Dean & Linda Stock
Well-known member
Day 28 September 28, 2015 Trenton, Maine (near Bar Harbor)
We made reservations for a 2.5 hour long ***** (Five-star) trip on the lobster boat Lulu with Captain John ($30 each). We departed at 10:00 and were given great motion-sickness bracelets, which were 100% effective despite churning seas. We saw double-breasted cormorants (Pic. 1/5865) and two types of gulls.
These grey seals (Pic 2/5871) are the heaviest of all seals by far, and they were spy-hopping, which I thought only whales did. Others were relaxing and eating, not disturbed by our presence at all. They shared rocks with the harbor seals, a real marine Mutt & Jeff. Harbor seals are about 5 feet long max. The greys are up to 8 feet long and weigh over 900 pounds.
The Egg Lighthouse (Pic. 3/5881) is fully automated and runs on solar power. The only lighthouse still manned is in Boston. Senator Edward Kennedy got a bill passed that it would be manned forever. It got its name of "Egg" because there are many ledges there that birds use for nesting. The Native Americans used to take their birchbark canoes out to this rock and gather the eggs for their food.
The captain had to work to keep us from being sprayed by the rough seas, but these eider ducks and gulls are adapted to it. (Pic. 4/5884) We saw a large, thick fogbank out there. The captain cancelled the 3:00 cruise, so we're lucky we got to see this at all.
On our way back in, we oohed and aahed at this $2 billion yacht with a helipad. (Picture 5/5906) It is owned by a hedge fund manager. I tried to research its flag with the Union Jack in the left corner and what looks like islands on the lower right side, but all I can say for sure is that it's not Canadian.
Captain John talked non-stop for the whole trip. He taught us all about the anatomy of the lobsters, how they are trapped, how they grow and molt, the proper way to eat a lobster, and how the industry is protected. While other fishing industries are in terrible shape from over-fishing, Maine started protecting theirs 100 years ago through strictly enforcing their laws and licensing and education, and it is growing and thriving. If they find a female with eggs, they notch her tail, and she is put back and may not be re-caught for 5 years until the notch re-grows. There is a minimum and maximum weight. They throw back 1/3 of their catch.
Lobsters are able to regenerate their claws when they are torn off in battle or when they are unable to molt completely and so they remove them. It takes 5-6 years for them to regrow their claws. Look at the disparity between this lobster's two claws. (Picture 6/5919) China buys over 50% of the Maine lobsters because cold water lobsters are the best.
There is a wonderful genetic research facility here called the Jackson Institute that is studying these marine animals and how they regenerate limbs in an attempt to help our returning injured vets. Capt. John says he has been on tours there many times, and he saw a mouse who had an ear growing out of his back. Their scientists say that it's not a pipe dream--it will really happen, and it's not too far away. They are researching many diseases, too. After the trip was over, Dean & I went to the Chamber of Commerce to try to schedule a tour (they give them twice a week), but the season is over. I think a visit there might have been a highlight of my whole trip. I wanted to spend time on their website learning, but you have to accept cookies, so I didn't.
Did you know there are fewer calories in a large 2-pound lobster than in a skinless chicken breast? You just have to skip the drawn butter. In my dreams, this is my new diet!
We had lobster for a late lunch/early dinner at the West St. Cafe, which was reasonably priced for the area. Their warm blueberry pie was wonderful.
We drove to the Abbe Museum in downtown Bay Harbor. It was a waste of $16. Their building is beautiful. Their focus is not on teaching about the Native Peoples and how they lived. It was about how their tribe has not been recognized by the federal government and how wronged they have been, which I'm sure is true. There were many storyboards, but we were in and out in 15 minutes. We do get free admission to their museum in Acadia National Park, which supposedly has relics.
We enjoyed the scenery as we drove the Acadia National Park's Park Loop. We were trying to find the Abbe , but we never did, so we went up to Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the Eastern Seaboard. (Picture 7/5935) It's hazy because the day was hazy. The wind was blowing so hard that it was hard for Dean to walk. We were going to wait for the sunset, but Dean decided he didn't want the picture that bad. We're in for some rough weather for the next 4 or 5 days.
