There are times when we could use a geologist on our explorations. At others, perhaps a Zen Buddhist master would be more appropriate.
This shot was taken during a shore visit from a cruise aboard the historic schooner Louis R. French last summer.
Tag: Nature
Reading the sky
Sailors learn to observe the clouds for clues about changes in the weather. The conditions can be especially crucial to vessels that rely on their sails.
This was one of those moments aboard the historic schooner Louis R. French last summer.
One more sunrise
This one’s from to our west, in this case Penobscot Bay during my cruise last summer on the schooner the Louis R. French. You’ll be seeing more images from that week as this year progresses. And, yes, I’m already signed up for another week of cruising.
We’re becoming a destination for cruise ships
As Bar Harbor, at the gateway to Acadia National Park, tries to limit the number of cruise ships coming to town, tiny Eastport has been reaping benefits.
For the past two autumns, as some of the ships have ventured our way, we’ve welcomed their arrival at our downtown Breakwater pier. As I’ve previously posted, they’ve extended our brief retailing season and brought delighted walkers to our byways, shops, eateries, and galleries.
Supporters point out that these guests and supporting staff don’t add traffic congestion to our narrow roadways, and their arrivals can be spaced to avoid times of busy events. The town is also limiting arrivals to one ship per day, unlike Bar Harbor or Portland.
It’s still early in the planning for the upcoming travel season, and things can change rapidly, but here’s what’s already slated.
At his point, we’re expecting ten ships to come calling, 23 arrivals in all and up to 55,000 day-visitors. A few are spread out over the summer, too.
- Azamara Quest: 593-foot length / 702 passengers / October 2
- Brilliant Lady: 908 / 2,800 / September 18 and 27, October 9
- Le Boreal: 466 / 264 / October 17
- Le Champlain: 431 / 184 / October 19
- Majestic Princess: 1,082 / 4,450 / August 24
- Norwegian Getaway: 1,068 / 4,028 / August 21 and 28, September 4, 11, and 25, October 16 and 23
- Pearl Mist: 324 / 210 / November 2
- Viking Neptune: 749 / 954 / April 27
- Volendam: 780 / 1,432 / June 14, July 13, September 5 and 20, October 4
- Zuiderdam: 936 / 1,916 / June 16, August 25
Three of them are too long to dock at the pier. Instead, they’ll anchor in the channel and relay passengers and crew to and from the dock.
The Zuiderdam, seen here in Rockland Harbor last year, will be making two visits. You can see one of its tenders in the water, conveying passengers to the town and back.
Sea smoke on a very cold morning
This happens when the air temperature approaches zero Fahrenheit, well below that of the Atlantic.
Aurora borealis watch
A first attempt to photograph the northern lights using my cell phone. It does look like a sunrise except in the north. Next up is time-length exposures using a tripod and remote shutter. That’s when much fantastic color that isn’t seen at the time by the naked eye is detected.
I’ve even bookmarked the two-day forecast to keep me posted.
Scallopers venture forth in the icy dawn
They’ll even shuck their treasures from the shells before returning to dock, no matter how cold.
Wrapping up
Crew in Mary Day rigging
Christmas Day in the morning
Campobello Island, New Brunswick, viewed from Eastport, Maine.
Christmas Eve and our tree’s up
Ours doesn’t come indoors until the day before Christmas and rarely is it decorated before dark. Long ago I learned the price of pushing the tradition to get the job done earlier in the day. Nope, it’s not a task to be done more efficiently.
Last year, we cut ours at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge with a permit. You’d be amazed how few natural trees measure up. We’d see a good one only to find two growing close together. Separated, they were lobsided and had bald spots. This one caught our eye but we then passed, thinking it might be too open. A mile or two or walking later, we returned and decided to give it a try after all.
Here’s to the wonders of the tradition of sitting in a mostly dark room early morning or evening and enjoying the lighted branches.
