The quest to collect Maine lighthouses one by one. Your Me In Maine Blog author has the addiction.
Slowly tracking, hunting down sometimes in groups of three or four Maine lighthouses. For the low hanging fruit, easy ones to drive to and hop out of the Jeep.
Some Maine lighthouses a little more tedious. Parked far out to sea, in lonely solitude. Like some crossword puzzles, a tad more difficult. Challenging to tackle some from every direction. Like some people, to get to know up close and personal. Needle in the haystack difficult to locate with uppity weather. Limited mode of transportation options to and fro logistics. Causing extra helpings of patience development. But making the eye candy “fruit” sweeter when the elusive ones get caught. Shot, printed out in 8×10 for the wall series. Or optimized, an embed in the Maine blog post like above.
Take the lighthouse protecting Cutler Harbor Maine that on the map looks like an easy bag and tag for the collection.
Just when you get to Maine small town harbor boat launch, you realize the Little Island Southeast, seaward lighthouse location is just out of view from the village. And access from the side main land bird’s eye view approach is private landowners. Not accessible by roadway. My helicopter is in the shop, being serviced. So dig out the sea kayak. Or charter a Cutler Harbor lobster boat to hitch hike. Tag along on a hoist and pull in the lobster, denisen of the deep, wooden slat pot run. Saved for another day’s adventure due to a little more production lead in dog and pony requiring a bigger block of leisure time. Dusk comes too early on a day of four Maine lighthouse collecting which is a very good productive day.
So coming back from Ogunquit Beach this past weekend, on the roster to resume collecting, first up was Squirrel Point lighthouse. Located on Arrowsic Island on the coast of Maine.
You drive to Bath and east to Woolwich, Maine. Head due south on Rt 127. Turn right on the Bald Head Road. At the end turn around, hung the side of the cul de sac. Park. Go tramping.
Head south west on foot hiking thru rock walls on each side. Crossing a foot bridge as you begin to smell the Maine sea air. Hear the watercraft, a variety of birds. See large herons, other water foul. And know after a ten minute walk through a corduroy ribbed path of gnarly tree roots, a forest floor of pine, fir, oak tree leaves, here it comes. You arrive under your own power. As the vacant Squirrel Point Lighthouse complex of buildings comes into view.
No one’s home which is usually the case with the help yourself Maine lighthouse discovery visit. But stay on the trail. The tread lightly philosophy applies like most Maine habitats. It is a privilege, not a right. Nothing left behind, disturbed on your outing. As you see Maine wild blueberries. Sumac trees creating a sea of large, long raspberry red or chocolate covered banana looking detail to the hiking experience mental canvas. On the winding, sometimes with a wooded walk way in spots to this red lens Maine lighthouse. The same color as Bass Harbor Head lighthouse but not just the lens is red. The exterior glass is too.
After Squirrel Point, motored the twist and turns to Georgetown Island, Southport Island to capture shots of Hendrick’s Headlight, The Cuckolds, Burnt Island and Ram Island Light.
Five in one long weekend day was fun, great exercise. Plus you meet neat people at the Maine beaches. Paddling sea kayaks, enjoying the surf, sand, scenery and sunshine.
But in winter, the Maine lighthouse photos, capture is an entirely different experience. You get a sense of what the Maine lighthouse keeper, his family felt during long days of not the best weather on the oceanfront. Or realize some lighthouses in Maine are on rivers, not open sea island. Will share the other lighthouses in Maine photo collection in future blog posts.
Maine, unfiltered, it’s your turn. Make your move.
I’m Maine REALTOR Andrew Mooers, ME Broker
207.532.6573
info@mooersrealty.com