Long Island (Maine, of course)

My pal Ken can make friends with anyone.  From the guy working out next to him at the gym to the owner of a major grocery store, Ken ends up winning over just about everyone.  That's how we ended up finding out about the fair down at the VFW on Long Island.

People:  10 bucks.  People with four legs:  4 bucks and change.

One of Casco Bay Line's distinctive yellow and white ferries.

Ken and Kathy emailed us to tell us they were coming to Maine, and were planning to take the Mail Boat out of Portland, to Long Island in Casco Bay.  Damon and I took that as an invitation, and the next morning we found ourselves on the ten o'clock ferry with a couple hundred other people -- day trippers like us; folks headed out for a week's vacation; and our new friend from Connecticut.  I'm sorry to say I never caught his name, but we talked about everything from Ken's new shoulder (and his moderately new knees) to the Yankees (which almost ended our blossoming friendship).  Our new friend grew up with a summer house out on Long Island, and had just bought a little place right next to the family place.  We chatted all the way out to the island and wished each other well as we disembarked; us looking to find lunch and some beach time; our friend to find his family's island car for a ride to his new cottage.  As we made our way up towards the general store (slowly, with three rather elderly dogs sniffing all the bushes and trees along the way), an island car pulled up next to us and our new friend told us to make sure to make it up to the VFW for lobster rolls at the fair -- just up the road.  We thanked him, said goodbye, looked at each other, and decided the VFW was our best bet for lunch.

The four of us strolled along with our slow dogs as golf carts and island cars (most of which wouldn't pass inspection on the mainland) slowly rolled past us -- all headed for the red-white-and-blue bunting of the VFW.  Ken and Damon dispatched us to pick up four lobster rolls as they held onto our pack -- who were irresistible to the crowds of island kids pouring out of the VFW with cotton candy, popcorn, and prizes from the games inside.  Not only were those lobster rolls pretty darn good, but for ten bucks (with chips to boot!) they were a pretty good deal.  If this was the way of life on Long Island, I knew I was going to like it.

Service with a smile.

A happy crowd at the VFW.

4

Kathy enjoying her $10 lobster roll

Our hunger satisfied, we headed across the island (slowly, ever so slowly) to Singing Sands beach.  This beach squeaks when you walk on it -- just drag your feet along as you go!  Squeak-squeak-squeak.  The dogs had a great swim while the humans had a great talk about seaweed, work, and life as we sat on an old driftwood log.  Sailboats fought their way against the tide, a group of kayakers enjoyed lunch on the sand, and a game of pick-up volleyball started.  It was lovely -- perfect -- and of course, had to come to an end. Eventually we had to catch a boat back to Portland, and with our poke-along dogs, we needed plenty of time to get back to the ferry.

Does it get any better?

Kitsch!

More kitsch!

This was a highly-functional island cah.  Most wouldn't pass inspection on the mainland.

Damon making the sand sing.

Dory wanted in on the action.

Even at our leisurely pace, we crossed the island in time to buy some sandwiches at the General Store (which are delicious) and pick up a six-pack of Bud (which you should not try to drink on their deck). Chastised by the owner, we put our Buds back in the bag, enjoyed our second lunch (those lobster rolls weren't exactly large), and headed out to the ferry.

Time to head home

Boarding the ferry.

Leaping from the wharf -- a rite of passage.

What can I say here?

Since our beers were already open, we decided to drink them along the way.  Normally, this would be socially unacceptable behavior, so we hid them in the only thing we had -- empty doggie poop bags.  Didn't we feel stupid when we realized everyone was looking at us funny -- not because we were drinking, but because we were trying to hide it -- in poop bags.  We soon figured out everyone had a beer in hand; the woman walking her dog; the guys sitting behind the community center; the gentleman driving his golf cart while smoking a big old cigar.  That's island life on Long Island in summer, it seems; laid back and friendly.  After all; summer's short.  Enjoy your damn beer in the open.

Public consumption.  Nice.

Life in the slow lane.  That's what it's all about.

Twenty Reasons to Love Casco Bay

Evening falls on the Harraseeket River.

I count myself as lucky.  Not the least of my blessings is calling Maine my home; and especially Casco Bay.  My free time is often spent out enjoying the bay in some way -- boating, hiking, gobbling down a lobster roll at a seaside restaurant, wading through tidepools looking for that special find, or simply sitting by the water and contemplating life.  The bay's become a part of my life, as the best places often do, and it's my favorite part of Maine.

In no particular order, here are 20 reasons we all should love Casco Bay:

1)  Casco Bay is roughly 20 miles across, nestled between Cape Elizabeth and Cape Small.  In the middle of the entrance lies "Halfway Rock", an isolated lighthouse the operates under some of the most severe conditions.  

2)  There are seven lighthouses total:  the twin Cape Elizabeth lights, Portland Head light, Spring Point Ledge light, Portland Breakwater (Bug) light, Ram Island light, Halfway Rock light, and the tiny Pocahontas light on Great Diamond Island (at six feet tall the smallest lighthouse recognized by the Coast Guard).   

3)  The Calendar Islands are found in Casco Bay -- so called because there's an island for every day of the year (the actual number of islands is still disputed, but there are several hundred).

4)  There are five year-round island communities in Casco Bay -- Peak's Island; Chebeague Island; Cliff Island; Great Diamond Island; and Long Island.

5)  Casco Bay is home to "Junk of Pork", "Pound of Tea", and "Sow and Pigs" Islands.

6)  Walter Cronkite (amongst many others) said Casco Bay offers some of the best sailing in the world -- and he was the most trusted man in America in his day, so it must be true.

7)  The world's only cribstone bridge connects Bailey and Orr's Islands.

8)  Oysters, clams, mussels, scallops, and kelp are all sustainably cultured in Casco Bay.

9)  Portland, Maine's largest city and port, is part of the Bay.  The town was destroyed several times over its history, first by Native Americans, then by the British, and finally by massive fires.  Despite the bad run of luck, Portland turns out to be pretty darn hip, with a high quality of life rating; low unemployment; a gay-friendly vibe; and some of the country's best restaurants.  

10)  There are still sub-spotting towers in Casco Bay, reminding us of the dangers that visited our coast in World War II.

11)  You can see horseshoe crabs mate at Thomas Point Beach in Brunswick every May and June.

12)  Rear Admiral Peary, who led the expedition that may or may not have first reached the North Pole, retired to Eagle Island in Harpswell.  The site is a State Park that welcomes visitors in summer.

13)  The name Casco is thought to be derived from the Abenaki word aucocisco, which either means "place of herons" or "muddy".

14)  The Maine Coast Heritage Trust, the Harpswell Heritage Trust, the Maine Island Trail Association, the Oceanside Conservation Trust, teh Freeport Conservation Trust, and the Chebeague and Cumberland Land Trust all work to preserve land for future generations in Casco Bay.

15)  The Friends of Casco Bay are vigilant in protecting the natural resources of Bay.

16)  In spring, 50 islands become nesting sites for numerous species of water birds.

17)  Casco Bay is one of 28 "Estuaries of National Significance".  

18)  Harbor porpoises regularly inhabit Casco Bay, and in 2004 a beluga whale, "Poco", visited.  (Unfortunately but not surprisingly Poco didn't make it.)

19)  Several terrific waterfront restaurants can be found in Casco Bay:  Dolphin Marina, Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster, Cooks Lobsterhouse, Estes Lobster House, Holbrooks, Morse's Cribstone Grill, and Sebasco Resort all come to mind.

20)  Casco Bay is mere 107 miles from Boston; 33 miles from Augusta, 106 miles from Bangor, and 319 miles from New York City.