Acadia National Park/Bar Harbor

Our Captain for this ship is Bart Vaartjes.  The daily newsletter says he is married with one son who is 9 and he lives in Florida.  It’s interesting to find out who the officers are, learn about their families and where they live and how they got into the sailing business.  We have one officer onboard that has his wife and three boys with him.  I read that he lives in the Netherlands so I assume his family will be with him until we get there and then possibly they will disembark.  The boys look like a handful for mom but I think they are having a wonderful time.  Everyday that we are by the pool area they are there jumping and laughing, splashing and enjoying having the pool mostly to themselves.  There don’t appear to be many children onboard as one would imagine with a cruise being 35 days!  

Today we are up and ready for our first tour with a small group of 6 to a van.  We have our own driver, a lady!  She will take us through the park which we have seen only in the fall.  Our tour is to be about 4 hours long which we think is just about right.  On the tour we see the rugged Main coast and enjoy several stops including Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliffs, Jordan Pond House and Cadillac Mountain.  The vans take us to the other side of town where we see what the big buses don’t see.  Our driver told us that she is a professional speaker and has written several books.  She is a religious speaker but has a great sense of humor and is very accommodating.  The weather is perfect being not too hot or too cold with a nice breeze.  Bar Harbor is a colorful place with the usual brewery’s, museums, artisan areas and famous old churches.  Here are a few of the names of the local spots: The Thirsty Whale Tavern! (Are whales thirsty?!) Side Street Cafe, Bar Harbor Beer Works, Havana (Latin cuisine in Bar Harbor!), Coffee Hound Coffee Bar, and Route 66 Restaurant.  

Cadillac Mountain is the highest point on the North Atlantic seaboard.  Acadia National Park is one of the most popular national parks due to its pristine landscape and abundant wildlife.  Bar Harbor boasts as being a premier summer resort town dating back to the late 18th century.  It was built on shipbuilding, lumber and fishing and now lays claim to a booming tourism industry.  More than 25 cruise ships come through here from May though October.  You can enjoy a leisurely kayak trip around the area looking out for a whale or two!  Or satisfy that craving for a lobster roll or two.  

Our tour van for the day.

MDI stands for Mount Desert Island

At the park....

Around the harbor where we tendered in to...

That’s our ship in the fog!  The view from Cadillac Mountain....

We found milkweed!!  Dan also found a cocoon under one of the leaves :). Long live the Monarch butterfly!

Lots of folks enjoying the beach but very few in the icy cold waters! 

Charlene our arranger of many tours and her husband Bill. 

Charlene and Bill enjoying a laugh from some crazy thing Dan shared :)

More beautiful scenery....

Fireweed adds rich color to the view.

The quaint harbor...

Museum and Gardens a peaceful and serene stop..

Visually calming...

Even Maine loves succulents !

Our trip ended in town after our guide, Linda, showed us a few places where we might find a few things some of us needed.  Dan and I decided to look for a grocery to buy some sparkling water and diet soda.  We came with our own protein bars and a few snacks to pack in our backpacks for excursions.  

We strolled through town and then boarded the tender for the quick trip back to the boat.  Dinner was in the Lido for us where some of our friends joined us.  We opt for a salad and fish or meat option.  We make it a habit to never use the elevators and get to the gym on sea days.  Entertainment tonight was a comedian, Kelly McDonald.  After that we sat at the BB King Blues bar and listened to 45 minutes of toe tapping sing along Motown.  Next stop will be Sydney, Nova Scotia with a sea day inbetween.