Our last lighthouse day...so sad!

Nubble Lightouse

August 24 – Although we didn’t get a really early start we still had a great day!  We left around 9 for south of Portland, ME.  We wanted to complete the lighthouses there and in RI.  We stopped at our regular station to fuel up cheaper in MA and get our iced coffees and then on to York, ME to see Nubble Lighthouse on Cape Neddick.  Bill said this is the prettiest one we have seen.  It was very scenic across from the point on its own little island.  It’s an active lighthouse and the lights are all pretty much maintained by the US Coast Guard but historical groups maintain the facilities.  I went into the gift shop to get my passport stamp and she also

Boon Island Lighthouse

had one for Boon Island lighthouse.  I asked her where it was and she showed it to me out the window, way out in the water about 6 miles.  So after getting my stamp I went back out and took as good of a photo as I could from so far.  Bill managed to find a parking space along the edge of the tiny circle drive so he got to get out and see Nubble with me.  He moved to a small lot at the little snack bar but stayed with the car so he didn’t get in trouble blocking anyone in.

Great Lunch Spot

From Cape Neddick we headed just up the road a few miles  to Ogunquit.  Both Polly and our friends Ron and Barbara had told us what a nice place it is.  Well, it was a typical tourist town on the water in the number of tourists in summer.  There were cars everywhere in a poorly designed traffic area on bikes, on foot, with strollers.  We drove on out to Perkins Cove and it was worse.  Parking was $20 if there was any and I’m sure the meal prices were high also, so we managed to get turned around and left.  There were a lot of small shops and I was interested in going to some but not for the price of parking.  We watched along the way for a place to have lunch and we almost missed “Lobsters in the Rough”.  You might consider it a red neck kind of place.  You order and they call your number and most of the seating is outside.  They have entertainment every weekend and 3 bocce ball courts and horseshoes.  There was an outside bar with seating all around.  More of a neighborhood place but the license plates were from all over.  They had all kinds of seafood but nothing fancy.  It appeared to only be open seasonally.  I had a lobster roll with more lobsters than any other I’ve had.  We shared an order of fried clam strips and Bill had a burger.  It was very good and we didn’t have to pay to park.

Portsmouth Harbor Light

Our next stop was a waste!  We followed the directions to Whaleback Lighthouse.  It was all winding and out on a point but we came to a park entrance and it was $10 to drive in and see the lighthouse.  He indicated you can’t get to it but get the best view there.  I opted not to pay the $10.  So we drove on back to where we came off the road and went in search of Portsmouth Lighthouse.  It’s on a Coast Guard

Life Saving Station

Station but we accidentally entered the Naval Ship Yard.  They were very nice and gave us some direction to get around the town and in the right direction.  Once we got on the right road the directions started to make sense.  We went out to the point where both the lighthouse is and the remains of Fort Constitution.   There were a few parking spaces and we had time to get on a lighthouse tour.  The volunteers give the tours and set up a tent outside to sell memorabilia and tour tickets.  Bill was not interested in going to the top but was allowed to go with me and wait in line. 

 

Whaleback Lighthouse

We could see an older looking lighthouse a little way out and to the side of it was another small island with a decrepit looking building on it.  It was Whaleback Lighthouse and the old Life Saving Station.  The Friends of Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse are hoping to have boat tour out to the island in 2 years and have refurbished the Life Saving Station.  Guess we will have to come back!

The tour was nice.  They have a person at the base to give you info on the changes made to the lighthouse, a person on the inside to speak on the life of a keeper and his family and at the top the person talks about the lense and distance of the light.  It was very warm in the top as it was in the enclosed glass and the sun was shining brightly outside.  The view was great and I saw a very colorful boat sailing by.

Unfortunately the day was coming to an end and this would be our last light house for the summer.  I was very sad to be leaving.  So many lighthouses, so little time (and money).

The traffic going home for a Sunday evening was not nearly as bad as we expected.  I was prepared to once again find alternate roads but it wasn’t necessary.  We stopped again on the way at our regular Cumberland Farms to fill up and get iced coffees for the ride home.  We got home about 7:30 and finished off some leftovers for a late dinner.