When I learned I would be attending a pharmaceutical conference in Boston, I called my friend Kristen to see if she wanted to meet me in Mass. Instead, she graciously invited me to their beautiful home in Rockland, Maine for the rest of the weekend. They were preparing to move to Chicago and asked if I would be interested in a day of kayaking and sightseeing. I couldn’t turn down this amazing opportunity to spend time with her and her husband, so I added a couple of days to my business trip.
The exhibit lasted a couple of days and soon I was taking I-95 north to US-1. I began the three hour drive making a stop in New Hampshire (no tax for alcohol) and soon arrived on the Penobscot Bay.
Waking early, we ate a robust breakfast and loaded up the kayaks. As we made the short drive to the harbor, I took in the gorgeous scenery along the coast. The sunny weather and mild breeze made it the perfect day for exploring the bay and Rockland Harbor. 
The water was as smooth as glass when we paddled out towards the Atlantic. Passing the sailboats in the harbor, the sounds of sea gulls could be heard in the distance. We continued paddling as our route hugged the shore and I couldn’t wait to reach the lighthouse.
The peninsula was covered in pine trees and small islands of beachrock emerged from the Atlantic to offer a resting place for a siege of herons. They hardly noticed us as we quietly sailed past them.
The stroke of the oars brought us closer to the peninsula where the Owls Head Lighthouse came into view. With its stubby base, this gorgeous light stands 80 feet along Midcoast Maine.
Standing along the edge of Owls Head, the lighthouse was first built in 1825. South of Rockland, the light aided sailors with navigation along the shores of Penobscot Bay.
Consisting of the lighthouse and keeper’s house, Owls Head sits along a rocky outcropping. It was said that the former light keeper’s dog, Spot had been trained to pull the rope on the station’s fog bell and bark to keep passing boats from running aground,
Panoramic views of the coast and nearby islands are worth a visit to Owls Head Lighthouse, especially during the early morning sunrise.
It was a spectacular day to kayak the Atlantic off the coast of Maine. Once we returned to Rockland, we would prepare for dinner at one of the local lobster stands. For seven or eight dollars per pound, we were sure to enjoy our fresh catch of the day.
Have you visited Owls Head Lighthouse or kayaked around the area? Let me know about your experience with a quick not in the comments section below. Many thanks for checking out my amazing kayaking excursion and wishing you many Happy Travels!
What to See and What to Do:
Owls Head Lighthouse
186 Lighthouse Road
Owls Head, ME 04854
Telephone: 207 594 4174
- Admission Fee: Lighthouse Climbing Tours: From Memorial Day to Columbus Day; Free, donation of $3 suggested
- Hours: Monday from 1PM to 4PM and Saturday and Sunday from 10:00AM to 4PM
- Scenic View: The view from the top of the stairs is stunning.
- Length of the Tour: ½ hour to 1 hour
- Tips for Your Visit: Wear comfortable shoes to climb the stairs of the lighthouse.
Where to Stay:
Strawberry Hill Seaside Inn
886 Commercial Street
Rockport, ME 04856
Telephone: 800 589 4009
Where to Eat:
The Lobster Shack
346 Main Street
Rockland, ME 04841
Telephone: 207 390 0102
What to Eat:
- Blueberries
- Clams
- Corned Hake – a meal made of salted pork with potatoes, onion and vinegar
- Crab
- New England Clambake
- Crab Cakes
- Fiddleheads – a fern that grows near fresh bodies of water
- Lobster
- Lobster Rolls
- Maple Syrup
- New England Chowder
- Ramps – wild leaks that grown near fresh bodies of water
Books to Read:
-
- Bull Mountain, by Brian Panowich
- That Camden Summer, by LaVyrie Spencer
- The Poacher’s Son, by Paul Doiron
- High Tide at Noon, by Elisabeth Ogilvie
- A Seal Called Andre: the Two Worlds of a Maine Harbor Seal, by Harry Goodridge
Photo Guide for Owl Harbor, Maine and surrounding area:
- The View from Owl Harbor lighthouse
- Windjammer on Penobscot Bay
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