Tuesday, October 17 Acadia

 Tuesday, October 17

The weather is a bit dreary and overcast this morning. 48 degrees but it isn't raining and we have high hopes for clearing.

Blueberry pancakes in the Trek this morning, and then we head to Acadia National Park. 

 We drive down the southwest side of Mount Desert Island to start, to Bass Harbor Head Light. Some pretty Fall color in the trees here!

Bass Harbor Light was built in 1858 to warn mariners of the Bass Harbor Bar at the eastern entrance to the harbor, as well as marking the entrance to Blue Hill Bay which offered shelter for those seeking refuge from storms.  The keeper's house is not open to the public and most people scramble down the rocky shore for photos

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We continue to be amazed that some of the keeper's homes are private residences...can't imagine having tourists clamber around your home for a large part of the year!

We head back north to travel the Loop Road and pass the turn to Cadillac Mountain.  We've all been to the summit at sunrise in years past (awesome), but decide to take a daytime look. But we find that you now need timed reservations.   We make reservations for a few hours from now and go to the Hull Cove Visitors Center to look at their information and displays.  Then we drive along the Park Loop Road, stopping at Sand Beach,  Thunder Hole and a few other interesting spots.  Sand beach is a small crescent of sandy beach where the water rarely reaches above 55 degrees, even in the Summer.

Enjoying the rugged coastline!

 We walk the rocky coastline in a few spots and enjoy beautiful scenery in the now sunny day. We walk down to Thunder Hole, where the beach is covered in smallish, fist-sized and smaller rocks.  The surf carries them in and out and creates a pleasant low rumble. I imagine that during a storm it could resemble thunder.

A little further south and inland, there is some nice scenery too.

Then we head back to Cadillac Mountain and are waved through with our reservations.   Nice views up here and we are glad that the park has timed entries, as it is quite busy.

We decide to stay at Timberland RV Park tonight - one of few open campgrounds.  Full hookups and showers!  It will close October 22 and there are quite a few long term residents, some that have small buildings or decks on their sites.  Nice Sunset from our campsite.

We have soup, crackers and cheese for dinner followed by cribbage and a cookie or two.