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| Trunk Bay - St John, USVI |
(BTW – A summer bird is much like a snow bird, but the time of year and direction of the migration is opposite of a snow bird. Simply put, the heat and humidity of a Virginia summer drives one to flee to the cool days and nights of Maine.)
Saturday
Arising at o’ dark-thirty, we headed to DC to catch our flight to Portland, Maine. The 1 hour and 15-minute flight sure beat an 11-hour drive, and getting bumped up to first class was icing on the cake. The drive from Portland to Boothbay Harbor was full of beautiful sights, but we were surprised how little of the trees were wearing their autumn colors. We arrived at Ken and Julie’s cottage nestled on a hill above Boothbay Harbor. The air was crisp and Ken had lunch waiting. Welcome to Maine!
After lunch at the cottage, we walked down to Julie’s Pottery Shop in downtown Boothbay Harbor.
She was hard at work crafting what I would term as functional art. The process is truly amazing from raw material to final product. The beauty of each piece may make one nervous to use these clay objects, but they are 100% functional. My absolute favorite is Julie’s French Butter Dish.
Janet and I stretched our legs by taking a walk downtown to explore the harbor area. Ah… the smell of the sea is the essence of relaxation. The sounds of birds and clanging harbor noises as we strolled brought upon us a quiescence rarely achieved. The past weeks fell away from our thoughts as the experiences and adventures that lay ahead stimulated our imaginations.
Darkness came quick and we headed out for dinner. So, what does one eat in Maine? Why lobster of course! I cleaned my plate of all the meat that could be found in the sizeable crustacean. I never have had a lobster which was cooked on a grill. I can say it was some kind of good!
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| I should add that the liquid in the glass is Sancerre! |
We returned to the cottage after our New England dinner, and sleep followed quickly thereafter. However, Janet being slightly allergic to cats, had a discussion with Milo the cat on who was sleeping where for the night.
They came to an agreement, both finding their happy place, and we all drifted off to dream land.
Today is officially Janet’s birthday! The plan of the day called for an adventure. The four of us took a charter boat from Boothbay Harbor to Monhegan Island. Monhegan is a small rock about 12 miles from Boothbay Harbor. Much like Tangier Island off the Virginia/Maryland coast, there are very few inhabitants – 69 to be exact. The island is a National Natural Landmark, so there are strict rules of what can and cannot be done on one’s visit to this island. However, one thing Monhegan does have and day trippers are encouraged to use are hiking trails. Visitors can explore the island on these well marked paths that crisscross and circumnavigate the island.
Our journey to Monhegan was uneventful as we floated across smooth waters. Everyone had a sharp eye out for passing whales, but none were seen.
Along our journey we saw:
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| The School |
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| The Volunteer Fire Department |
And then we followed the trail through a beautiful forest that filled our nostrils with the smell of Christmas. We were thankful that all the trails were clearly marked, but we did encounter a few head scratching moments deciding which way to go.
After hiking for a while we popped out on the edge of the sea. The view was spectacular!
Departing Monhegan after a late lunch, we began steaming back to Boothbay Harbor.
The winds had picked up as had the seas in the Gulf of Maine. The spray and chill in the air drove us below in the cabin as we rocked to-and-fro across the water.
Upon entering Boothbay, we returned to the upper deck to take in the sights of this beautiful village once again.
The evening ended with a wonderful dinner at Ports of Italy restaurant. A restaurant with an excellent wine list, great service, and food that is imaginative and well prepared. This is my kind of place!
Janet’s big day had come to an end and I think we embraced one of Peter Pan's famous quotes, “To live will be an awfully big adventure”. Tomorrow our adventure continues as we head for Canada.
Monday
Early Monday morning we were up and up and about. Great coffee and pastries were enjoyed as we said our farewells to Ken and Julie. We would return to Boothbay Harbor on Friday before our flight home, but today we would steer North. A 4 plus hour drive, which seemed much longer was ahead us.
