Reading Takes You Away

I may have been on vacation in Maine, but through the transporting pages of four novels, I’ve also recently traveled to Newport, Manhattan, Philadelphia, Paris and Spain. In the first book of my trip, Sail, James Patterson takes me to Rhode Island with the Dunne family for a treacherous two-month sail that tests by ability to survive on a deserted island and reaffirms my love for my family. In Sundays at Tiffany’s, the same author takes me along an imaginary ride through the life of a Manhattan playwright, Jane, who I watch as she finds true love and happiness after decades of fantasy, self doubt and loneliness. Next, in Lovely Bones, I spend over a dozen years in a familiar 70’s suburb (similar to my Dutchess County NY childhood) looking down from heaven with Susie as her family overcomes her devastating murder and learns to create a new life without her. In the last “trip” of my trip, I eat, drink, eat, drink, and drink some more, with Jack Barnes and his flamboyant writer friends in post-war Paris and Spain, thanks to the spare yet powerful writing style of Ernest Hemingway in The Sun Also Rises. I wonder, where will I go next?

Salvaged Photos from Monroe Island

I was able to retrieve the photos off the memory card from the unforgettable kayak trip described in "Summer Trip Tik Day #12". Unfortunately I can't say the same for the camera.

Summer Trip Tik Day #12

This is the day I captured the most incredible Maine photos yet. The tragedy – “we” dropped the camera into a puddle of seaweed. Hopefully I can share the imagery in my mind in this post. Gene had found an island the previous day that he wanted to take Taryn and I to. The Danglers went for a family bike ride, so the 3 of us took a 2 person and a single kayak out and headed in the direction of the incoming tide toward a distant island just southeast of the Owl’s Head peninsula (called Monroe Island). Once we passed the dozen or so coastal homes on our right, we turned a corner to see a lone house on the tip that is for sale for $1.5 million. The house sits back from the water about 300 yards on a slight incline, with a sprawling lawn, a border of rocks and a rare sandy beach. The wrap around porch left me day dreaming of adirondack chairs and novels.

To the left and further than I first estimated, the uninhabitated island that was our destination. Scattered about in the deep greenish-blue water, brightly colored lobster buoys. Lemon yellow and magenta, lime green with a purple stripe, classic red and white, sky blue, baby pink. They bobbed and weaved like lonely souls above the choppy water. Gene and Taryn were far ahead, as I was capturing shots I could use later for paintings. The island seemed farther than the mile I swim at home, and the current was giving me and my rocking kayak a workout. At one point, I got a bit spooked, feeling very alone in this huge ocean. The book I read on the trip, Sail by James Patterson, about a stranded family on a boat probably didn’t help the cause.

We first anchored on a shelly beach to rest, planning to go around the island to the right opposite the dream house. The current and wind were so strong, we opted to go left – as Gene promised the other side to be the most beautiful. We paddled along the edge of the island, and weaved in and out of huge rocks arising out of the water. The wooded island had huge, untouched rocks with pine trees older than me showing deep roots where the soil was washed away by the tide. I missed the deer they spotted.

As we rounded the furthest corner, the ringing of a large green bell floating just off in the water rang to warn boaters of rocks. We approached an inlet of the most humungous rocks covered by seagulls, who simultaneously flew away as we made shore. Many of the rocks were covered with layers and layers of live seaweed. We ambitiously made our way onto the high boulders, navigating over extrememly slippery tubes of wet seaweed. The wind, the crashing waves, the light mist of fog, the hovering seagulls and the rhythmically ringing bell were a breathtaking canvas to the bright red and yellow kayaks sitting patiently below us on the shore.

It wasn’t until the treacherous climb down that the moment was slightly interrupted by the falling of a new camera into the seaweed infested water. Better it than us we decided, and the daring crusaders returned home with the wind to our backs for a more peaceful crawl back to the cottage. Worth the camera in my opinion.

Boothbay Harbor Photos

Just a few of my favorite shots from the Argo as we passed through Boothbay Harbour, Maine, on Day 10.

Summer Trip Tik Day #11

While the gang went kayaking, the kid and I headed out for a mommy-daughter day. By the time we got to Camden, we were ready for lunch. Even after the clambake yesterday, I was not finished with my seafood fest. I chose a cup of chowda and a lobsta roll at the harborside restaurant, Waterfront. Taryn had a cup too, but chose the mussels appetizer for her meal, which yielded so many mussels we took a couple dozen home for evening appetizers. The food was delicious and the service friendly. We browsed the few remaining shops we missed the other day and I bought Taryn a dress.

Afterwards, we decided to take the 30 minute drive to Belfast. We passed numerous antique shops and motor inns by the sea and cruised through the small towns of Lincolnville, Northport and Duck Head. Once in Belfast, we were a little surprised at the town. I don’t know exactly how to describe it – with its somewhat run down brick buildings, shipyard, and eclectic artist studios combined with some giftshops and dining establishments. It may have been the 98 degree day that made it less than appealing to me – not sure.

The cure - a deluxe pedicure at the salon we found along the ride back into Rockland. Noone ever said traveling didn’t have its ups and downs! Tonight, dinner was simple but satisfying. Grilled chicken, summer squash, zucchini, and mushrooms with roasted red potatoes, the mussels from lunch and my famous artichoke dip.