August 24: Lighthouses and Lakes

Despite having our cellphones on Airplane mode, we still managed to pick up signals from New Brunswick.  Knowing that they are one hour ahead of the time folks in Maine experience, we found ourselves getting up an hour early and not really knowing it. 

Our mission had to been to be the first.  The first at what? Well, seeing the sun rise.  Of course, we can’t be the first people to ever see the sun peer over the eastern horizon but we can be the first in the continental United States to see it on any given day.  The place? Quoddy Head State Park, home of the Quoddy Head Lighthouse.

The State Park also has another claim to fame beyond the lighthouse – some sources cite it as one of the foggiest places in the country.  Some info has it fogged in basically one day out of every five.

So where does that put us?  Natalie, myself and six others were there at sunrise and where the first to see….nothing. Yup.  We were there on that one day in five.

Returning to Lubec for breakfast, we lost the opportunity to visit RooseveltCampobello International Park. Franklin Roosevelt, before he was President would come to the island as a summer retreat.  After being stricken with polio, he never returned but his wife did. Now a part of an International Park on what technically New Brunswick soil, one needs their papers in order for the visit.  Oops.  Somebody left their passport at home. I don’t want to point fingers, but it was somebody who looks a lot like…….me…….

A short way north of Lubec sits the Moosehorn National WildlifeRefuge.  A short drive and some short hiking was pretty low key and uneventful though we certainly gained an appreciation for their extensive American Woodcock studies. 

After a brief lunch stop in the little town of Calais (pronounced like “callous”), we were looking for a change-up.  Persistent heat and coastal fog was getting old and Natalie was jonesing for a canoe option.  Before long, we ditched our plan to head to Baxter State Park and we had set a course for Moosehead Lake, the single largest lake in Maine and one of the largest in the eastern United States. 

Camping was secured at Lily Bay State Park.  Despite being walk-ins, we managed to secure the second best campsite in the park – we were right on the water. Awesome.

For the first time in a while, the skies were mostly clear at sunset but stargazing was ruined by the moon. For those of you who don’t know, it’s just too bright and generally wrecks the skies. Moonless, clear skies are the best.

Periodically through the night, loons were calling from the lake.  Nat claimed a Barred Owl but I think it was the guy snoring in his tent 50 yards away. Yes, he was that loud.