Writers Day Off

So, yesterday, we went to Jasper Beach, in Machiasport, Maine.

To get there, you drive toward Machias, Maine, eventually taking a right onto Kennebec Road, a left on Port Road, and stop when you see the ocean.  There’s a sand and gravel parking lot to the left off the Port Road.

In order to reach the beach, you need to follow a narrow trail overgrown with sea roses, then scale a rock dune — by which I mean a dune that is made of round rocks and stones, instead of sand.

Once you reach the top of the dune, the Atlantic Ocean lies ahead of you.  Between you and the ocean are more round rocks and stones.  It’s a little perilous for those of us who have grown unsteady in our knees and on our feet to navigate.  I did go down toward the water, and stopped when I realized how difficult is was going to be to get back up the slope.

So, I stood there, watching the ocean, assaulted by a brisk salt breeze, and marveled anew at the quantity of islands Maine manages to pack into its various inlets and bays, and the endless variability of The Rugged Maine Coast™.

I took a couple pictures with my phone, but Steve had the Big Camera.  The shots below are his.

After we had Communed sufficiently, we drove up to Machais, where we lunched at Helen’s — Steve had the crabcake sandwich, and I had the meatloaf-and-grilled-cheese on garlic bread, which is pretty far out of my wheelhouse — and it was delicious.  We bought slices of Helen’s Just Famous pie to bring home with us — lemon meringue for Steve; blueberry for me — which became this morning’s breakfast.

It was, in all, an interesting and enjoyable day off — about 350 miles of driving through autumnal Maine.

Here’s what Jasper Beach looks like (photos by Steve Miller):