MONHEGAN ISLAND
We took the last boat of the day, so we only had a few minutes to explore Monhegan Island, but it was a wonderful trip. The sky was clear and blue and the water sparkled. We passed close to Marshall Point Light, and islands owned by the Wyeth family. We sailed aboard the Elizabeth Ann, which was built in Stonington, Maine, and launched in 1995. The Elizabeth Ann includes a glassed-in heated cabin for cooler days, but since the weather was beautiful, we rode on the upper deck.
When we arrived on Monhegan Island, we were transported back in time. There are no cars on Monhegan, so there are only narrow dirt roads. Most people walk everywhere, but we did see a few people riding on golf carts.
The first two things you notice when arriving are the lighthouse on top of a high hill, and the huge wooden victorian era hotel. The light was built in 1824 and is 178 feet above sea level, making it the second highest light in Maine.
You also notice that most of the buildings on the island are clustered in one area. They are wooden, and most of them are unpainted and weathered to a beautiful shade of grey. The other thing you will notice are the beautiful flowers everyone has planted.
The only power on the island is from a generator located there.
I'm anxious to return and explore further. There is a museum located at the lighthouse, and it would have been interesting to walk more of the narrow dirt roads.
When we returned to the boat, we continued on around the island.
The other side of Monhegan is very different. Huge rough cliffs tower above you and drop sheerly to the shore. The water is very deep there, so the boat passes quite close, and you can see the effect the wind and water have had on the cliffs. It gives you the feeling of seeing something undiscovered, as though those cliffs are so wild, that no one has ever been there before. It's very hard to believe that this is part of the same island as the safe protected harbor you just left.
After rounding the island, we passed near a ledge where hundreds of Seals were sunning themselves, and our Captain, Jim Barstow, stopped the boat for a while, so everyone could take pictures.
I will probably be adding more to this soon, after I look up a little more of the history of the island. In the meantime, if you want to learn more about the Monhegan-Thomaston Boat Line, and the island of Monhegan, you can go directly to their website. They will also tell you about their other boat, the Laura B.
I would also like to give a special thanks to the Captain and owner, Jim Barstow, for the wonderful trip. My husband has worked on the Laura B. and also helped to build the Elizabeth Ann, and Jim has been a great friend. Thanks Jim, for giving us the wonderful trip, and for letting us ride in the pilot house!
Captain Jim Barstow
The Elizabeth Ann when it was launched
Here is the link to The Monhegan-Thomaston Boat Line
More to come, I'm still working on this page.
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