Acadia National Park

We were extremely fortunate to get a campsite for the night since we had no reservation.  Acadia National Park is a prime destination for the entire eastern seaboard, particularly between July 4^th and late August.  Many of the folks that we have encountered on this trip have told us that this area is a “must see,” so see, we must!

The area was originally called Desert Island and became a national park in 1919.  Known for its mountains and rugged coastline, Acadia is a lovely destination.  In some areas, waves crash to the craggy shoreline while quiet inlets offer kayakers and boaters more tranquil places to explore.

Lobster prices have plummeted on the island.  We have had lobster picnics on the Seawall every day since our arrival.  Both Beal’s Lobster Pier and Sawyer’s Lobster Pound have been fantastic.  Sawyer’s offers whole, cooked 1-lb lobster at $4.50 each every day between 2:30 and 4:30.  Needless to say, we have enjoyed every mouthful!

Beal's Lobster Pier

We hiked the Ship Harbor trail during low tide on Saturday, with the promise of many tidal pools.  We found the pools full of a different kind of life… no sea stars or urchins… but lots of sea plants, snails, and clam-like creatures.  We also made a huge mistake, allowing Roxanne to have her first dip in the ocean.  We chose poorly… she bounded into a stagnant pool.  By the time we reached the campground, she stank so badly that we had to give her a bath.

Ship Harbor

On Sunday, we changed from the large rig section of the campground to a more primitive area.  Because of the crowds, we had to wait in the "first come, first serve" line, beginning at 7 am.  Thankfully, we were able to obtain a new site by 9:30 am.  Although it took us over two hours to obtain the new campsite, we met several new friends, including a man who had spent his childhood here and gave us many fascinating details about the area. 

We also learned about a place that was just up the road with free internet service, coffee, and popovers.  Of course, we took advantage of the opportunity and discovered Common Good at the old Seawall Motel.  Common Good is a grassroots effort begun in 2009 by Chef Bill Morrison.  Recognizing the need, he began taking his soups and salads to the elderly and others.  As the effort grew, others came alongside Morrison and began the Common Good Soup Kitchen.  The Seawall Motel offered their dining facilities to serve the growing numbers of needy.  Since 2009 Common Good has served approximately 8,000 patrons and over 25,000 bowls of soup during the hard winter months when jobs are few and the need is greatest.

To support their soup kitchen, the group offers free internet access, freshly baked popovers, and coffee to summer island visitors.  Open seven days a week from 7:30 to 11:30 am, they ask only for donations, and to date, those donations have provided sufficient funding to support their winter needs.  As their reach expands, however, they are running on a shoestring budget.  For more information, we invite you to visit their website at www.commongoodsoupkitchen.org.

The weathermen promised that Sunday's fog would lift by noon.  They were wrong.  We spent the entire day engulfed in a cloud.  We traversed the south side of the island and hiked the Wonderland trail, a lovely hike terminating on a rocky shore.

Fog at Wonderland

David and Rox on the Wonderland shoreline.

We returned to camp and set up at our new site.  We were surprised to discover that it is next to a small cemetery for the Doliver family.  The etched headstones are very old and difficult to read.  The majority of the family appears to have been buried in the late 1860s.  David and I discussed what life would have been like here in the 1860… it is a fascinating tribute to the history of the island.

Campsite A16 in the Seawall Campground, Acadia National Park

Doliver Family Cemetery, Acadia National Park

John Dolliver's headstone from 1861

 We awoke Monday morning to bright sunshine.  After a stop at Common Goods, we took the park loop around the island.  We traveled up to Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the eastern seaboard.  While it was too crowded at the top to find a parking spot, we found a pull off nearby.  Roxanne enjoyed a brief Golden Retriever convention while I took photos of the beautiful vistas. 

David and Rox on Cadillac Mountain

Golden Retriever Convention

View of Bar Harbor from Cadillac Mountain 

From there, we visited the Bass Harbor lighthouse.  And finally, after another lobster picnic on the seawall, we returned to camp.

Bass Harbor Lighthouse

We have found Acadia to be intriguing. It offers hiking, biking, and boating.  After so many years of human habitation, however, there are few animals left on the island.   We met a couple that had been camping here for the past ten days.  The gentleman told us that it has taken him this long to figure out what Acadia is about.  Avid birders, they had hoped to find a multitude of different birds, much like I had hoped to find tidal pools as vivid as those on the Washington’s Olympic peninsula.  Neither of us found what we were searching for.  He told us that he had finally figured out that Acadia was all about the views.  Most folks come here simply to enjoy the beauty, relax, and partake of the fabulous seafood.

Acadia National Park

So after enjoying what this lovely area has to offer, tomorrow we break camp to head farther east, hoping to enter Canada in the next day or so… we’ll keep you posted!

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