Monday was kind of a lost day, but a very enjoyable one. The iPod playlist kept us entertained as we weaved our way across the state of Maine. Never getting on a main highway (no pun intended) until 20 miles from the Canadian border. The further north we went the lack of foliage colors amazed us. I would put it at about 10%, and we were hoping for the peak of change. Oh well, the music and the scenery were lovely as we explored the countryside totally astonished at the number of lakes.
Arriving at the border, we were greeted by a border guard who was polite, thorough, and efficient. She asked the standard questions in such a way that it made you think on how to answer. With a scan of our passports and lovely smile she welcomed us to Canada. We put our passports away and off and we merged on to Canada Highway 1. Lo behold one of our first encounters with a vehicle caused Janet to tense for a moment. Looking at tourist literature she looked up to be greeted by a truck. It was a little disconcerting.
OFF RAMP: The roads in Canada are well maintained, well-marked, and a pleasure for the driver. I found this to be the case no matter if I was on a highway, country road, or city street. A vast difference of what one experiences to the south.
We looked at the clock on the dashboard and we had been on the road approaching 6 hours! We were still an hour away from our destination, Saint John. Yes, we had stopped a couple times, but not for long. We exited off the highway into the town of Saint George (Lots of saints in Canada) to grab local maps and points of interest pamphlets. Janet and I have always had our best trips when planning is minimal and achievable goals are set. The Saint George information station was one of those great finds. Nicest guy you ever would want to meet. He runs Granite Town Farms - Wild Gift Shoppe, which sells fruit, pottery, and chainsaws. They provide tourist information for those who follow the ? signs to his location. He answered all of questions and recommended a short detour on our way back out to the highway.
Saint George Gorge Falls sends water on a 70 feet free fall. The energy generated by the water has been captured since the early 1800s for everything from a Pulp Mill to providing electricity. We stood on a single lane bridge down river and could feel the power. The sight was mesmerizing and Very Cool!
Back on the road headed to Saint John, I had an epiphany! We are no longer in Eastern Standard Time – We are in Atlantic Standard Time. Just like we are when we go to St John, USVI! And it was about that time we saw the big sign…
We made it! A 5 ½ hour drive that took 6 ½ hours because of the time change.
History Break - (Skip if you like) Usually not taught in US history class is that at the time of our revolution there were very few that supported the separation from England. Estimates have a little over 20% of the population were loyal to King George, and something less than that favored independence. That left most somewhere in between, which is a polite way of saying follow the money. Most Americans sold their wares, foods, or services to the Patriots or the Loyalist – Only thing that mattered was who was paying the bill. In the end it is estimated around 80,000 Loyalist moved to Canada during and after the war. Many ended up in the Saint John area. Two small towns, which were dominated by ex-Americans, on both sides of the Saint John River joined together in 1785 to what is now known as the city of Saint John. If stuff like this interest you read the back story on William Franklin, Ben’s Son. Now there was a loyalist.
It was late in the afternoon, so we walked the streets exploring the waterfront, the alleys and a wine shop. The entire downtown (which I think they call uptown) was destroyed by fire in 1877. The fire destroyed 1600 buildings and houses. The city was like the Phoenix and raised itself out of the ashes, but this time almost every structure is brick. On our walk we noticed street statues made of wood. I found it a good place to sit for a moment and ponder retirement.
As for retirement, I came to the conclusion I could sit on a park bench with these folks when the weather is nice. As for wine, I further concluded that it was not a prime beverage of our northern neighbors. The selection was limited at best and fine wine almost nil.
We closed the day with a traditional meal at the Cask and Kettle Irish Gastro Pub.
Janet went with the Shepherd's Pie (Local Lamb / Root Vegetables / Peas / Corn / Lamb Gravy / Roasted Garlic Parmesan Yukon Gold Mashed Potato “Crust” / Irish Soda Bread)
While I went with the Dublin Coddle (Guinness Braised Pork Sausage / Onion / Potato / Carrot / Bacon / Bacon Broth / Fresh Herbs / Irish Soda Bread)
No wine with these dishes - "May I have Guinness Draft Please" - The beer was much richer and creamery than I have ever had in the States. Family & Friends who have visited Ireland swear the draft Guinness is totally different on the other side of the pond. Well, I think some may have made it to Canada. This may be attributed to the fact that the Maritime region of Canada second wave of emigrants came from Ireland at the end of 1800s. One will see more than just a few red heads.
