Bernie at the Ocean

January 4, 2009 - A visit to the IslandTo celebrate our last day of vacation, InsaneGuy, Bernie and Agent S. took a road trip down to see the ocean - specifically the lovely coastal town of Bar Harbor, Maine! In downtown Bar Harbor we went searching for a letterbox called "The Maine Event," whose clue says to find the cannons that guard the harbor. (check)Bernie practices for his future in stunt-devil work, getting shot out of the cannon.
then locate the gazebo near the cannons and sit down on the step facing the ocean. (check)then reach under the step and find .... no treasure =( (the owner says that it is often reported to be far back, but the stamp log shows the last several people hadn't been able to find it either. bummer. perhaps for the best though because it was soooo windy at the harbor I wouldn't have wanted to take off gloves long enough to stamp anything!)
This photo of Bernie with the cocked leg amuses me greatly - like he is showing his opinion of missing letterboxes!

After searching the harbor, and lunch in the one of the only eateries that isn't closed down for the winter (subway) we then headed out to Acadia National Park. The Park is a hugely popular tourist spot in summer, but is officially closed for the winter. Parts however are accessible, and I had it in mind to find the letterbox called "Blackbeards Hidden Cove" - so we started following the clues - find a road that loops around (Park Loop Rd) - pass a sandy beach (Sand Beach), past a hole that lets you hear thunder even when the sky is clear (Thunder Hole), past cliffs and a large cove and a stone bridgeA beautiful day at Sand Beach - and not too cold because it was protected from the wind.
Bernie enjoyed a nice stroll along the beach and watching the waves

We stopped at Thunder Hole, but it wasn't the right point in the tide for thundering. Bernie enjoyed a lesson on the causes of this natural phenomenon, but wishes he could have seen it for himself!
Sadly after Thunder Hole the park loop road reached a point where it was gated off for the winter - and this made access to the letterbox not possible. another bummer.

No letterboxes to be found, but we decided to drive out to find the lighthouse that none of us had actually seen before - driving through the picturesque towns of Northeast Harbor and Southwest Harbor, we made a fairly complete circle of Mount Desert Island to reach the lighthouse at Bass Harbor.Bernie at Bass Harbor Lighthouse. We had to climb down a hill of sheer ice to get here!
No letterbox success, but a beautiful day at the ocean!