Sometimes there’s just no way around a cliché. That’s the feeling I got looking out over Rockland Harbor and wondering how I would creatively describe the picturesque Maine seacoast, which has been so gorgeously reproduced in many a calendar and greeting card and in fine works of art.
This weekend getaway took me to the coastal towns of Rockland, Rockport, and Camden. And, yes, schooners and lobster boats are moored in the harbors, lighthouses warn approaching ships of rocky shoals, while seafood restaurants, waterside hotels, museums, galleries, and recreational activities attract visitors year-round.
Spring is a great time to visit—before the summer throngs and after the winter cold.
If you think you’re not an art-museum type, the Farnsworth in Rockland will change your mind. This is the home of works by the famed Wyeth family. Selected paintings of Andrew are displayed in the main museum, while the illustrations of N.C. and the paintings of Jamie can be seen at the Wyeth Center.
Almost everyone is familiar with Andrew’s Christina’s World, which is owned by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The Olson House, where Christina lived, is 13 miles away in Cushing and open to the public.
Dining Down East
No need for a car on Rockland’s main street. Stroll along, duck into its numerous art galleries and shops, then enjoy cocktails and dinner at one of the town’s many eateries. We chose In Good Company, owned by Chef Melody Wolfertz, who was trained at the Culinary Institute of America in New York—and it shows. The first thing you notice is the date on the menu. She changes entrees so frequently that this menu covered only three days.
Of course I went for fresh seafood, ordering the delectable Port Clyde halibut with mushroom crust and sundried tomato cous cous. The restaurant features a wonderful list of unusual imported beers, and if you don’t finish your bottle of wine, you can take it with you.
If you have a car, the short trip to Owls Head Light, built in 1825, is worth it. We were there on a foggy day, and the mournful horns could be heard way before the lighthouse came into view. If you love lighthouses, visit the Maine Lighthouse Museum in Rockland.
North by Northeast
Moving north up the coast, you come to the town of Rockport, renowned for the construction and restoration of wooden boats. The hillside port town overlooks a harbor with both fishing and sailing boats. It’s famous for Andre the seal who wintered at the New England Aquarium in Boston and summered in Rockport, making the solo, 150-mile swim every year until his death in 1986. A marble statue of Andre was dedicated in 1978.
Check out the Center for Maine Contemporary Art, which displays works by well-known and not-so-well-known artists in the state. Also in the town is the Rockport Opera House, which features concerts, plays, and other community events.
Camden also boasts an opera house as well as killer views of its much-photographed harbor from the top of Mt. Battie. The Captain Swift Inn is not only a charming place to stay but also a great place for history buffs. Innkeepers Norm and Linda Henthorn run a bed and breakfast in this fully restored Federal-style inn, built during the presidency of James Madison. It features eight period guest rooms, and a full breakfast is served every day. Spring is a perfect time to enjoy the garden with its blossoming spring flowers.
Sail Away
By far one of the best ways to sightsee along the coast is by boat. Rockland residents Mary and Ted LaRochelle celebrated their 36th wedding anniversary aboard the Stephen Taber, a wooden schooner that sets sail from Rockland Harbor to explore the Maine coast on six-day cruises from Memorial Day through the fall foliage season. It can handle 22 guests.
“The berth is tiny,” says Mary. “One couple came aboard, took one look at the stateroom, and then packed up and left. All the rooms have a tiny sink the size of a muffin cup. There are only two heads on board and no showers.”
At least no private showers, so this cruise is not for the faint-hearted. “After about four days, they set up a circus tent with red and white stripes and rig up a sprinkler using hot water from the cook stove,” Mary says. Though it’s a group shower, curtains provide some measure of privacy.
A specially trained onboard chef makes all the meals. “The food is really good,” Mary says. “The cook makes baked goods from scratch, there’s not as much fish as you would expect, but I remember one wonderful turkey dinner.”
Guests spend their days sightseeing from the deck and exploring the various harbors, islands and towns along the coast. Radios and TVs aren’t allowed. “We brought a travel Scrabble game,” Mary says, “and played with other guests.”
A word of caution: While the cruise was great for veteran married folks, it’s not great for honeymooners. “You can’t have sex on this boat,” Mary says. “You can hear everything. If someone rolls over in their bunk, you can hear it.”
The LaRochelles took their cruise in September and encountered no bad weather. It was cool at night and warm during the days.
“We absolutely loved it,” Mary says. “It was like camping, only better.”
____________
Resources
____________
By car: 375 miles
By air: Major airlines fly into Portland
By bus: From Port Authority
New York to Portland
Penobscot Bay Regional Chamber of Commerce
(207) 596-0376
(800) 562-2529
therealmaine.com
Farnsworth Art Museum
(207) 596-6457
farnsworthmuseum.org
The Olson House
(207) 354-0102
farnsworthmuseum.org
Maine Lighthouse Museum
(207) 594-3301
mainelighthousemuseum.com
Owls Head Light
(207) 941-4014
In Good Company
(207) 593-9110
Berry Manor Inn
(207) 596-7696
berrymanorinn.com
Rockport Opera House
(207) 236-2514
town.rockport.me.us
Center for Maine Contemporary Art
(207) 236-2875
cmcanow.org
Island View Inn
(207) 596-0040
islandviewinnmaine.com
Camden Town Opera House
(207) 236-7963
camdenoperahouse.com
Captain Swift Inn
(800) 251-0865
(207) 236-8113
innkeeper@swiftinn.com
swiftinn.com
Stephen Taber
(800) 999-7352
(207) 594-4723
info@stephentaber.com