Time is getting close now, and I'm sure many of you like I am are putting together your travel plans if you are going to Maine in October.

I'm sure that there will be a wide variety of differences between what one person will do, compared to what someone else will do. Because of the differences in who is flying in and who is driving in. How much time one person has, that someone else does not. And ofcourse the almighty dollar ... one may have a large savings account set up just for this trip, while another is pinching pennies!

So what are your plans?

Are you taking advantage of being in Maine, (so far away from home) and doing extra Lighthouseing Adventures? If so does this include the fantastic trip that Dave has set up for us? And does it include additional Lighthouseing, say a trip up to East and West Quoddy?

Tell us here what your plans are. Because you may have thought of something that someone else has not. Or you may be in any particular place at the same time that someone else has also planed to be at that same spot. And now that you will know ... you can go together!

I will start this with our plans.

Time is not a factor for us, as my work schedule is very flexible and Joe is unemployed at this time. So we plan on taking 3 weeks for this trip. However money is a BIG factor! As I just said Joe is unemployed at this time. So we will be doing as much as possible for as little as possible.

We will be driving:
We will consider our trip to start when we hit the NY/CT state line. And we will visit every Lighthouse that we can possible get to from there up to Portland. We will skip the lights that are planed in "Dave's Maine Regional Bus/Boat Trip" and pick up at Acadia National Park and go north up to Quoddy. Then backtrack to Portland in time for the Regional. We will also hit as many National Parks that happen to be within our route.

However we will be doing all this on the cheep plan! Meaning that we will not overnight in Motels, but rather be camping. An average hotel would cost between $50 to $100 a night. But most National or State parks offer campsites for $12 to $20 a night. We will not be eating out, we will be cooking Hot Dogs and such on our camp stove or eating Bologna sandwiches. This way we can eat for a week on $30 instead of $30 a meal.

We will be going on the "Maine Regional Bus/Boat Trip":
This will be the Grand Finale and most expensive part of our trip.

When the Maine Regional Bus/Boat Trip is over, we must hightail it south to be in Carrabelle, FL on Sat. the 14th.

Acadia is awesome(we spent two weeks camping there 20 years ago & it's still memorable) and Stephanie make sure you camp in the park. It will be very cool/close to cold so pack accordingly(no hot water or showers - there are hot showers to rent outside). There's also a state park to camp outside Boston close to the ocean. very nice. Should be a great camping trip if weather stays good. East and West Quoddy are a trip in themselves. Check the tide chart. Remember your ID for going into Canada.
Bob

I'm sure I will be back with more, but wanted to share this info with everyone.

As you probably know, I am a major proponent of going to visit East Quoddy (or Head Harbour) Light if you at all possibly can. This light is one that most definitely requires pre-planning to be there at the right time. You can visit this light ONLY during low tide - remember that you are dealing with 25 fot tides in this area. Normally I would tell you to visit the tourism office that you pass as you head onto Campobello Is, but I just spoke with a very nice lady there that said they will be closing for the season on Oct 8.

You can go to this site to get tide tables. You will have to work your way to the ones you want - couldn't get a direct link to work.
• Choose English (or French if you are adventerous)
• From the drop down box choose the Atlantic Region
• Choose Zone 32 (zone #s will display as you roll the cursor over them.) You want to be in the lower left corner; there are 4 boxes; zone 32 is the top left one.
• From the drop down box for zone 32 (starts with Back Bay) choose East Quoddy Head)
• This will display the tide table for the next 7 days.
• To see another 7 day period, choose the appropriate starting date on the left hand side of the page.

Important things to remember:

• New Brunswick is on Atlantic Time. This is one hour ahead of Eastern. They do observe DST and change on the same schedule as the US does. The tide tables default to Atlantic time.

• The folks at the visitor center told me that the window to visit East Quoddy Light is from 1.5 hours before the listed low tide time to 1.5 hours afterwards. This is a 3 hour window to get over, get your pictures and get back.

