We headed back to anchor at Warren Island so we could explore more of Isleboro. We tried to hike Warren Island the next morning, but the mosquitoes were out of control and the hike turned into a forced march, and finally a run. I’m normally the one in any crowd who gets eaten alive by mosquitoes, but it was poor Lawrence’s turn that morning. We escaped back to the boat and got out the folding bikes.
Isleboro is big (13 miles long) and there aren’t trails or really much of a shoulder to roads, so it’s not optimal for walking. It’s great for the bikes though, if you don’t mind alot of hills. Isleboro is home to a lot of mega millionaires, and the homes on the shoreline show it, but it’s also home to much more modest folk as well. As we biked along we could enjoy simple cottage style homes opening up to the water every once in a while. We passed through town: a community center, cafe, post office, market and gallery (locals are convinced the island has kept it’s charm and lack of crime by not having any hotels or bars). We continued on till we found the library. Though it was closed (most island libraries are only open limited days of the week), it had wifi available 24/7, even if you had to stand at the door to pick up the signal. Out came the phones to check emails & messages, and the ipads to download more episodes of Stranger Things from Netflix.
Knowing that we still had to head back and wanted to visit local port officers, we turned around rather than trying to get to the end of the island. Later looking at a map I realized what a great decision that was – it would take a full day to bike the island given the hills. We stopped at the market for a few things, and then headed to Dick and Kathy de Grasse, local port officers for the OCC. They’ve owned their property on Isleboro since 1968 and built their own lovely compound and gardens. Fellow cruisers Bill & Bunny Bailey of s/v Onset stopped by as well, and we had a great afternoon chat about Isleboro, Maine, and cruising in general.
We headed back to the boat for a final round of cocktails with Lawrence & Viviane. The next morning we had intended on heading back to the island to bike and see more, but instead got a late start and only went across to visit the light house museum. It was a great museum with lots of artifacts, but unfortunately like all the other lighthouses in Maine, the fresnel lens had been removed and replaced with LED lights. I know they’re cheaper and more efficient, but it’s a shame to see the old lens – real works of art – removed.
Recent Comments