Springtime on a Small Maine Island

It took a while this year, but spring is now most definitely here. Tulips are blooming, lilacs are budding, and over the last few days a couple of sailboats have drifted past my office window. It’s all the more enjoyable because it took so darned long to get here this year.
Now’s the time to start thinking of summer vacations, so why not consider a tour of some or all of Maine’s iconic lighthouses? One of my favorites is Pemaquid Light, located in New Harbor on the Pemaquid Peninsula. This is lighthouse on the back of the Maine state quarter. Nothing beats seeing it in person, however. Pemaquid Light sits on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Waves crash over the rocks below, and the whole scene is a photographer’s dream, especially at daybreak and at sunset. The former keeper’s house is now a lovely little maritime museum run by volunteers. And all but the shortest visitors are welcome to climb the steep stairs into the light itself for some incredible views. (Alas, for safety reasons very small children will have to wait until they grow a bit.) A little park surrounds the lighthouse and there’s usually ample parking at a minimal per person fee.

Lighthouses and lobsters are the essence of summer in Maine. Photo (c) Nathaniel Hammond
Lighthouses and lobsters are the essence of summer in Maine. Photo (c) Nathaniel Hammond

I’ll write about some of Maine’s other lighthouses in future posts. Until then, have fun planning a visit to beautiful New England where spring has sprung at last!