After a dinner like that, another walk was in order! Bedtime came early for we had lots of ground to cover the next day.
Tuesday
Today the plans for us were to chase the famous Bay Fundy tides. In the far north of the bay tide changes can be up to 55 feet. Yep, you read it right 55 ft!
The objective was to visit three of nature’s treasurers. The Reversing Falls in Saint John; the Sea Caves of Saint Martins, and Fundy National Park. Sounds like we are back in the Caribbean, and we even saw signs to Saint Thomas and St Croix. Although it was unusually warm weather we experienced there was no doubt we were in Canada. Any doubt was confirmed by touching the sea.
Reversing Falls
The St John River and the Bay Fundy meet just west of the town center. The phenomenal tide change actually reverses the river flow at a high tide. Whirlpools swirl, and the tide line is visual even to the casual observer as the river water turns around and heads back to where it came from. Then 6 ½ hours later the water begins rushing back to Bay. When this occurs the roar of the falls can be heard as it makes its way back to the sea. These two moments are a natural wonder.
The tide change here is about 25 feet daily. A gentleman from Virginia, who grew up in Saint John, has recently built a restaurant, tourist center, and a SKYWALK to enjoy the Reversing Falls. It is a great perch to watch this wonder of nature.
We both enjoyed the new observation facility, albeit Janet and I each had our favorite viewing location.
Of course, we had to get the required Skywalk picture. Please notice Tom’s feet are firmly planted on the steel and one hand on the rail, while Janet stands on the glass. Standing on a piece of glass hundreds of feet above a raging river - Saint Happin’ in Saint John for Tom.
With 6 ½ hours between tides we headed northeast to see the famous Sea Caves of Saint Martins and experience Fundy National Park. Almost any picture of the Maritime region of Canada includes pictures of these two magnificent locations. The ride, east by northeast, is only about 45 minutes from Saint John. However, the lure of covered bridges made us take the back roads in search of few of these structures.
As we passed through the town of Saint Martins proper, a sign screamed time to eat. Lobster roll it is for lunch. Honestly, we found them disappointing. Way too goopy, too little meat, on a hot dog roll is just not a culinary moment in our book.
Now if it was a freshly baked baguette cut in half that the soft warm bread had been carefully removed, with chunks of lobster in melted butter, sprinkled with chardonnay sea salt, and then mixed with the removed bread pieces and re-stuffed into the baguette that would be a lobster roll. Oh yeah, don’t forget a glass of Cakebread Chardonnay to wash it down.
Sea Caves of Saint Martins
By the time we finished lunch the tide shift had begun. The receding tide had left the caves visible. We walked carefully over the rocks and jumped a couple water pools to reach the caves. Somewhat in awe, we explored them and the exposed sea floor. It was only a few hours ago these caves were full of water and the boats were riding on the sea.
Back in the car we headed north to Fundy National Park. One immediately realizes that they have entered a very special place. The park truly is a National Treasure.
There are many hiking and biking trail options, but wanting to see as much as we could in our limited time the car was our main transportation. We did stop often to explore and stretch our legs and take in the beauty around us. The smells of Christmas and the roar water drew us to these wooden steps and the waterfall below.
We ended our adventure at Long Bay. Walking almost a ½ mile to edge of the sea we looked back amazed how far the water had receded.
This was our signal to head back to Saint John to return to where we started, the Reversing Falls. Lots of fresh air was had today!
At the Reversing Falls bar, we enjoyed a glass of wine and chatted about all we had seen this day. The bartender recommended Port City Royal for drinks and dinner. A great recommendation indeed! As the sun set, we went in search of the alley where this restaurant was located.
