On the Coast—Maine

Now that we’ve moved from the mountains to the coast I’ve started getting my fill of sea life again. Oh, how I missed it. While I loved the smell of Christmas and I really miss hearing all of the birds in the forest, I was craving some rotting seaweed and salt. During the last week of the hike I realized that we could go on a whale tour and it didn’t take much to convince my mom to go on a whale tour. The only whales I’ve ever seen were pilot whales off the South American coast in the Pacific, but I’ve always been stuck with the golden retrievers of the ocean—bottle nosed dolphins. I’m a poorly educated in marine mammals since I chose to study wetlands in college instead of focusing on the mammals and only took one mammals related course in college. So, identifying them isn’t my forte, but it goes to the very core of my little marine biology love.

Love my Mountain Man…he’s going to keep the beard and just trim it up!

Puffins! I was disappointed not to get close to them, but at least I saw them.

Petit Manan island.

We saw humpback whales, in this photo, and off in the distance several fin whales. Fin whales are second largest animal in the world behind the blue whale. Pretty awesome!

*sigh* Love ’em!

After our whale trip we drove down to Stonington in search of a more mellow tourist town than Bar Harbor. It was quiet and quaint and reminded us a bit of Rockport in Texas.

Today we left Maine and came down to Massachusetts where we are exploring Salem a bit. We found the oldest cemetery in Salem, complete with a pilgrim from the Mayflower. Pretty nifty to be in such an old place, kinda how I felt while being in St. Augustine.

Tomorrow we head home. Not sure I am ready to trade in the 60’s and 70’s for 100* weather. In fact, I know I’m not. But I’m ready to eat up a cute little niece I know!