• Low tide is the lower displayed number. Tides are shown in both meters and feet. Don't assume anything. Just because low tide is at 10:00 Tuesday, don't presume it will be at 10:00 Wednesday. It may be up to 2-3 hours different. Look at the table for the exact day you plan to visit.

• Wear shoes with good gripping tread (leave your slick soles and cowboy boots in the car...). Wear shoes that you are willing to get wet and slimy (never said it was pretty getting there). Have an extra set of shoes in the car.

• Don't take an excess of stuff with you on the trip across. Do take a cell phone if you have a signal (just in case...)

• Do watch your footing going to and from the light. The "beach" stones can be very slippery as can other parts of the walk. Watch where you are walking.

• Don't overstay your welcome - don't miss the 'window of opportunity' to visit. The tides can come in very quickly and do generate undertows and may well pull you out to sea if you get caught in them. If the tide is coming in, better to stay put and call for help.

If you can do it, make your visit - you will be glad you did. You don't want to be close and not get to this light, as you will be bummed out when your friends are talking about their adventures and sharing pictures and you didn't go. And, when you get back share your adventure.

Bringing these up to the top for those who are planning a trip to EAST QUODDY. This is a beautiful area and quite the adventure. The night before we crossed over there was a 60 foot fishing trawler going through the channel between the mainland and the first island. Sharon and I both made it over to the Light and had quite a good time. Be sure to enjoy all of Campobello Island while you're there.

East Quoddy Part 1

East Quoddy Part 2

Thanks Dave!

That is just what I needed! You are once again a lifesaver!!!

Wow Bert,

What a GREAT description! THANKS!
That too is just what I needed for planing our trip!

Since Randy has used up all of his vacation time and will not get paid, our Maine trip originally was going to be a short one. However, I decided to extend our stay a few extra days and rented a vacation rental home near Pemaquid Point Lighthouse. Though I would love to see East Quoddy, we're going to save that for another trip when we return so to photograph the Puffins sometime. So, we're going to spend some quality time by one lighthouse and maybe visit a couple others.

I wish I could make the long trip that Dave has planned. There are so many Maine lights and so little time for me.

I'm wondering if I flew into Bangor and drove straight to Lubec (about 2.5 hours according to Streets & Trips) I could do West Quoddy. Could I also see Lubec Channel from Lubec?

And how long in driving time would it take to get a viewpoint for East Quoddy? Can that be seen without going to Campobello Island?

Then if I left Lubec, which Maine lights up that way could I stop at for a bit on the drive back to Portland and do that with one overnight stay?

For example, from Lubec, drive to Bar Harbor (see which lights?) and maybe make one or more stops on the drive back to Portland.

I know that many of these Maine lights are out on peninsulas and islands, so getting in and out of them and back to the road to Portland may require extra time.

Any advice would be appreciated.

You can see Lubec Channel from the road
going in to see WestQuoddy, its on your left.

You have to allow at least 1 hour round trip into the peninsulas. Some are 45 min - 1 hour just to get in.

Off the top of my head I couldn't be sure of the rest of the answers so I'll have to check and get back to you later. Sorry John.

To get to W Quoddy and view Lubec Channel Light -- in Whiting turn off US 1 onto ME 189 and continue toward Lubec. About 4.1 miles east of US 1 turn right onto South Lubec Road (look for Quoddy Head State Park sign). John, its a small sign. The best view of the light (Lubec Channel)is approx 1/3 to 1/6 mile from main road(ME189) Continue on same road to another Quoddy Head State Park sign (small) and bear left
continuing to the light. John, etal, if the weather and light are good there are trails behind the fog horn bldg. It can be a tough walk but you can walk on the ocean floor and get some great pictures (if the tide is out). You will see a stairway down to the "floor". You can still get some good shots if the tide is in and weather clear by taking that path along the ocean and go all the way out. Its about 1 hour round trip walk. Also, look for Mulholland Point Light across the water in Canada. There is a spot (someplace around there) you can see that light too, but it was way to foggy when I was there last.