Hearing the blast of a horn from one of the cruise ships signaling its departure from Saint John, we went to watch. Without the assistance of tugs and using only thrusters, this mammoth vessel pushed off from the dock and did a 180-degree turn. Once again, another sight that was fascinating.
Dinner was excellent and the cocktails even better at Port City Royal. We walked back to our hotel chatting about all the wonderful things we saw and witnessed today.
Wednesday
The sun had only been awake for a few minutes, when I pulled back the curtains to greet the morning. Instead, what I saw was a sight every independent traveler fears. I hollered to Janet, “three cruise ships on the horizon”!
We quickly showered, dressed, and headed out for breakfast. We still had one Saint John landmark on our list to check off, and we were sure it would be a popular destination for the 8000-people getting ready to disembark.
Saint John City Market is the oldest market in Canada. One of the only buildings to survive the 1877 fire. The market day begins and ends with a ring of a bell. We entered the market not long after the morning ring. The fruits and vegetables looked great, and a wide array of fish from the sea were on display. There were also stalls with children’s clothes to photography for sale. As the crowds began to arrive, we escaped! Leaving Saint John and heading to Saint Andrews, which was about 45 minutes back towards Maine, our next adventure laid ahead.
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| How cool is that slide? |
We headed downtown Saint Andrews on a mission – Reserve a spot on a whale watching adventure. Guided by the hotel’s concierge we were in luck for a 10 AM departure tomorrow morning on the Quoddy Link.
By now our stomachs were growling. Breakfast in Saint John was long gone. Fish and chips at the Red Herring Pub proved to be some kind of good. And when enjoyed with a local Pilsner the combo was hard to beat. After lunch we walked the streets window shopping and exploring some of the more interesting shops. Saint Andrews is a beautiful town, and like Saint John, founded by loyalist who escaped our revolution.
Dinner that night, we chose the Europa Inn & Restaurant. The fair was mostly well known classical dishes with a German flair. The meal was very good, but once again the wine list was lacking. I had confirmed - When in Canada – Drink Beer.
The moon was our flashlight as we strolled slowly back to the Algonquin. Yes, another wonderful day in New Brunswick!
Thursday
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| “Call me Ishmael” |
Guess what today is!?!
It’s My Birthday!
What do you want to do on your birthday Tommy?
I want to see a whale!
In the morning, we returned to a small café across the street from the Europa. The eatery, Station on King Street, served a hardy breakfast! We had high hopes it would sustain us on our four-hour expedition in search of the mighty sea mammal. There would be no food or beverages on the Quoddy Link, except for hot chocolate and a cookie on our return voyage.
The time had come, and headed for the docks. Next to the boarding ramp there was a sign which gave us the tide swings for the day. The boat was full of whale seekers, hoping to catch a glimpse of one late in the season. It was time for all good whales to head south.
The sea was calm as we departed. Behind us, the Algonquin overlooking the city slowly faded from our view.
The crew passed on all sorts of great information during our transit about whales, the sea, and the many islands and rocks we passed. Everyone was vigilant as they scanned the seas. To be honest, whale watching can be pretty boring. I began to have flashbacks from my Coast Guard days of gazing out an aircraft window for hours, with only the slightest chance of finding something in the sea. But I remained attentive to the task at hand - the whale watch continued.
Standing on the port side scanning back and forth as I had been trained many moons ago in the Coast Guard I was loosing hope of a sighting. Then... There he was! – A water burst on the horizon! Like a child I screamed - Whale! I did not give a location in reference to a clock as instructed by the crew. I just pointed and screamed - Whale! That is when I realized I had missed my chance. I have always wanted to play lookout and holler, “Captain, there she blows!” - no I just screamed whale.
The Captain guided the Quoddy Link as close as he could to the whale, but stayed far enough way not to endanger or scare the huge creature. The guide told us the name of this whale was Chevron. Evidently, a humpback has distinctive marking on the underside of their tail. Not sure I bought that one, but when we returned back to port I google’d (GTS) it, and sure enough I found Chevron and his tail matched our pictures.
