The Magic of the Tides

I gazed out the window of the La Rochelle Mansion and Museum onto the misty, foggy morning and spied a small crowd gathering at what appeared to be the halfway point between the “mainland” and an island, on an abrupt ending of rocks into water.  Oh, that must be Bar Bridge!  I surmised by the distance of water between the crowd and the island that I didn’t need to rush my museum tour in order to partake in the crossing and a short hike around Bar Island.  So, I continued exploring the 1903 Bowdain chateau that provided 13,000 sq ft of opulent living space for the descendants of Alexander Hamilton on a choice 2 acres of waterfront land overlooking the harbor.

The hazy, overcast day provided a fittingly seafaring feel to the smell of salt and fresh sealife wafting in the air.  I pulled my rain jacket hood up over my head and slowly worked my way across the rock “bridge” that was now fully revealed by the receding tide.  The town of Eden was renamed to Bar Harbor in 1918 after this sand and gravel bar that forms the rear of the harbor and a means of transport to Bar Island at low tide.  I returned another day to experience the crossing on a sunny day and at an even lower point in the tide.  Such a unique experience!

Though my original plan was to camp in Acadia National Park for 5 nights, my previous side trip to Camden used up one of them (and was so totally worth it!), and the continuous rain for two straight days upon my arrival into town spurred me to spend two nights in a hotel overlooking Bar Harbor instead of spending them cold and wet in my pop-up tent.  Hey, I’m all about the adventure, but I’m also about strategically splurging for a more enjoyable experience!  I don’t mind being cold for a little while, but I no longer have to endure cold and wet nights outside, so I don’t 🙂  Plus, the hotel room view and easy access to some quintessential Maine cuisine added a layer of exploring that I thoroughly enjoyed! And yes, I ate seafood everyday…sometimes more than once a day!

Next post, Acadia National Park. . .