Mini vacations in Maine, Whaleback Lighthouse in Kittery ME.

Maine is a big state. But when you live here full time, exploring every nook and cranny happens. Return trips to parts of Maine that hit you deep inside are common.

whaleback lighthouse
Metal Extension Is No Longer On Whaleback Lighthouse, Kittery Maine

This blog post about a weekend getaway heading from Houlton Maine south on I-95 to visit a new granddaughter, a tad older grandson in the Boston MA area.

The travel distance, how far away in Maine is everything? This time of year it depends on the weather forecast on actual travel times for safety sake, not just the mileage.

If you have followed the Me In Maine blog, lighthouses are always a stable to cover.

The state tourism folks say there are 65 lighthouses in Maine. I always thought the number was 68 Maine lighthouses. Somehow Whaleback Lighthouse in Kittery ME escaped coverage. Once you start collecting them for photo and video capture, you realize one thing.

Some are easy peasy or very hard to access in the collection of Maine lighthouses.

Not the prettiest of lighthouses in Maine, Whaleback is made of granite blocks.

I think West Quoddy lighthouse in Lubec with the red stripes is the most attractive. Whaleback Lighthouse is at the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor. Started in 1829 and finished the next year, Whaleback Lighthouse set Uncle Sam back $21,000.

Then over two years starting in 1870, a new better built version of Whaleback lighthouse was constructed.

The Maine lighthouse had a cast iron fog signal attached seen in the black and white image. The metal addition did not improve her looks but with lighthouses in Maine, the purpose in communications is far more important than glamour.

The original lighthouse had poor construction but also is in a location hammered by the ocean waves at the mouth of Portsmouth Harbor. Probably could use a breakwater to help buffer the pressure from wind, water, ice.

Some Maine lighthouses are far far out to sea.

You need a Maine lobster boat or ferry ride to access. Or they are on an island close to the mainland parked at the harbor entrance but facing the Atlantic Ocean. From the shore these lighthouses not visible from shore. This is like the location of the lighthouse in Cutler Maine, Little River lighthouse.

Whaleback lighthouse is just off shore and Portland head light has just as convenient drive to easy access where to put your car.

Just park it and enjoy your walk around the trails. The areas of both Whaleback and Portland head light utilized as former forts to defend the Maine coastal regions from intruder attack. Used as observation points. To detect any possible hostile enemy force floating in hoping to be undetected from the seaward approach.

Whaleback lighthouse is just off shore from Fort Foster, at the mouth of the Piscataqua River.

maine trip to boston
Crossing In Or Out Of Maine. It’s Always Nice To Be Back In Maine.

Portland Headlight, which is actually in Scarborough Maine is part of Fort William.

Whaleback Lighthouse is the state’s most southern location and barely in Maine. The big iron extension of

whaleback lighthouse maine
Prettiest Maine Lighthouse? No. But The Southern Most Location In Kittery ME!

Whaleback lighthouse is gone.

The Whaleback Lighthouse Observatory needs work and is next door.

The two structures are about third of a mile average distance off shore.

Not far from where Maine and New Hampshire state line happens in the dotted line the big green bridge highway traffic crosses high overhead.

More about what it was like being a lighthouse keeper at Whaleback during storms and living in a poorly built original structure.

Can you imagine the lonely but important life signalling dangers in all kinds of Maine weather living in a lighthouse? With only ledge rocks and pounding waves rocking your small tight quarters and supplying all that ice cold sea spray.

You have to be able to entertain yourself with a good book or strive to be a writer, a painter.

To capture the experience off the coast of Maine calling a lighthouse home sweet home. The lighthouses with some patch of dirt surrounding them were often farmed.

Your own farm fresh local eggs, small animals and a modest harvest from the lighthouse garden soil.

Can you imagine life as a Maine lighthouse keeper? One lighthouse keeper I read about bought a piano for his wife’s entertainment. But only one sheet of music could defeat the purpose and cause emotions to rise in the solitude and a single tune over and over. Could too much peace and quiet most of the time challenge your sanity?

The lighthouse dweller the ultimate social distance keeper.

whaleback lighthouse kittery maine
Whaleback Lighthouse Kittery Maine

Here is a video of Whaleback Lighthouse and the observatory next door.

The mini vacations in Maine, this one had lots of highlights tackled in a short period of time.

Seeing a new granddaughter and her brother, visiting with the parents in Boston was fun. So was spending the night in the Old Port at the Regency.

Meg and I have stayed at the Portland Harbor Hotel. 

Walked the cobble stone streets to different Old Port places to eat on each visit. Last winter, on the same trek to Boston to see family, a stop in the Old Port happened.

Cobble Stones Old Port Maine
The Sound Of Food Traffic And Vehicles On Old Port’s Cobble Stone Roadways. Hear, Feel The Rumble?

But for more Me In Maine blogging material not the same staying, eating in the Old Port section of Portland experience.

Have to keep it new and different for your folks on the other end of the blogging signal connection right?

Fore Street Restaurant Old Port Maine
Fresh Farm To Table Locally Sourced Meals Prepared At The Fore Street Restaurant In The Old Port, Portland Maine.

The meal Friday night on the mini-vacation in Maine instate getaway was at Fore Street Restaurant in the Old Port.

Fore Street Restaurant Old Port Maine
Perfect Blend Of Atmosphere, Friendly Staff And Farm & Sea Fresh Meal Ingredients At Fore Street Restaurant, Old Port Maine Place To Dine.
Fore Street Restaurant Old Port Maine
Old Port Maine Dining Experience At The Fore Street Restaurant.
Old Port Dining Fore Street Restaurant
Top Notch And Like Many Old Port Dining Option, First Class Food, Staff, Location.

After the Whaleback Lighthouse walk around the “fort”, a drive through the twisting, winding Kittery Maine roadways to catch some of the local scenery.

Kittery Maine
Kittery Maine, Can You Imagine Living In The State’s Southern Most Community Point?

Taking you along as readers, followers of Me In Maine blog posts.

whaleback lighthouse kittery maine
Along The Coast Of Maine, Maine’s Southern Most Lighthouse Visit.

Feel so so lucky to live in Maine and to share what it is like in Vacationland. Down and back leaving Friday afternoon and returning Sunday night on this mini vacation in Maine.

Beat feeting it to avoid icy driving conditions along I-95 heading north up into Maine on the way back home.

south end of maine bridge
Fort Kent Maine Is As Far North As You Can Go. On The Other End Of Maine, One Tall Wide State.

Getting another daughter all settled in for another semester at Husson College one extra to do list item on the way home.

In Bangor the freezing rain was just starting but Meg and I were able to drive out of it. Cloudy but no ice, warmer temperatures and no snow once we hit Lincoln Maine on the journey back into “Aroostook County”, the Crown of Maine.

Stay tuned. More lighthouses in Maine to explore and other popular and lesser know tourist suggestions to come.

I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker

207.532.6573 |  info@mooersrealty.com  |  MOOERS REALTY 69 North ST Houlton ME 04730 USA