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Leaving Acadia

Kate says she's going to catch up in her posting accounts. We shall see...

The third morning we woke up in Acadia (Friday, I think) and packed up our stuff to depart. Mount Desert Island is sort of in two halves and we had not yet been to the southeastern side of the island, so we determined to go. We started off with a brief hike near Seal Cove. Our path edged a small bay and I had visions of hidden pirate ships moored there.It was close to lunch time by then and we really wanted lobster. Someone had recommended one particular pier in Southwest Harbor from which to purchase fresh lobster, but it had not been anywhere near lunchtime when we passed through there. Restaurants do not abound on Mount Desert Island, so we had a hard time. We found one real restaurant that was too expensive and one hole in the wall that would have suited us wonderfully, however, they only took cash and we were lacking. ATMs do not abound on Mount Desert Island either. It was in this small seafood restaurant that I heard the same music playing that had been blasting in the middle of the night our first night at the campground in Hanover, making me shudder.

So, that was a no go and we headed down to see the Bass Harbor lighthouse, making pb and j instead. The lighthouse is on the edge of a cliff. You can walk down a path to see it up close, but can't go inside as it has a current keeper who lives there with his family. To get a good view of the lighthouse, you have to take a different path down to a bunch of rocks on the edge of the Atlantic, about 20 yards from the house. To get the best view, you have to climb way out onto the rocks.

When we arrived, there were a few people way out on the rocks, but most were sitting pretty close to the edge of the path. Kate and I began to scramble out on the rocks to get the best view, carrying our lunches. Now, I have a number of irrational fears and rocks are one of them. I really, really don't like climbing on rocks, whether they're on a mountain or by the ocean. I think this is related to my fear of heights and distrust of my own strength and balance. So anyway, we had gone a good distance out on the rocks and Kate was ahead of me because I pick my way very carefully, and I came to a rock that was not immediately adjacent to the next one. By not immediately, I mean maybe 6-10 inches from it. And looking down between the two rocks, there was in actuality another level of rock about 6 inches down in that hole. No possibility of my falling, whatsoever.

But I hit a wall and would not go any further. Kate pretty quickly figured out that coaxing was not going to do any good and graciously let it be. Unfortunately, those on the rocks behind us, who had not even come as far as I was out, watching the whole thing, did not. Had I not had their audience, maybe I would have made the 'leap.' Even at the time, I knew I was being utterly ridiculous, but it mattered not. I stayed put and Kate got a better view, which she took pictures of.

Labels: travel

posted by CP @ 9:23 AM 0 thoughts