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!

Sailboats on Old Hickory Lake

One of my favorite things to photograph are sailboats. I have long had a passion for these free spirited, take me where the wind blows, boats. This is the yacht club on the south side of Old Hickory Lake. Many a sailboat calls it home.

It was late in the day as I made the drive around Old Hickory Lake north to my home in Hendersonville. I decided to make the ten minute drive back to the yacht club before leaving the south side of the lake. The sun was at a fairly decent descent so the light wasn't too awfully harsh. There was a subtle hint of Fall color on the trees in the distance.

Fall in middle Tennessee was subdued due in part to lack of rain. Drought is slowly creeping from southern Tennessee to middle and northern parts of the state. It is more severe in northern Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. This time last year it was a monsoon from a hurricane that came up from the Gulf in October and the remnants of the storm brought rain across the northern most part of the South. ENJOY!

Sunset, Maine #6

On a beautiful sunny day on Deer Isle, I traveled a short distance to Sunset, not far from Stonington. There were numerous boats of all shapes and sizes anchored in the harbor there, however, I spotted this particular boat bobbing up and down and swaying to the left and right, anchored out in the harbor. I decided I would take a few photographs. Did you know when you're trying to take a photograph of a boat anchored in a harbor the boat just keeps swaying from one side to the other. So you have to keep shooting. Hoping to get what you saw at one moment, but it's fleeting, and that shot is gone because the boat moved with the water. It took a few tries, but I think I got what I was going after. It's one of my favorite photos of my trip to Maine. I hope you enjoy it. I enjoyed taking it!

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!