cup of blue berries left over so she made blue berry muffins earlier in the week as well.  what a delightful  week for a guy who loves baked goods!

On Tuesday after work we took a nap and than packed a light supper and headed for Acadia Mt.  This is the view of Somes Sound from the top, looking toward the mouth and beyond..      a close-up    these folks were enjoying the evening, anchored in a small cove…

  it was a great hike and a beautiful evening..

this is a pic from the campground..  While we were working earlier in the week,  I paused to remind myself of what a beautiful setting we happened to be living in..

The 10th of August already??

 this is Sunny ,  our cat..  you can see that  he has really gotten into this camping thing.. he wants to know when we are going to make Smores again..  the answer is  tonight 🙂    The truth is, we are all wondering how it is that summer is passing us by so quickly.   But we are so spoiled!   We just talked to a couple who drove 1500 miles from Wisconsin.   They arrived this afternoon ( Monday)  and only have till Thursday  before they need to head back home.  So many things to explore with such a small window of opportunity…

So much has happened over the past week.. and we have met so many interesting people.. this is the best part of this job!  I am at the gathering place where we often visit in the morning before work begins or before we head out on one adventure or another..     in addition to being a cool place to simply hang out, it is especially popular in the morning when coffee, tea and wonderful baked goods are available..  and in the evening when ice cream is on everyone’s minds..

we packed out days off last week with all kinds of activity..  the first trail that we tackled was  Beechcroft  which enabled us to reach the summit of Champlain Mt.    It is a great trail right by the nature center.. just a little bit of scrambling at the top.. the view is totally worth it..     this is looking back after the beginning of the ascent..   The Tarn is pictured , at the base of Dorr mt.

looking up the trail..  lots of steps ..

getting closer to the top!

a very cool cloud from the top of the mountain..  we enjoyed our lunch on the summit and then  we took the south ridge trail down to the basin ( back side of the beehive)  and then to Sand Beach where we picked up the bus which took us back to the visitor center.. from there we jumped on the bus that took us to the village green and then hopped on the southwest harbor bus which brought us right back to the campground..   quite the adventure!

Thursday was a cycling day.. but a rather special one.   I got a call from Bill Thomas,  a pen pal whom we met once at the Maine Boat Builder’s show a couple of years ago..  he was in the area and wondered about riding the park loop road..  we met at the Visitor Center.  Janet opted for a ride on the carriage trails and Bill and I set out on the loop road, fully aware that it was going to be quite busy..    and it was, the section from the entrance station through Otter Point was packed…  so we were riding slowly along when Bill spied a VW camper bus with a special awning .. we stopped and struck up a conversation.. Bill talked to the dad about the awning while I talked with the mom and kids about camping and baking and all sorts of cool stuff..  after about 20 min. and a few up close pics of the awning,  we bid them farewell and continued on our trek..   we stopped for lunch along the way..  enjoyed lots of conversation..   it was a social ride, neither of us was interested in pushing too hard..  Bill brought me back to the campground and the three of us sat at the picnic table and chatted for a while before he had to head back to Brooklyn where his wife was teaching a class at Wooden Boat.. Bill is a boat builder and also teaches classes there..

 we had enough energy Thursday evening to go the the  weekly lecture at the Claremont Hotel in Southwest Harbor..   this is the boat house which is situated behind the hotel.. a grand structure from the late 1800’s… the title of the lecture was ” An informal History of the Photography of Mount Desert Island ”  by Earl Shettleworth.. the same historian whom we heard at  the Maritime Museum in Searsport earlier this summer..    totally interesting!

Friday..  we hit the  Giants Slide trail..   the closest trail head to the campground..  it is slightly deceiving because the first part of the tail is rather flat  ..  pretty, but  not too physically challenging..  and then we hit the ravine..  wow..  lots of scrambling..  and some problem solving..

 a very cool trail which we highly recommend..   it leads to the summit on Sargent Mt.. with great views!

from Sargent Mt. we followed the Grand Gent trail to Glimore and then headed back to the Giants Slide which brought us back to our car..   we met two families with young kids who happened to be staying at the campground..  they were loving the experience..

