Fishing
Posted by Pocklock |
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We boarded the Elizabeth Ann from the cold, windy dock in Port Clyde and arrived on Monhegan Island 1 hour later. We took pictures of the multiple small islands we passed keeping our eyes pealed for seals. I didn’t see any seals, but we did see many shack like homes that had to have been places of solace for the owners.
Monhegan, with narrow, unpaved roads, and pretty gardens greeted us with local warmth and friendliness. We didn’t have any expectations. Everything we read about Monhegan just proclaimed how wonderful it was. Details were lacking. But it’s true. I know I’ll have trouble writing about all the details as well. For it was, truly just wonderful.
We stopped at the North End Market; a small barn like house with a small porch in the front. We ate vegetable soup to warm up after the cold crossing and ordered grilled veggie panini sandwiches. We perused the store’s two aisles and read a small postcard posted on the wall that said, Population: 39 humans, 13 dogs, 37 cats and had the names of each listed in columns underneath. The sign on the counter read, “If I’m not here, just write down your name and purchase and come back to pay later.”
We left the market and headed south east up the hill, stopping in another shop, The Novelty to buy EHH desert and me some hard candy. This store also boasted free WiFi, an ATM, ice-cream, pizza, and a cooler with beer. Its two tables were taken with other visitors or perhaps, locals. The sign on the door read, “Eat a little. Hike a little. Eat a little more.”
We climbed the hilly dirt road outside the store, it getting more and more narrow the further we climbed. Soon we reached a clearing with rocks that dropped off to the blue ocean crashing below. The view was amazing. There was another couple there as well that took our picture and shared our smiles. They were the last people we would see for more than an hour.
We reapplied our bug spray, retied our hiking boots, and set out southward on the trail marked ‘1 – hard terrain’. We navigated through, just the two of us, hopping over roots, hanging on to branches as we descended huge rocks, wading through mud puddles. We reached another clearing stopping to drink some water and take more pictures of the sights around us. We mumbled about its beauty and vastness. At one point I had a very Republican thought about how many other places must exist within America that are this amazing and asked myself why people always glorify Europe.
When we reached The Shipwreck we negotiated the sharp rocks down to a tidal pool where we sprawled out in the sun and watched the birds that slept where the rocks met the water. I told EHH that the birds might be on vacation too. We decided they were from Miami and their names were Sal and Charlene. They flew all the way to Monhegan to take in the rocky cliffs. They had never seen a coastline like this in Florida. Neither had we.
Other hikers emerged from behind the wreckage that looked to be about a 45 foot steel sailboat at one time. We walked around it, took photos and were ready to forge on when I looked down and noticed a rather large hold in the front my shorts. Through it you could see my Victoria’s Secret Pink thong. I had no idea how it got there, but the shorts were definitely unsalvageable. A casualty of Monhegan Island. Tying EHH’s shirt around my waist a certain way covered the hole and we laughed all the way back to town.
The rest of our time on Monhegan was spent in the village. We walked past the church, the school, and up to the lighthouse. The view from the lighthouse was from above the village and looked out beyond the dock and the harbor, protected by the small Manana Island. The views from there were spectacular as well.
We wandered into the Inn’s and shops and spoke to some local year-round people as well as other day trippers. I bought souvenirs and we shared an ice cream while sitting on the rocks along the side of the road.
With 45 minutes left before the Elizabeth Ann took us back in-shore (as the locals would say), we decided to buy lobster out there for dinner instead of running into the same situation we had 2 days ago unable to find them. I asked a young girl inside the North End Market where to go and she responded, “Shermie’s.”
It took some time to find him, but Shermie was an elderly lobsterman who seemed married to the sea. EHH told him we’d like 4 lobsters and he got in his row boat and rowed out to his mooring where his fishing boat was tied. Shermie pulled the trap, took out the lobsters, tossed them in a bucket and rowed back to us; standing on the beach.
We went up to Shermie’s workshop where he could weigh the lobsters and his phone rang. He had a lengthy conversation with the person on the other end and my nerves soared as the click ticked closer to when our boat would be leaving for the night. While waiting for him to hang up, I looked around the room we were standing in. Waders hung in every corner, used dishes were piled on the work bench. And empty bottle of whisky sat upright near the scale. Oars, bouys, traps, various Maine-like stuff surrounded us. Above the scale hung a framed painting of his boat, The Legacy. Suddenly Shermie looked at his watch and said to the person on the phone, “I gotta get some bugs to these people leaving on the boat,” and hung up.
Bugs?
We paid for the lobsters and thanked him. We got to the dock in plenty of time.
The ride back was much calmer and less windy. EHH napped on the upper deck and I read a little, napped a little, and reflected on the day. The captain’s voice came on the PA and the boat slowed.
”Folks, we’ve got quite a few seals on this island to our left.”
I leaped up and grabbed the camera. EHH stirred when I yelled, “Hon! Seals!” There were so many of them! Big and small, fat and lazy, soaking up the warm sun. One dove in as we got closer and I snapped a photo of his cute little face bobbing in the water. The life of a harbor seal, if it weren’t for that cold water, looked better than the life of a cat. EHH took video of their cuteness as well.
After that, the rest of the trip was uneventful. We got off the boat, picked up some staples in the general store including vegetables for dinner and toothpaste, and headed back to the cottage, exhausted, but happy with our day.
A shower revealed the intense sunburn on my face and bruises on my ankles from my well tied boots. It was all worth it.
Dinner was fantastic. Salad, baked potato (for EHH), and bugs. We toasted our glasses to a terrific day and one we’ll remember whenever we think of this trip to Maine.
We planned the rest of our trip. We’re here one more day, one we’ll spend relaxing on the deck in the morning and playing golf in the afternoon. We leave for Boston on Thursday for Part 2 of our New England vacation. I cracked the last claw on my lobster and ate it knowing it might be the last one of 2007.
