Maine Day 3 - The Ocean Path

I finished up at the café around 10:30 and the sun was just beginning to come out as I got on the bus to come back to the campground. This time of day the bus goes around park of the park loop road to get to the campground. I was excited to see the coast and the ocean and the rocks! As a result it takes longer! It’s about a ½ hour on the bus into Bar Harbor, but the scenic route took almost an hour. It was noon when I got to the RV.

I’d decided I was going on the 2:30 Ranger led walk to Otter Point. I’d hoped to stop at Thunder Hole on my way because the tide was coming in and that’s when the waves crash into Thunder Hole and it’s the coolest. I got myself all ready, packed my backpack, put on my hiking boots, grabbed my lunch and was walking to the bus stop when Rene pulled in. It was good timing because I could help him get the battery in and make sure it was working. That took about a ½ hour and then I was on my way to the bus stop, as I was walking up there I saw the bus so I started running to flag it down, but the driver didn’t see me! So I had to wait 30 minutes until the next one!

By the time I finally got on the bus it was close to 1:30, the walk started at 2:30! No time for Thunder Hole! I made it to the hike location by 2:00 though, thanks to a tip from the bus driver! Since I was early I wandered out on to the rocks where I could see the ocean. It was pretty awesome! Be sure to check the pictures! When I got there most of the coast was covered with fog! That made it look even cooler! When I’d passed through just a few hours earlier though, it had been clear!

I met up with the group for the ranger walk. It was a large group, but everyone was very nice! There were a whole bunch of teachers and retired teachers! The ranger who lead the hike was in fact a retired teacher! She’d taught high school science and math and is now a seasonal interpretive ranger here and winters in Florida! The walk was nice, but it was only a mile and we kept stopping to talk about stuff! I guess that’s what happens when you have a former teacher for a leader! J It was very interesting though!

When we got to the final destination – Otter Point, which the ranger claimed was the southernmost point on Mt. Desert Island (spelled like Desert, pronounced like Dessert), I’m not 100% sure of that from looking at the map – the fog broke up and suddenly the whole coast was clear and sunny!

The ranger left us at that point to find our own way back, so I started walking back toward Thunder Hole and Sand Beach – it was 2 miles to Sand Beach and it was basically flat! As I walked I took many pictures at the same place where I’d taken a picture before, only now it was a whole different shot because the fog was gone!

Thunder Hole was not that interesting to me. Basically it’s a hole in the rocks and when the tide comes in it crashes and booms and sprays. The tide was going out so maybe I need to go back when it’s high tide, or when the tide is coming in. We’ll see.

I made it to Sand Beach – which is a swimming beach, even though the ocean is only 55 degrees there – and waited for the bus. I’d thought maybe I’d go for a swim, but I didn’t really feel like it then, despite the fact that I was hot and sweaty. I’m going to plan for a swim at Sand Beach tomorrow after kayaking when I’ll already be in “get wet gear”, then I’ll come back to the RV and get all showered.

When I got on the bus and we drove back down the same areas I’d just walked, the fog was once again present! Amazing how it comes and goes so fast! This time it was even thicker than before! This evening the fog was even creeping into the treetops at the campground!

I rode the bus all the way into Bar Harbor so I could get ice cream, since all my ice cream sandwiches melted in the battery failure and check email/computer stuff. I got some great blueberry ice cream, which has basically been my dinner, even though I’m snacking on carrots and hummus as I write – it’s ok I’m on vacation and my mom isn’t with me (even if she was she’s all for ice cream for dinner and carrots for dessert!)

I arrived back at the campsite at about 8:15. The 1^st thing I did was check the battery…it’s fully charged. I’m not running much this evening – 1 light at a time, the water pump, charging the phone, might have to plug the computer in, but I won’t leave it to charge and that’s it. Hopefully the issue is solved. We’ll have to see in the morning how things are!

I’ll be heading to bed soon, very tired after not sleeping much last night.

Maine Day 3 - Ocean Trail