Sunday, June 5, 2011

... to Dover, NH, and points north in Maine

So, after escaping from Boston, Jeannine and I headed north, to our old "stomping grounds" of the Dover/Portsmouth area. We were pretty hungry, so instead of heading directly to our place of lodging -- the Cliff House in Ogunquit, ME -- we stopped off at one of our favorite seafood restaurants, Newicks, in Dover. We got great seats near a window and had Newicks' always-fresh seafood.

It had been some time since I'd stayed at the Cliff House with Jeannine, and it had changed quite a bit, including a whole new building (which is where we were staying). We had a nice view of the ocean from the balcony off our room, even though -- at least early each morning -- the ocean was covered in fog, as you can see in this view from the balcony.




But within a few hours, it cleared up and we could sit out there and watch the waves. I spent quite a bit of time wandering around on the rocks -- not on these vertical rocks…



… which are the cliffs from which the Cliff House derives its name, but on the safer, more navigable rocks to either side of the cliffs. I took many photos of interesting rocks, and did a little bit of sketching. Actually, I only did two sketches, and here they are.





I was hoping to do more, but I was too lazy.

I did manage to capture a few decent shots of waves -- here's one I shot from our balcony using the camera's zoom lens (love the colors)…



… and another bit of "crashing wave action" caught by the camera's high-speed "burst" function.



I even got myself in one shot. 



I never get tired of looking at these rocks by the ocean. They fascinate me with their shapes, patterns, and colors.





At one point -- I think it was on our first day there -- I was out on the rocks looking for good angles in the morning, while there was still quite a bit of mist on the ocean, when I heard the sound of a boat engine, and this lobster boat came slowly chugging out of the mist.




It's certainly not a rare sight on the coast of Maine…


… but I thought it was kind of cool.


Sometimes the rocks can seem barren, almost a moonscape, devoid of life… but then you look a bit closer, and there is quite a bit of life. This large spider (one of many on the rocks) paused in its rapid scurrying to and fro to allow me to snap a portrait shot…



… and one day on the way back to our room, I spotted these bluets growing among the rocks…




… and this bright lichen growing ON the rocks.




We had a great time, and ate lots of good food -- even went to "Johnny's Oarweed" in Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, the restaurant at which a pre-TMNT Kevin Eastman once worked as a lobster cook, and we had a lovely meal on a beautiful day sitting outside by the ocean.

However, I neglected to do one important thing while we were there, and I regret it -- I didn't call my pal Steve Lavigne to see if we could get together. Sorry, Steve! -- PL

9 comments:

Adam Riches said...

These photos are incredible, some of my favorites you've posted in a while. Your blog gives me a lot of vacation inspiration for the future!

Anonymous said...

I grew up in Hawaii where the shoreline rocks are very organic. I really find it interesting to see rocks in very geometric patterns like the ones you photographed.

stan

PL said...

" usagiguy said...
I grew up in Hawaii where the shoreline rocks are very organic. I really find it interesting to see rocks in very geometric patterns like the ones you photographed.

stan"

Stan, why do you think the rocks in Hawaii are so different? -- PL

Anonymous said...

The Hawaiian Islands are volcanic, and relatively new, geologically speaking. Lava flows down to the sea and do not cool in any systematic way. Most of the beaches are sand-covered, but some still have the exposed, cooled lava rock. You have to wear feet covering on a few of these rock beaches because the lava have cooled into small, jagged formations that will cut your bare feet.

Aaron Hazouri said...

My wife and I fell in love with Acadia National Park when we were in Maine last fall. I'd love to check out Ogunquit one of these days. How was the weather, temperature-wise?

Anonymous said...

Lava cools in really interesting ways. In some areas of the Big Island, it cooled into permanent "rivers', where it looks like undulating waves. There is an area where it cooled around huge trees as it flowed past, making a forest of lava posts. We once walked through a huge lava tube, where a shell formed around a flow. Unfortunately, the famed black sand beaches composed of lava sand are no longer there because of erosion.

margui118 said...

Hi Peter: Those picture of New Hampshire and Maine are great!!

I was in Boston in 2005. It's really nice and I had the feeling that I was walking on the streets of a European city. I also had a picture with the "Duck" yellow boats. I was in Maine for a little bit, my family and I took pictures near the beach and visited Washington D.C, too.

I hope I can travel more often to visit many states of the country, I would like to visit the Carolinas, and New York (I won't visit the Ground Zero area yet, is too depressing :( ).

margui118 said...

I forgot to ask you this. Have you been in Miami, Florida?

PL said...

"margui118 said...
I forgot to ask you this. Have you been in Miami, Florida?"

I've been to a few places in Florida, but not Miami. -- PL