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The Sweet Taste of Summer

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Good morning everyone. Sunrise at Isle Au Haut was nothing short of inspirational today. A low, thin cloud shield to the east was crimson at dawn as Katie and I rowed ashore for a run. When the sun broke the horizon there were just not enough eyeballs in my head to take it all in. And of course my camera was aboard. Katie and I agreed that mental photographs keep longest, or at least until the mindful hard drive crashes.

This entire week has been filled with sunrises and sunsets that fill my heart with joy and my hard drive with images to carry me through the winter. After several weeks of heat and humidity and great swim calls fall temperatures are at the door. A frost warning was posted for northern Maine yesterday morning.

We picnicked earlier this week in one of my favorite coves with the hills of Acadia as our backdrop. We had the place to ourselves, unusual for this time of year. I cherished that night with all my soul. The previous night anchored off the busy summer anchorage at Little Cranberry Island reminded me that mosquitoes and summer folks at play are making their last stand. August is a peculiar month here on the Maine coast; everybody comes here to get away from it all. The balance strains for those of us working and living here. Already I am craving more than I can fit in to what remains of our short summer season. I am guessing the mosquitoes and summer visitors might feel the same.
On Tuesday we had a delightful sail offshore to Mt Desert Rock. I was curious to see the boathouse and barn in some state of repair…or is it disrepair after Bill blew through the coast last week? The lighthouse looks as stout as ever. Mary Day enjoyed stretching her legs a little and getting off shore to where a light swell rolls and gannets soar inches above the waves. Danny is making its way to New England as we speak.

If you haven’t made it to Maine yet this summer you better hurry up. This sweet taste of summer won’t last forever. Life is short and summer is shorter.

Have a great day. Be well. Do good.
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Anonymous said…
I was re-reading my Autumn 2008 copy of Sea History, (Great mag. for sea history), when I came across the answer to all the people who ask me why I sail on the Mary Day, it's by Emily Dickinson.

"Exultation Is The Going"

Exultation is the going
Of an inland soul to sea,
Past the houses, past the headlands,
Into deep eternity!

Bred as we, amoung the mountains,
Can the sailor understand
The devine intoxication
Of the first league out from land?
August 30, 2009 at 10:11 AM
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