Janet had given me a whale sighting for my birthday. I will never figure out how she was able to arrange that present. She is very special, but you have to admit that was above and beyond. We watched Chevron dive 3 or 4 more times. He held his breath for 7 to 13 minutes, and then he would resurface in a new location. Each time we located him, the excitement was the same.
The skipper steered Quoddy Link towards Saint Andrews for the trip back. Along the way we experienced more wildlife. There were seals on the rocks, an eagle in a tree, and a Minke whale was also spotted. The Minke was nowhere as spectacular as his larger cousin, the humpback.
I am not a big trip advisor participant, nor do I do facebook, but the crew and the boat were everything one could ask for on a whale watching expedition. We enjoyed our hot chocolate and cookies as Saint Andrews came into view in the distance.
We also passed this lighthouse on the way. The unmanned light is the one I chose as the header of my trip report. What a great day, what else could be so much fun? We said our goodbyes and thanked the crew - now back to the Algonquin for lunch.
While making idle chatter with the staff as we ate our lunch, we formulated a plan for the rest of the day. The bartender asked if we had been to see Covenhoven on Minister's Island. She was very excited about this 50-room mansion on an island very close to the resort. It was the summer home of Sir William Van Horne, the Canadian Pacific Railway executive who completed Canada’s intercontinental railroad. We grew more intrigued as she told us about Sir William and his 850-acre island. In a flash she said let me go check the tides, and then returned to say it would be a beautiful day to visit the island. Our afternoon adventure was set. We would hit Ministers Island and then go to Saint Stephen to a brewery that had a wonderful dinner menu. (Drink Beer in Canada)
We arrived at the point of entrance to Minsters Island about 3:20 PM.
We got out of the car and I looked at my sweetie and said,
“Not a chance in hell in a rent-a-car”!
There were probably 10 cars gathered on the shore, and everyone was checking a sign.
The island will have access from 3:30 to 6:30 today
Once again, I said, “No Janet”!
At 3:30 sharp, a gentleman on a scooter headed across the water… I mean the bay floor.
A stream of cars fell in behind him.
I looked at my wife’s big brown eyes and said, “get in the car” and then mumbled something about this being the most stupid thing we have ever done. We began our crossing.
Once on the island, and entry fees paid, I told Janet no more than 90 minutes. We are not getting stuck until the next tide change. Covenhoven was a beautiful home in an idyllic setting. The house inside was a little chopped up since it was constructed in three phases. The guide gave a short overview of the history of the house and Sir William, and then we were off on a self-guided tour. A grand set of quarters indeed. My two favorite things were the Delft fireplace tiles in the nursery and a custom-made pool table that was 12 feet by 6 feet. Sir William had two of these monsters made – one for Covenhoven and one for his home in Montreal. It was nice to be able to wander at your own pace through the house, and if any questions did arise there was a guide always nearby to answer.
Keeping to my deadline, we departed the island 90 minutes after we arrived. Janet hopped out of the car on the way back across to walk on this unique driveway. The huge structure behind Janet is Sir William's Barn. It was being renovated so we could not tour the barn. It did not matter - time was ticking and 90 minutes had become 2 hours.
Back on asphalt our next stop was the town of Saint Stephen. This small town sits on the east bank of the Saint Croix river (we are back in the USVI) with Calais, Maine just a stone’s throw away. (yes that is pun for Kenny Chesney fans)
The 5 Kings Restaurant & Picaroons Brewhouse was a wonderful way to bring this day to a close. We sat next to a window looking across the river at Maine and enjoyed a couple pints. Notice the ramp on the far side of the river. Adjustable for the tide changes.
A great day and wonderful way to bring our Canadian adventure to a close.
Friday
Our week of bliss was coming to an end. We had just one more high point and that was to return to Boothbay Harbor for dinner with Ken and Julie. They had told us about a craft brewery known not only for their beer, but wood fired pizzas. Our goal was to be in Boothbay around 4:30.
