Day 10.277: Windy at Eagle Lake

Although the rain had passed by the time we'd finished eating lunch, we'd had a weather warning about strong winds and now we felt why. We tried - in vain - to find the parking at the southern end of Eagle Lake that we'd used a couple of years ago - at the Bubble Pond carriage road trailhead, but we could not find an entrance to it, so we ended up (after a navigational blunder) finding our way to the opposite end of the lake, where we found a very angry looking lake:

We also experienced the strong winds, and how effective a few rows of trees can be at blocking them.

and that was the end (well, give or take dinner) of last Sunday - our last full day in Bar Harbor.

Day 10.276: Asticou and Jordan Pond Path (twice)

With rain and strong winds expected later in the day, we got out as early as we reasonably could on Sunday morning to walk a trail before the weather hit.

We chose the wonderfully named "Asticou and Jordan Pond Path" which starts at the Asticou Map House (mid-left) and ends with at the Jordan Pond House with its lawn overlooking Jordan Pond (bottom right). The trail was entertaining - with steps and streams breaking up the woodland trail with its apparently seaweed-covered trees.

When we arrived at the far end, we decided that it would be best for me to go back along the trail and bring the car around to meet the rest of the party. I had my trail running shoes on so I left everything except my phone and the car keys and set off to run back along the trail in jeans and t-shirt. I passed a couple of surprised groups, then decided I was getting too sweaty in the pre-storm humidity and took my shirt off. I really surprised the next group.

It didn't take me long to get back to the car or to bring the car around the island to the Jordan Pond House. Meeting up with everyone was made harder by there being no parking spaces, no cell phone signal and lots of other people cruising for any spaces that might open up. Astonishingly, the girls spotted me and then Exile #2 found me on one of my passes through the parking lots and we were able to get everyone into the car as the heavens opened and head into Bar Harbor for some well-deserved lunch.

Day 10.275: Thurston's and Wonderland

After our Ship Harbor hike, we were ready for lunch so we drove a little further around the coast to Bernard where we visited Thurston's Lobster Pound where we enjoyed some good food with a beautiful view of the harbor.

We followed that with another short walk to the waterfront at the Wonderland trail - which despite being right next to the Ship Harbor trail has a quite different feel - until it opens onto the rocky shore at least.

Day 10.274: Ship Harbor Trail

We had pretty much perfect weather on Saturday - although for some reason we all had difficulty dressing appropriately. We started the day with a morning walk on the Ship Harbor Trail where we were astonished at the number of red squirrels - which we heard and saw almost continuously while in the woods.

We also watched this lobster boat pull up a trap, empty it in no time sorting the lobsters into a tank. Then I watched as they measured a last lobster, presumably found it to be too small, and...can you see what happened next?

Maybe next time!

Day 10.273: Cadillac Mountain at sunset

After our stop at the observatory and our drive to Mount Desert Island, we had time to visit the top of Cadillac Mountain just as the sun was beginning to set. The views were stunning.

Day 10.272: Penobscot Narrows Observatory

We're home after a misty walk along the waterfront in Bar Harbor and a rainy drive through the remnants of Tropical Depression Nate.

Time to post some photos.

Our trip started on Friday with a late-morning visit to the Penobscot Narrows Observatory and Fort Knox followed by lunch in Bucksport and a walk along the waterfront there.

The fort was decorated for a Halloween event and the views were stunning as the clouds cleared out from a rain shower earlier in the morning. Once again we discovered that a small group of British invaders can breach the fort without challenge (even when one is wearing a union flag sweatshirt).

Day 10.271: Jordan, Jordan's, wind and Side Street

We started the day by walking the Asticou trail to Jordan Pond. After admiring the cloudy view from the lawn of Jordan Pond House, I left the rest of the party planning a coffee break to run back along the trail to get the car. All went well until I got back to the Pond House to find the lunchtime rush in full swing and no parking spaces or cell phone service to be found. It took a while, but eventually we were all reunited just as the rain was getting heavy and set off to have a quieter lunch at Jordan's in Bar Harbor.

As the rain was coming to an end but the wind was getting going, we had a walk at Eagle Lake where the wild wind was whipping up waves that were breaking on the rocks - not a normal sight at such a small lake.

After a short break, we went back into Bar Harbor for dinner where we were incredibly lucky to get seated immediately at Side Street Cafe which was great and we once again missed a rain shower.