MONHEGAN ISLAND

What do you do with an extra Tuesday???  After all, it is "two-s-day"

Head out to Monhean Island….of course.

It was a beautiful day.  The week was warming up nicely and the seastate was calm, so you gotta be on the water!!!!

We took the Balmy Days out of Boothbay Harbor for the 90 minute, ten mile trip through the Bay of Maine.  The trip out was beautiful and we were able to view several new lighthouses as well as a better view of the RAM Light that we had seen from the coast a few days ago.

Burndt Island Lighthouse which was erected in 1821. 

It has its own ghost story … the Kelly family were the Coast Guard keepers in 1971. One night, out of the blue, they were awakened by creaking from inside the house and a voice shouding “KELLY”.  They searched and found no one and no boats in sight.  They decided it was the “ghost of the lighthouse”.  The next time the “haunting” happened, they pulled the covers over their heads and ignored it.

Got a better view of Ram Light.  I originally took a picture from Boothbay Harbor but the boat got a lot closer. 

On our way back to Boothbay, we saw a beautiful sailboat passing behind the Ram Island Light.

COCKHOLDS LIGHTHOUSE

Way off in the distance was Cuckolds Lighthouse.  

Coast Guardsman Kelly Farrin lived with his wife at the Cuckolds for two years, 1969-1970. He later wrote of life on a lighthouse island:

The Cuckolds was about a mile or so offshore and was exposed to the open ocean. The waves washed on the shore relentlessly and were never silent. I measured the island with a tape measure and calculated it to be roughly 520 feet in circumference at the high water mark.

Life on the island was pretty much a routine of standing watches and cleaning and painting any non-moveable items on the island. The Cuckolds was a family light with two families assigned, and the personnel stationed there got two days a month shore leave. Occasionally the women and even the men could leave the island, but the men always had to be there at night. There were often weeks at a time when the water around the island was so rough that we couldn't leave at all. Because we seldom got off the island, we always needed at least a month's worth of food and other supplies.

They say lighthouses are romantic, but I do know that this one had quite a reputation concerning the divorce rate. I would say it takes a sturdy relationship to endure that much togetherness. “

On the ride, Billy snuggled on our feet and barked at any dogs who came within three feet of him!  

On board was a beautiful yellow lab who was destined to be trained as a seeing eye dog.  He is 18 months old and in the initial part of his socialization training.  This boat ride was the last of it before he goes “off to school” to either become an assist to a sightless individual or work with autistic children.  Isn’t he sweet??

Got to the island around 11:00 and to hike around the trails to the lighthouse.  These homes are so beautiful and the settings are breathtaking.

Even hanging laundry is charming on this island.

Monhegan Island is a small, rocky island ten miles from Boothbay Harbor.  It was known to Native Americans as a prime fishing area and today you can see that many of  the villagers make their living from the sea.  

During the summer, the “summer people” boosting the population from 44 to several hundred.  It is the most picturesque place we visited in Maine. 

It was visited by Captain John Smith in 1614 and pilgrims from Plymouth Plantation in 1621 buying food for their turkey dinners from the natives. From the late 1880’s the island was the adopted summer studios for artists such as Robert Henri, Rockwell Kent, Winslow Homer and Jamie Wyeth.   

Jamie Wyeth's cottage.  His huge sailing yacht is in the harbor.    So much for the "starving artists".

The 150’ cliffs at Blackhead are popular images among Monhegan artists.

Interestingly, in early 1900’s Thomas Edison visited the island and in 1954 his son Ted Edison acquired the land to form a land trust preserve.   Above the rocky headlands, Ted Edison found that the land above the cliffs was going to be subdivided into 50 quarter acre lots!  He purchased the lots over time and acquired other tracts and donated everything to the Monhegan Associates.  Not a total of 480 acres is managed by the Monhegan Associates.

For hundred years this island has been a summer haven for artists and other visitors who appreciate the isolation wilderness areas and quiet relaxed atmosphere.

Hiked up to the top of the hill to the lighthouse.  

Then back down in search of something to eat.  Ended up getting ice cream.

Around 2:00 we boarded the ferry for a ride around the island.  To really appreciate the Maine coast, it is best seen from the water.   

We came upon one of the numerous rock islands and sitting on the top was a bald Eagle.  What a sight.   Even from a distance you could see this bird sitting so majestically. 

It was a beautiful ride back to Boothbay and a perfect ending to our “four days” in Maine. 

Back to our “second Tuesday”.  Upon arrival back at the MH, there was a note pasted to the door saying “Check out is at 11:00.  If you are planning to stay, please come up to the office.”

At first I didn’t understand because we paid for four nights and this was our “fourth” night before heading to NH and then back to Vermont.   I pulled the calendar. 

Hah!  It’s Wedesday…..when did that happen????   

I quickly went up to the office and paid for an additional night; got on the phone to Danforth Bay to let them know we weren’t arriving tonight and called our friends to let them know we wouldn’t be there for dinner.  

For a type “A” individual … that’s scary!!!!

Oh well.  We headed down to the docks for a delicious last meal at Dockside and came back, packed up and got ready to pull out on Thursday (which is really Wednesday in my mind).

September 13 … arrived Danforth Bay in Freedom, NH.  Our neighbors, Steve and Peggy, are spending the summer here so we caught up with them for the evening.  Peggy served the dinner we were supposed to have last night.    This is a beautiful RV resort that has everything you could possibly need except “exit” signs.  Got sooooo turned around!

September 14 .. we’re off to Mt Ascutney to finish up the month.  There are sports car races this weekend up the mountain so want to arrive before the cars start pouring in.  Should be an interesting weekend!

I’m glad we spent five days in Boothbay, they were well spent!