Page 4 (9/29) - Day One In Bar Harbor
Paul had been there twice on trans Atlantic voyages with Crystal and Cunard. This time Mary gets to confer all day and Paul gets to roam around town. We checked out their city website to get the latest information!
We stayed at the Harborside Hotel where the conference was being held.
- Bar Harbor is ranked amongst the top ten most popular summer destinations in the United States (US News and World Report, 4/19/18).
- Bar Harbor got its name from the sand bar that connects Bar Harbor to Bar Island at low tide.
- Vice President Nelson Rockefeller was born in Bar Harbor on July 8, 1908. During the Gilded Age, the town rivaled Newport Beach as the summer resort for wealthy prominent families. These names included the Rockefellers, Fords, Vanderbilts, Carnegies and Astors. Reference previous post, "Bar Harbor, Then and Now."
- Bar Harbor has 5,200 year-round residents.
- It is located on Mount Desert Island, Maine.
- Mount Desert Island is the largest island off the coast of Maine. It is the sixth largest island in the contiguous United States.
Bar Harbor is home of Acadia National Park, the oldest park east of the Mississippi. It is the largest visitor attraction in Maine.
- Cadillac Mountain is located within Acadia National Park. It is the highest point on the United States' East Coast.
- Bar Harbor receives over 3.3 million visitors each year. Visitors enjoy sightseeing, kayaking, biking, sailing, whale-watching, exploring Acadia National Park, shopping and eating Maine lobster and local seafood.
- Since the late 1990's, Bar Harbor has been a top port of call for New England cruise ships. In 2017, 163 cruise ships and 185,000 cruise passengers visited Bar Harbor.
- Each year, Bar Harbor visitors consume roughly 5,316,000 lobsters. These lobsters are caught directly off the spectacular rugged coast. In the early years, lobster was inexpensive and nutritional. So, it was often served to servants and prisoners. It is now a coveted delicacy. Maine lobsters taste better and are more tender than lobsters found elsewhere because of both the water temperatures and rocky terrain. The Maine lobster industry is highly regulated to ensure its sustainability.
Paul Had The Day To Explore Sans The Boss!
Mary 's conference center was next door to the hotel.
Did You Know? - J.P. Morgan started construction on the Bar Harbor Club during the stock market crash of 1929. Opening on July 4th, 1930, the waterfront oasis hosted the grandest ball the island had ever seen. The Bar Harbor Club was once a secret playground for the town's wealthiest summer residents. Joseph Pulitzer, John D. Rockefeller Jr., Edward T. Stotesbury and other movers and shakers of the day were some of the guests. Initiation fees and dues were the easy part of the membership. Events held at the Club included dances, sporting competitions, games, socials, receptions, exhibitions and Sunday buffets. Lavish costume balls and weekly dances were some of the most popular events, the best bands from New York and Philadelphia auditioned yearly.
The comfort of his guests was of the utmost importance to J.P. Morgan. Once, he had a granite breakwater built to save his guests from spilling drinks on the yacht (called the Corsair).
Membership waned in the 1980s and the Club closed and sat empty until 2009 when it was thoroughly restored. The Tudor-style building continues to serve as the focal point on the famous summer island, providing an oceanside venue for meetings, social functions and amenities that complement the Harborside Hotel, Spa & Marina.
Time to check in - I carried her books to school!
Now she knows which class to go to!
I helped her with the big words.
First class accomodations.
Did You Know? - When looking for a Bar Harbor, Maine hotel, look no further than the newly renovated Harborside Hotel, Spa & Marina. Nestled in downtown Bar Harbor, enjoy breathtaking views of Frenchman's Bay and the ocean beyond. Our hotel near Acadia National Park offers the finest guest accommodations and unsurpassed hospitality and selection of many Bar Harbor restaurants, located on property or nearby. Harborside is the perfect destination for family vacations, weddings, business conferences, and romantic getaways in Maine.
The main room held over 100 people!
The houses were well maintained.
Flowers and pumpkins everywhere.
Mary's trees were starting to change colors.
Some trees just could not change.
The crab bouys came in many colors.
