Enough pictures to be worth of their own post.
Return to Maine
We headed to Maine to air out the house after 2.5 years, and arrived into Bangor around 2:45am after a long delay in DC. But it was great to be back on the island!
October 2019
Pictures from October:
Maine 2019 Pt 2
Ann, Will, & Maggie arrived on Tuesday so the whole clan was together in town.
Maine 2019 Pt 1
It took us about five hours to drive from the New Hampshire mountains to Stonington.
Stonington Sunsets
We were presented with a spectacular sky tonight as the daylight faded. I’m not sure I need to say much else.
Adventures with Aly
First, though
a bit of wrap-up from yesterday. When Rachel and I returned from hiking yesterday, we encountered Aly boating with Grandpa Bill in the peapod and Leah playing on the rocks with Grandma Jan, having a great time with their grandparents in Maine.
Edgar Tennis Preserve
About a ten-minute drive from downtown Stonington, the Edgar Tennis Preserve is another beautiful shore area maintained by the Island Heritage Trust. Rachel and I hiked there on a sunny Sunday afternoon, doing both the loops that travel along the water (about 3 miles total of easy hiking, with a few rock scrambles along the way). Similar to the quarry hike, there are few parking spots available, perhaps 7 total. The views throughout the walks are stunning – ocean views, tidal bay views, and mossy forests dotted with ferns.
Settlement Quarry
Worth a second look
On Sunday morning, we took Leah to Settlement Quarry, which is just a short drive from downtown Stonington. We’ve been by the quarry before on our way to various nautical experiences with Bill Baker at Old Quarry Ocean Adventures, but had not hiked through it previously. Part of the Island Heritage Trust, there are scant few parking places at the trailhead. It takes about ten minutes of uphill walking along a two-track trail to reach the top of the quarry, but the scenery while hiking along the trail is gorgeous forest. We also encountered an abandoned furnace near the summit.
Fog & Tide Pools
Saturday morning
arrived with what the folks around here call “ribbon fog” weaving around the islands in our view. It made for a picturesque view of the old lighthouse and some neighboring islands.