Maine - Thomaston, Port Clyde and Marshall Point Lighthouse

We had picked up a booklet at the Tourist Office that listed all of Maine's lighthouses and I circled those close to us that we could reach by road. Most of them are on the islands that dot this coast and make it really hazardous for shipping. We headed for Marshall Point via Thomaston and Port Clyde.

From reading some of the books at the house it seems that Thomaston was initially a more important and affluent port than Rockland. That gradually changed over time and after Rocklands breakwall provided a larger safe harbour. It was interesting to us, especially Judy, that the information boards were in English and French.

Two dramatically different churches at the end of the main street. Episcopal and Baptist.

Now apartments, stores and offices, it used to be the hotel. An information board informed us that of the approximately 700 homes in Thomaston, about 85% are over 100 years old. Many are closer to 200. The three businesses that made Thomaston one of the wealthiest towns in Maine were shipbuilding, lime burning and the State prison.

Chatting with a local store owner we found that the road reconstruction,that we had been delayed by, driving in, had been going on for 3 years and it had put quite a few downtown stores out of business.

Thomaston is on a tidal river

picturesque

and quiet now.

We continued on to Port Clyde

where we reserved our places on the Monhegan Island ferry for Monday.

At this time of year the ferry only goes out to the island once a day so we have also booking a room out there for Monday night.

We had lunch in the General Store, my second lobster roll platter (sans roll).

 After lunch we headed back and turned off the road to get to Marshall Point lighthouse. We will pass this on our way out to Monhegan but I wanted to be able to walk around it.

Too late in the season for the museum but I got a quick sketch in.

The museum is in the lighthouse keepers house. Being a keeper here would have been OK, its near a community, not that exposed and its a lovely house.

On the lighthouse grounds there is a memorial to commercial fishermen lost at sea.

It is also the season for maintenance and they were sand blasting the lighthouse and replacing some of the walkway out to it.

We followed a short trail behind the house

until we could see back to Port Clyde.

We clambered back along the shoreline on rocks that looked like lace

It was a good workout requiring muscles we don't often use to negotiate stones that were slippery and sometimes loose.

Close to home we stopped at an Alpaca farm. That's "Bubbles" in the background, the source for the yarn I bought. You can see the resemblance.

They have a small herd but are adding to it each year. That's a newly acquired baby in the background.

I don't like having my picture taken,

so I am not

going to co-operate.

Are you still here?