Re East Quoddy; I don't know and I think not, but you can check with Bert Guerin aka Mtn Hkr. I don't have any info on Canadian Lights.

From Lubec to Portland your talking about a 4 to 4 1/2 hour drive to Portland without heavy traffic. Rockland is about 84 miles from Bar Harbor and not a bad stopping place for the night. You could stay at the Trade Winds and continue in the a.m. as Portland is about 82 miles from Rockland. While there, you can shoot Rockland Breakwater with a long lens and visit the Lighthouse Museum across the street from the hotel.

Coming down from Lubec you can get on route 1 and follow that to Route 186 or 195 and go to Prospect Harbor. You can't get on the base but you can shoot it from near the base gate ( a good shot) or from across the bay on the way to Acadia Nat Park entrance to see Winter Harbor. Get there by taking Rte. 186 thru Winer Harbor to the Nat Pk entrance (no pass needed to see the light) Parking areas (pull overs) about 1 mile south of the entrance are about the best views you'll get, and this is another long shot.

After you leave there, if there is time, you might want to get to Bass Head Harbor Light on Mt Desert Island. I can't help to much except for copying directions from a book which says; from North East Harbor take ME 198 north and ME 102 and ME102A south through the town of Bass Harbor until you come to a sign for the entrance to the light station and free parking. Its open all year, 9 to sunset. It is private and you must go down a steep 2 flight stairway and descend to a rocky path. At waters edge you must climb onto the boulders to get a good shot.

cont. on next thread

If we're good so far the next day you can, depending on your time, see Owls Head, Marshall Point, Pemaquid Point (this is my favorite -- so peaceful and calming, I can spend the day there.),Doubling Point -- near Bath -and Doubling Point front and rear range. The range lights I feel you can bypass if pressed for time. You really can't get a decent of a shot of them unless you're on a boat. These all will take time to get in and out of but if you have the time I think they're worth it. If you want/need directions I'll be more than happy to give them to you. Two books I recommend for Maine are a guidebook and keepsake, Lighthouses of Maine by Bruce Roberts and Ray Jones. Its about 8X6 soft cover and is -- $9.95 at the LHD ISBN # - 0-7627-3966-5. The other book is by Jeremy D'Entremont, and I've mentioned this one before, America's Atlantic Coast Lighthouses A Travelers guide. It's revised and updated from an original edition by Kenneth Kochel. Its a big book and weighs a lot more than the 1st one I mentioned which, I'm sure, would suffice for this trip. Hope this helps and if you have any questions please feel free to post or email me.

Thanks Tom. I thought it was a good idea, but I've had to give it up. Not enough time and not enough green stuff with Chris in college now.

I'm flying Southwest in and out of Providence RI for peanuts :rolleyes: , hoping to see a lighthouse or two on the way up to Portland on Friday and driving back down to Providence on Monday, again maybe seeing a lighthouse or two along the return route.

Overnighting Monday next to the airport and flying home non-stop on Tuesday morning. I would have flown home Monday evening, but if I waited till Tuesday AM, the lower fare easily covered a hotel room there.

Of course the Powerball could easily change all that again.

John, where are you staying Monday night? I can probably help with some of the RI lights that you haven't seen since I was just there.

At a Comfort Inn next to the airport - RIGHT next to the airport.

John,

Lighthouse Depot has a Maine Lighthouse map tha I have used when I have been lighthousing in Maine. I had no trouble finding the lighthouses
with the directions on the back of the map.

I hear you on that one. I think that would be the answer for all of us.

Your welcome, and sorry it didn't work out for you.

We will be at East Quoddy on Wen. Oct. 4. Is there anyone else that plan to be there on that day?

Thanks, Jen. I have the USA Lighthouse Map. I'll put that in my travel bag.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN!!!

We hit the road TODAY! See you all in Maine!