I Spy

I spy with my little eye ...

a harbor seal wary of the lobster fishing boat

a porpoise while waiting for the harbor seal to surface again

a brace of Eider ducks

A Pretty Pool of Water

Walking around the Barred Island Preserve, we stumbled upon a pool of water teeming with life and vibrant colors.

The crab desperately tried to camouflage itself. 

Mmmmm ... mussels

I think he took it seriously when I asked if he wanted seafood for din-dins.

Barred Island on Deer Isle

One of my most favorite spots in Maine, the Barred Island Preserve on Deer Isle.  Taken on 18 August 2014.

One can actually walk around the island ... awesome! 

The tide was coming in - uh-oh :)

The tides' "zipper effect" in progress

Still Far from the Madding Crowd

More photos taken on 12 August 2014 in Schoodic Peninsula, Maine.

Far from the Madding Crowd

Sunset at Schoodic Point (Schoodic Peninsula) Acadia National Park, Maine.  Taken on 12 August 2014.

The Schoodic Peninsula is where one finds the more tranquil part of the Acadia National Park (which covers over 2,000 acres of the peninsula).  We spent a relaxed afternoon exploring the area and hiking on Alder, Schoodic Head and Anvil Trails, a total of 2.3-mile fairly easy trek.  As the sun was slowly setting, we feasted on our packed sandwiches.  A pair of porpoises swam by and a flock of female Eider ducks settled down on the granite rocks.

Porpoises swimming by.  Just when I didn't have my long lens.  How typical! 

Puffins on Petit Manan Island

Taken on 11 August 2014 during our Whales and Puffin Boat Cruise aboard the Atlanticat in Maine.

Petit Manan Island

Atlantic Puffins

Other feathered residents and visitors of the island:

Arctic Tern

Bald Eagle

Black Guillemots

Immature Northern Gannet

Shearwater

Whoa ... Whales!

We did the Whales and Puffin Boat Cruise on 11 August 2014 aboard the Atlanticat, a 140-foot long catamaran.  It was a perfect day for whale watching.  Although windy and cold (we needed to put our winter jackets on at some point), the sun was out and the water was unusually calm.  

The first cetaceans Pete spotted - a pair of porpoises.

We only encountered one species, the Fin Whales.  I was fervently hoping to see humpbacks too but that wasn't meant to be.  Anyhow, we should count ourselves lucky because not every boat trip is guaranteed a sighting which is why the company (in such event) allows guests to rebook a trip for free within 3 years of the date of the original trip.

A slight spout