Stonington, Through My Lens

If I could go back to Maine, I would go in a heart beat, but I have other fish to fry. So I scan my image library and sigh. There is no place quite like Maine. It's beautiful. It's rugged. It's unique in so many ways. I drove into Stonington, Maine, on Deer Isle, on a very foggy, Summer's mourn and headed straight for the waterfront. I reached the dock just in time to see this beautiful tall ship making its way across the harbor.

As the fog began to lift, I drove from one side of town to the other, creeping slowly through a busy, tiny town to find the opposite side of the harbor. As I approached the waterfront, camera in hand, this beautiful tall ship was sailing by. I absolutely love the old dock in the foreground with the sea gulls perched on top.

With the fog fully lifted now, I turned and made my way to the car, having driven way out on the main dock. Before I got in the car, I looked up and saw this scene. The quintessential Maine clapboard houses sitting next to the the water's edge, while a wharf side restaurant complete with log stilts jutted out in the harbor itself. What a perfect setting. Stonington is such a quaint, albeit teeny tiny town, situated on the southern most edge of Deer Isle. If you have never visited, you've missed out.

Before getting back in my car, I also noticed these small boats tied up to a smaller dock. The sun was bright and the water was a gorgeous blue. I couldn't not snap a few photos. This tiny town is so remote and isolated, and to think of the harsh Winters, and to see that tourism was, and still is, thriving here was such a comfort. I am amazed to think about the fishermen making a living out on the open ocean working their lobster traps, but that is exactly what they do.

Before leaving Stonington, I stopped at a small shop in town. Curiosity took over as I walked to the back of the shop next to the waterfront. A small sailboat was floating aimlessly through the harbor. At the water's edge lay a tangled mess of rope and bright pink buoys. Oh, how perfect. Throw in a bit of rocky coastline that Maine is so famous for and you have the perfect seaside image.

If I visited Stonington today, I would stay a while and snap more images and immerse myself in this quaint, tiny seaside town. I had dreamed of this trip for years and to live it was absolutely surreal. I'll be back with my next stop at Burnt Cove on Deer Isle. And yes, I've shared this trip before, but I just couldn't not share again. Can you see why. I hope you are staying warm in the throws of this Polar Vortex with negative degree days and even colder nights, not to mention snow squalls in the north every other minute. And before I leave, goodbye January. You seemed so short and sweet. Oh, and least I forget, these beauties (photos) were all taken with slide film on a manual Pentax camera. Take that you DSLRs! ENJOY!

Burnt Cove, Deer Isle

It has been close to a decade since I journeyed to the beautiful state of Maine for an adventure. Maine is situated in the northeastern part of the States. Over the course of a week in August of 2008, I drove along the coast of Maine. First, I stopped in the quaint small town of Camden, situated along the Mid Coast. I walked around the harbor and shopped in Stonewall Kitchen, and even drove way up to the top of Mt. Battie to take in a view of the entire Mid Coast scenery.

Then I pulled up stakes and drove farther northeast to Downeast Maine. I made the Barncastle Inn, just outside of Blue Hill, my base. From the inn each day, I would venture out trekking to various locales in and around Downeast Maine, such as Deer Isle, Mt. Desert Island and Acadia National Park. I spent a day in Bar Harbor and took in the harbor walk along the coast. Just as I was finishing my walk on the approach to downtown Bar Harbor, I caught the last of the tourists as they boarded the beautiful tall ship, Margaret Todd, as it set sail for an evening sunset cruise.

I visited the small island of Deer Isle, just south of Blue Hill, where I photographed the foggy harbor of Stonington with several tall ships cruising through. One afternoon, I made the short drive from Blue Hill to Burnt Cove on Deer Isle to photograph this precious little inlet with its colorful New England homes situated on the coast. The sailboats sat idle as the buoys bobbed up and down. The fog hadn't quite burned off by early afternoon so what fog was left added just the perfect amount of charm to the whole scene. It was simply gorgeous.

Believe it or not, this image and all of my Maine photographs were taken with my old Pentax camera, which had no automatic settings at all. It was all manual. You really had to know your stuff when it came to settings. None of this digital camera stuff at that time. It was several years before I transitioned to digital. I will be back with more images from my Maine adventure. ENJOY!

Pink Buoys!

On a short walk along the bay in Stonington, Maine, several summers past, I happened across these bright pink buoys. Buoys come in all shapes, sizes and colors but these, I think, are the cutest ones I've seen as yet. Couldn't help but take a few photos. The beauty of this post, I'd totally forgotten about the photo of the sailboat with the pink buoys, and I didn't even remember taking it to be scanned a few weeks ago. So when I happened upon it on the DVD tonight, well, I was surprised.