Friday night we went to the play “Sylvia”  at the Acadia Repertory Theater.. just around the corner in Somesville..   it was a funny play about a middle aged  guy who brings a stray dog home..  the dog becomes an issue between the fellow and his wife..   lots of laughs.. and well done..   I asked if it was ok to take a pic of the set, and found that the stage manager attended high school at Wyoming Area HS.. just up route 11 from where I used to teach!    Saturday found us back at work at the camp.. over 100 sites needed to be cleaned.. one of the busiest days of the summer..  thankfully, there were 3 couples on duty!    After work we cleaned ourselves up  and headed into Bar Harbor..   we treated ourselves to dinner..  and then went to the art show where the folks camping in the site next to ours were displaying their work..  we admired their talent and chatted for a while and then headed to the main event for the night..  a performance of   Mozart’s  Solemn Vespers and Requiem..  we had intended to participate in this concert  but soon realized after arriving in June that we did not want to be tied down with 3 hour rehearsals..   We ended up bowing out before they even began and donated our registration fees to the cause.. in return, we got two very good tickets for the concert..  2nd row.. right in front of the soloists!    It was a wonderful evening..  so well done..  inspiring..

Yesterday we had dinner with our neighbors and co-workers..   interrupted briefly by a maintenance call which Art and I handled..  finished up with vanilla ice cream topped with Art’s blue berry sauce..    It was a beautiful day to work today..   and now just once more day before out next three day adventure ..    life is good in Maine 🙂

There has to be some sort of trade-off…

I have posted some very favorable thoughts about how we are spending our days off.. but what about work?   Well,  we did find that it rains in Maine..  in fact,  two of the past four days it poured, but that is really not such a big deal.   we are working at what is most certainly the most beautiful campground that we have ever visited, and many of the campers here have made the same claim.     this is a view from one of the camp sites across from where we are living for the summer.   The typical work day is broken into three segments ..  a project like building a picnic table in the morning ( just mention the word “build”  and I am super excited..)  gets us started.  Then we move on to cleaning sites and getting them prepped for new campers, and finally, after lunch, we tackle the bathrooms – making them clean and inviting.   Usually, by 2:30 the day is over, although sometimes, like today, we spend some additional time finishing up our chores.   Today, happened to be a rainy day, and we were replacing the deck on one of the tent platforms.   It was damp when we began putting the new deck down.  When the job was about half way complete, it began to rain, and soon after, it began to rain in earnest!   I chuckled and remarked to my co-worker ” When I told my students that I was retiring at the end of the school year and moving to Maine to work at a campground, I had no idea that it was going to be this much fun!”    I am not sure if my humor registered with him,  but we got the job done – a warm cup of tea at lunch time and a quick change into dry clothes made all the difference as we tackled the final tasks of the day.  Perhaps the fact that we have the next 3 days off and the weather prediction for those three days is quite nice made the whole experience that much more tolerable.  But, the truth is, we already feel invested in not only the job but also the campground community – what a great place to be at this point in our lives 🙂

What do we do with 3 days off??

So what is there to do on Mount Desert Island when we have 3 days off ?  Plenty!!  The first day we rode our bikes into Bar Harbor..  walked along the shore path.. then walked over to Bar Island during low tide.. enjoyed our lunch at the top of the trail.. looking over at town… and then  scrambled back before the tide came in a covered the path!   On the way back to the campground, I decided to give the road up to Cadillac Mtn.   I was prepared to turn back before reaching the summit, but I took my time and  ended up reaching the top..  great views..  and a wonderful and somewhat exciting decent..   But, the car in front of me decided that the posted 25 mph speed limit was for real, so  I had to brake a lot more than I was hoping to do 🙂  .. slept very well that night!

the next day we were joined by  friends from New Hampshire on a ride around the loop road.. 18 miles of up and down…. with a few breaks to enjoy the sights.. what a beautiful day for a ride!    slept well that night too 🙂    And the third day,  along with our friends, we hiked the north ridge trail to the top of Cadillac Mtn..    and enjoyed our lunch on the summit..  we were pretty beat at the end of three days off!  Getting back to work was  just the thing we needed to slow us down a bit..  but we enjoyed smores each night with our friends who just left this morning..   tomorrow is the beginning of our next three day stretch for fun and adventure..  so far this early retirement thing is working out just fine – I highly recommend it 🙂