During breakfast I had another epiphany! If we lost an hour driving up to Canada, we will gain an hour on our return to Eastern Standard Time! And of course, we all know the drive from Canada to Maine is all downhill… Just look at globe. Sometimes I just amaze myself :)
Before jumping into the rent-a-car we took one last look around Saint Andrews. We hope to return one day. There is not a lot to do in this town, and you know what… that is not always a bad thing sometimes.
We would follow Canadian Highway 1 to the border. Then US 9 to Bangor before jumping on the interstate. Before returning to Boothbay Harbor a slight detour was on our agenda. Freeport, Maine – better known as LL Bean land. Unfortunately, there was one major obstacle in our way… the US border.
As we came closer to our homeland the traffic began to back up. Then it came to a complete stop. After about a 30 minute wait we could see the issue. The greatest nation in the world (self-proclaimed - just ask Lee Greenwood) saw it appropriate to only open one of the many the check points.
So… after nearly one hour, we reached the toll booth. Greeted by one of the people we pay for every year with our taxes, he barked at me to turn down the radio and take off my glasses. Then snatching our passports, he began asking some stupid questions with a condescending tone. I guess unsatisfied with our responses, he decided our trunk was worthy of inspection. Maybe he thought we were smuggling in some of that Canadian politeness or friendliness that we had experienced on our entry to the land of the red maple leaf. I left the border furious as an individual and embarrassed to be a citizen. I only pray that the a$$#01e who allowed us to reenter our own country is not representative of other border officials. (Deep Breath… Stepping down from soap box... Please excuse me)
Back on the road again... with the music now back on, we headed south. To our delight over the last 5 days the trees had begun to put on their autumn coats. The reds, yellows, and oranges were breathtaking. The day was mostly cloudy, but when the sun popped out so did the colors pop.
Time flew by and it seemed like we arrived in Freeport in no time at all. I am not sure how we were so lucky to find a parking space right next to the store, but we did.
Besides the craziness of the LL Bean store and the surrounding outlet stores, there were 1000s of people enjoying a street festival of some sort. All the stores were busy, but not overly crowded. We got what we needed, grabbed a snack, and headed to Boothbay Harbor.
Ken, Julie, and yes Milo greeted us at the cottage. We told a few stories and then went to Boothbay Craft Brewery for dinner. The beer was good, but I can honestly say it was the best pepperoni pizza I have ever had. The pepperonis were cut up in very small slivers and evenly spread across a wood fired pizza. Everybody enjoyed their meal! Back at the cottage we looked at the pictures from our trip, and then called it a day pretty early.
It is so nice to have nice friends.
Saturday
All we had to do now is fly home and this adventure would come to end. We left Boothbay Harbor and headed to Portland to explore the city. We had time to kill before our afternoon flight so the Portland waterfront was our goal. The closer we got to downtown the more pedestrians we saw. They kept coming and coming - but from where? The mystery was solved when we saw cruise ships disembarking passengers.
We decided to work our way slowly to the airport checking out different parts of the city as we went. Arriving at the airport plenty early, I thought the check in process would be smooth. The automatic boarding pass machine burped and told us we had to go to the counter to check in. The counter agent typed in a few commands and frowned. Something wrong, I asked, or are we going to be upgraded - today is our 39th anniversary? With a smile and the stroke of key the agent put us in seats 1A and 1B - we were in first class!
We pulled up chairs at Linda Bean’s Restaurant across from our gate. Enjoying fish and chips and yes with another beer. We began to chat about the week, our 39 years together, and what was to come. Then one of the most special things happened to us. My best man called to wish us both happy birthday, but more importantly happy anniversary. In the recent weeks he has been through so much losing a cottage in Everglades City, FL and cleaning up the damage to his home in Fort Meyers by Hurricane Irma. We were so touched that he took the time to think of us and call. Thanks Pat!
We arrived home and fixed dinner and guess what we had….
A big glass of RED WINE
Prince of Hearts 2012 to be exact
Prince of Hearts 2012 to be exact
