In September, 2011, I spent six days exploring Acadia National Park in the state of Maine in the United States of America. Two professional guides from the travel company, Country Walkers, led our group of 16 travelers on day hikes in the park. I photographed beautiful landscapes; ate fresh, local seafood; and slept comfortably in Bar Harbor Inn and Asticou Inn.
Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor
I met the other travelers on the first day at the hotel, Four Points by Sheraton, in the city of Bangor. Guides Mark and Ron drove two vans and whisked us to the town of Bar Harbor on the Mount Desert Island. Bar Harbor, several other small towns, and Acadia National Park are co-located on the same island on the coast of Maine. I stayed two days at the Bar Harbor Inn.
Bubbles
Northeast Harbor
I stayed three days at the Asticou Inn in Northeast Harbor. I hiked the Jordan Pond Shore Trail, which loops around the shore of Jordan Pond. I enjoyed lunch, including popovers, at the Jordan Pond House with a beautiful view of the North and South Bubble mountains.
Cranberry Island
Little Cranberry Island
From the pier at Northeast Harbor, I boarded a boat operated by Beal & Bunker, Inc., to visit the Little Cranberry Island in the Atlantic Ocean. The trip took about 45 minutes in the ocean that was dotted with hundreds of colorful buoys that marked the locations of lobster traps. Each lobster fisherman uses a unique color pattern to distinguish all of his or her buoys.
final days
Final Days at Acadia
The final days at Acadia National Park were spent on more hikes and visits to the Asticou Azalea Garden and the Thuya Garden. Climbing the 1530-foot Cadillac Mountain was impossible to accomplish on this trip, so the guides drove us to the summit for a panoramic view of the park and the surrounding islands.
Photographic Tools
- digital camera: first generation Canon EOS 5D.
- zoom lens: Canon EF 75-300 mm F4-5.6 III USM.
- zoom lens: Sigma 24-60 mm F2.8 EX DG.
- memory: SanDisk CompactFlash.
- tripod legs: Slik Pro 714 CF II.
- tripod head: Acratech Ultimate Ballhead.
- camera bag: Lowepro Nova 4.
- photo processing: ImageMagick, Canon Digital Photo Professional.