York Harbor, Maine 10/1/1998

I spent my first night in Maine listening to acorns fall on the camper in York Harbor. I realized it was beginning to look like fall and the leaves were showing a hint of fall color. The Maine coast indeed takes on a different appearance from her southern neighbors. I turned onto highway 9 as the rain began and went through Kennebunkport. I decided since it was raining I would turn north on 9A and drive on to Kennebunk.


Kennebunk was developed about 1650 and was then a portion of Wells. Between 1800 and 1850 more than 1000 clipper ships, cargo vessels, and schooners came to the more than fifty shipyards. I then stepped back into history at the First Parish Church on Main Street. The Christopher Wren steeple contains a bell cast by Paul Revere's foundry and there was obviously a restoration project going on.

I turned down Summer Street to go back to Kennebunkport since the rain had ceased. The street was lined with stately homes that included Colonial, Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian. Victorian always appears cuter to me and that was indeed the case with the yellow and white Wedding Cake house that was covered with gingerbread.

When I crossed the bridge into Kennebunkport I found the tourists. The small shopping section was filled with gift shops. I drove out onto a fishing pier for my first look at real lobster cages. I then ventured on to Ocean Avenue to follow the rocky shore of Cape Arundel. I went further along Ocean Drive and came upon a pull off area where obvious tourists all were out of their cars with cameras in hand. In this area was supposed to be a waterspout produced by the water forced through rocks as the tide comes in. I couldn't find it but soon deducted that the house nearby with the large American flag flying was George Bush's summer home and was obviously the tourist attraction.



On around the bend was another pull off and a gentlemen painting a seascape with oils. I stopped and asked him about the water spout and found out the tide was too far out. I had a wonderful visit with the artist and his friend Charley who ate Amish bread from my hand.


I stopped at the Maine Welcome Station in Freeport and got a handful of literature. I soon arrived at one of my priority destinations - the L L Bean outlet store. If it was going to be in the 30s then it was indeed coat weather so I purchased one. This town was full of outlet shops and many shoppers. Soon another new sign "Snowmobile crossing." At the rate the temperature was dropping it woudn't be long before they would be crossing. On through Waldoboro and Thomaston, classic Maine villages without the tourists.

I selected the Megunticook by the Sea campground just south of Rockport, a very nicely laid out campground with plenty of tall trees. The Camden area is noted as the "jewel of the midcoast region where the mountains meet the sea."