Did You Know? - Crab traps are used to bait, lure, and catch crabs for commercial or recreational use. Crabbing or crab fishing is the recreational hobby and commercial occupation of fishing for crabs. Different types of traps are used depending on the type of crab being fished for, geographic location, and personal preference.
Commercial crabbing is a very tough and dangerous job, so it is very important that commercial crab traps catch as many crabs as possible to be able to turn a profit. Commercial crabbing is heavily regulated by local state laws to ensure that the crabs are not over fished and that they are given enough time to breed and repopulate.
Unlike normal traps, commercial crab traps are large in size; some can easily be over 60" in diameter, allowing the trap to hold a larger amount of crabs than recreational crab traps. Commercial crab traps also contain a small stainless steel plate like a dog tag, which identifies who the trap belongs to in case it is missed or swept by the current from its original location.
Every restaurant featured some type of crab or lonster special
They are very heavy when loaded with crabs.
Did You Know? - Slack water (the time around high or low tide) is the best time to crab. During slack water, crabs are generally walking around and foraging since they are not getting pushed around by tidal exchange.
We took the smaller boat out later on in the evening.
Friendship Five holds 200 people.
Did You Know? - Friendship V is a 112 foot a jet-powered catamaran, was built in Massachusetts in 1996 and has two cabins, three decks, AV/PA system, and advanced navigation equipment. She is a INCAT design. She has four 1205 horsepower MTU marine diesel engines.
Lighthouses were everywhere.
The fall flowers were near every storefront along the main business drag.
Spirits? Did someone say spirits?
These tourist traps went on for several blocks.
I walked for hours checking out all the places to take Mary tomorrow after school!
It was quite busy!
Did You Know? - Village Green is an urban park in Bar Harbor, Maine, United States. Located centrally in the town, compared to the coastal Agamont Park about 0.18 miles to the north, it is bounded by Firefly Lane to the north, Main Street to the east, Mount Desert Street to the south and Kennebec Street to the west.
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Almost time to pickup Mary at School!
You can see granite everywhere!
Over 230 years old!
Did You Know? - Established before 1790 holds in many unmarked and unknown graves the remains of those courageous men and women pioneers on the frontier of downeast Maine. Sea captains, fishermen and farmers, shipwrights and hotelmen, selectmen and legislators, their wives and children, and the occasional sailor dying far from home also rest here. Strong commitment to the Union is remembered by the monument dedicated in 1897 by the Town of Eden already world-renowned under the later name of Bar Harbor.
No one is going to sit on their fence!
There were hardly any vacancies in the town!
The sidings looked as if they had just been painted.
The roofs incicate they get a lot of snow!
Back to the hotel to freshen up and then get Mary!
She was talking to a rep when I showed up.
Mary got to see her trees change color.
I did NOT tell her about what I bought before picking her up! He He He
The tide was out as we approached the Friendship V.
From the line we could see the underneath of the pier and the tide markings
We went several miles up and down the local coast;
There we a load of million dollar mansions!
Did You Know? - This evening trip is one of the most beautiful ways to experience Frenchman Bay and Acadia National Park as the sun sets. The first hour of this trip is a traditional nature cruise: we follow the east coast of Mount Desert Island and offer narration and opportunities to see the most stunning shoreline of Acadia National Park. Throughout the trip, we look out for bald eagles, peregrine falcons, harbor porpoise, seals, and other wildlife. We also share information about the environment, history, and culture of the area.
During the second hour of the trip, we cruise slowly through the evergreen tree-topped islands of Frenchman Bay while listening to fun happy hour music. We partner with Atlantic Brewing Company, a local award winning microbrew, and offer happy hour prices throughout the tour. Start your day with a sunrise atop Cadillac Mountain and end your day with a sunset on the ocean!
They even had some beaches although mostly private!
It was dark when we returned
We headed to the Convention Center for a Lobster Bake!
There are 75,000 Moose in Maine, now 75,001!
The evening's speaker was interesting.
His name was Herman!
He was ready to do battle.
The business end looks a little threatening.
We met Steve on the harbor cruise; also a guest of his wife Diane.
They were from Central America (Nebraska)!
He did enjoy his red wine.
We had a pile of bones at the end of the evening.
Diane and Mary enjoyed each other's company!
At 10:00 PM we called it quits! MAry must be at school at 7:00 AM tomorrow!