As I meander my way through my archives of old photos from days gone by, you'll notice there's no method to the madness. Whatever strikes me at that moment, that's what I post. One day The Smokies, the next day New England. Who knew. Rainy weather coming my way tonight. Hope you have sunshine wherever you are. ENJOY!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I wish you all a great New Year and a fabulous new decade. Take a look back at a few of my best of the best photos taken during the past decade. I'll be posting more of the decade's photos throughout the coming year. Enjoy!

Stonington, Deer Isle, Maine #4

That's right. We're still in Stonington, Maine, taking in all the sights. Almost done though. Couldn't leave Stonington without sharing some of the local flavor in the way of boating. I love the blue skies and the blue water. It was such a gorgeous day and I felt so blessed to have happened upon it. For those of you who live near water, I envy you. The closet thing to water here in Kentucky is the Ohio and I'm sorry but it just doesn't compare to the harbors of Maine. And by the way it had taken me thirty years to get back to Maine from when I first visited which is why I chose this destination. I loved it then . . . I love it now.

I really hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed taking them. Believe it or not so far everything you've seen was photographed right off the pier. Amazing. Stay tuned. There's more coming. Enjoy!!

Stonington, Deer Isle, Maine #3

So glad you decided to take this trip with me. The last few days I showed you a foggy Stonington harbor. Today, well what a difference a day makes. We have lots of beautiful sunshine.

We pull into Stonington which basically is a two lane road running along the waterfront. On one side of the main street are shops, galleries, restaurants and a quaint motel where many of the professional photographers stay while they're in town to photograph this beautiful village. On the other side of the main street, sitting next to the waterfront, are houses, shops and restaurants, and behind that is the beautiful harbor with its many sizes and shapes of boats. We pass the main section of Stonington and come to the pier on our left. Let's drive out onto the pier and park the car. Wow, looking back onto the little village of Stonington from the waterfront, it is so beautiful here.

The first image is my favorite photograph taken of the village of Stonington looking back from the pier. In this image you see houses, shops and restaurants lining the waterfront. The second image I took because I loved this house sitting right up next to the pier and how the rocks frame the shoreline.

Stonington. Truly a unique yet beautiful place to visit. Just think, the local fishermen come sailing in after a long hard day of checking their lobster traps and what do they see as they pull into the harbor, but this beautiful little village welcoming them home. I knew you would love this trip. I'm so glad you're along for the ride. We're not done yet. So stay tuned! Enjoy!!

Foggy Harbor, Stonington, Deer Isle, Maine #2

Come take a trip with me . . . in 2007, I began researching my trip to Maine. I knew I wanted to visit Camden, Blue Hill, Stonington, Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. I chose Blue Hill as my main base as it is smack dab in the middle between Stonington and Bar Harbor and Acadia. I did stay several nights in Camden as it was the southernmost point of the trip and my first stop before heading Downeast. I promise I'll post some images of Camden Harbor soon. Should you decide to plan a trip to Maine, stop by this website, www.acadiamagic.com. So many beautiful images.

Little did I know I would have the perfect opportunity to photograph a few beautiful images of my own as I traveled to Stonington. As I arrived in Blue Hill and checked into the Inn, I decided to trek to Stonington as it was still early in the day. I found the village of Stonington covered in a shroud of mist and fog. I almost didn't make the drive to Stonington that day as the weather wasn't the best. Then I remembered something every photographer should remember, isn't that the perfect time to go see what there is to photograph, when the weather is not at its best. Yep. It was perfect! Stonington is located on Deer Isle which is a gem in and of itself. I can't explain it. You have to experience it for yourself. Along the drive you will pass harbors, coves and a few inlets, but first to get to Deer Isle you must cross over on the causeway bridge. Deer Isle is probably one of the single most unique experiences I've ever encountered in my many travels in the United States. It is just that unique.

I'm not certain that this is the same vessel as my post from yesterday although it very likely could be. Enjoy!

Postscript: Is it me or are those gulls standing at attention as the windjammer strolls by.

Foggy Harbor, Stonington, Deer Isle, Maine #1

Stonington, such a small but quaint fishing village, is situated along the coastline of Downeast Maine, midway between Blue Hill and Bar Harbor. If ever you find yourself in this beautiful state, please make the drive to Stonington. You won't be disappointed. I have images of not only a foggy day at Stonington, but also a bright sunny day. I'll share those with you in the next week. But this is my favorite image from that particular trip. At almost any given time while driving along the backroads in this area, which hug the coastline very closely, you may turn a curve only to find an inlet and perhaps a chance encounter with a sailboat or a "windjammer" making its day trip whilst playing host to visitors from all over the world. Such a beautiful sight. So happy I caught this scene and so happy I can share it with you. Image taken Summer 2008 with my Pentax. Enjoy!