Staying at Timberland Acres RV Park--$38 FHU Good satellite or forested, you pick, great hosts
We made reservations for a 2.5 hour long ***** (Five-star) trip on the lobster boat Lulu with Captain John ($30 each). We departed at 10:00 and were given great motion-sickness bracelets, which were 100% effective despite churning seas. We saw double-breasted cormorants (Pic. 1/5865) and two types of gulls.
These grey seals (Pic 2/5871) are the heaviest of all seals by far, and they were spy-hopping, which I thought only whales did. Others were relaxing and eating, not disturbed by our presence at all. They shared rocks with the harbor seals, a real marine Mutt & Jeff. Harbor seals are about 5 feet long max. The greys are up to 8 feet long and weigh over 900 pounds.
The Egg Lighthouse (Pic. 3/5881) is fully automated and runs on solar power. The only lighthouse still manned is in Boston. Senator Edward Kennedy got a bill passed that it would be manned forever. It got its name of "Egg" because there are many ledges there that birds use for nesting. The Native Americans used to take their birchbark canoes out to this rock and gather the eggs for their food.
The captain had to work to keep us from being sprayed by the rough seas, but these eider ducks and gulls are adapted to it. (Pic. 4/5884) We saw a large, thick fogbank out there. The captain cancelled the 3:00 cruise, so we're lucky we got to see this at all.
On our way back in, we oohed and aahed at this $2 billion yacht with a helipad. (Picture 5/5906) It is owned by a hedge fund manager. I tried to research its flag with the Union Jack in the left corner and what looks like islands on the lower right side, but all I can say for sure is that it's not Canadian.
Captain John talked non-stop for the whole trip. He taught us all about the anatomy of the lobsters, how they are trapped, how they grow and molt, the proper way to eat a lobster, and how the industry is protected. While other fishing industries are in terrible shape from over-fishing, Maine started protecting theirs 100 years ago through strictly enforcing their laws and licensing and education, and it is growing and thriving. If they find a female with eggs, they notch her tail, and she is put back and may not be re-caught for 5 years until the notch re-grows. There is a minimum and maximum weight. They throw back 1/3 of their catch.
Lobsters are able to regenerate their claws when they are torn off in battle or when they are unable to molt completely and so they remove them. It takes 5-6 years for them to regrow their claws. Look at the disparity between this lobster's two claws. (Picture 6/5919) China buys over 50% of the Maine lobsters because cold water lobsters are the best.
There is a wonderful genetic research facility here called the Jackson Institute that is studying these marine animals and how they regenerate limbs in an attempt to help our returning injured vets. Capt. John says he has been on tours there many times, and he saw a mouse who had an ear growing out of his back. Their scientists say that it's not a pipe dream--it will really happen, and it's not too far away. They are researching many diseases, too. After the trip was over, Dean & I went to the Chamber of Commerce to try to schedule a tour (they give them twice a week), but the season is over. I think a visit there might have been a highlight of my whole trip. I wanted to spend time on their website learning, but you have to accept cookies, so I didn't.
Did you know there are fewer calories in a large 2-pound lobster than in a skinless chicken breast? You just have to skip the drawn butter. In my dreams, this is my new diet!
We had lobster for a late lunch/early dinner at the West St. Cafe, which was reasonably priced for the area. Their warm blueberry pie was wonderful.
We drove to the Abbe Museum in downtown Bay Harbor. It was a waste of $16. Their building is beautiful. Their focus is not on teaching about the Native Peoples and how they lived. It was about how their tribe has not been recognized by the federal government and how wronged they have been, which I'm sure is true. There were many storyboards, but we were in and out in 15 minutes. We do get free admission to their museum in Acadia National Park, which supposedly has relics.
We enjoyed the scenery as we drove the Acadia National Park's Park Loop. We were trying to find the Abbe , but we never did, so we went up to Cadillac Mountain, the highest point on the Eastern Seaboard. (Picture 7/5935) It's hazy because the day was hazy. The wind was blowing so hard that it was hard for Dean to walk. We were going to wait for the sunset, but Dean decided he didn't want the picture that bad. We're in for some rough weather for the next 4 or 5 days.
Staying at Timberland Acres RV Park--$38 FHU Good satellite or forested, you pick, great hosts