Sunday, August 23, 2009

Sunset on Barred Island, Maine (and it’s not too late to enter my Giveaway: see post below)

I used my telephoto lens to capture these photos taken last week while vacationing on Deer Isle, Maine. It’s not my favorite lens by a long-shot (ha! get it?) but it’s serviceable. From the rocks at the beach by our cottage, we were able to see Barred Island, which is only accessible at low tide.

This island was previously owned by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and was donated to the Nature Conservancy by his niece, Carolyn Olmsted, in 1969.

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There is a mile-long trail that leads to the little island which offers great views of Penobscot Bay. At the trail-head, the parking area fills very quickly and only has space enough for 8 vehicles.

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Unfortunately, we didn’t get to see the beauty first-hand. Pets are completely off-limits on the trail due to the fragile eco-system, and my husband refused to go if the dog couldn’t go. I was tempted to sneak off and see it myself and am sort of chagrined at not having done so.

The one duck in the photo above is giving quite a show, isn’t he?

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A photographer I met through Flickr.com told me that the best place to get sunsets on Deer Isle is the Burnt Cove area. I was glad about this because I was staying right there! This was taken at the peninsula between Burnt Cove and Crockett Cove, where our cottage was located.

It was so peaceful there.

Also adjacent to our cottage was Crockett Cove Woods, a 98-acre preserve, which was donated to the Nature Conservancy in 1975 by famed artist and self-taught architect, Emily Muir. The spruce and fir forest also does not permit pets on the extensive trail system.

~@~ ~@~ ~@~ ~@~ ~@~ ~@~ ~@~ ~@~ ~@~ ~@~ ~@~ ~@~

My Giveaway is on until 6 PM Sunday! See the post below to enter.

Until then, my friends . . .

18 comments:

LV said...

What a beautiful place. I can see why you enjoy it so much. I think you did a super job on taking the long shot.

Caroline said...

Wow...such lovely photos!

Journey said...

These pictures are so pretty - I'd never want to leave there!

Char said...

gorgeous shots - love the lone bird in the first one and the heron in the 2nd. the colors in all of them are just spectacular

Kay said...

Your shots are fabulous of Maine. I wish I could visit there sometime. I live on the south coast of Oregon....I don't know how to get into your contest things, there isn't any thing I see to say how to enter.

Gail said...

Beautiful! Makes me want to be there...

Hilary said...

These sunsets are incredible. You captured them beautifully. Too bad about not allowing dogs, but it's understandable.

Skogkjerring said...

Again Kate, I grabbed my morning coffee sat down and opened your blog..I'm always inspired by your blogs or reminded of how beautiful and whimsical the world is and how lucky I am to be alive in it! Thanks!! Hope you have a lovely Sunday!! :-))

The Weaver of Grass said...

From your photos I am pretty sure you live in a quiet, serene place - but really Kate those photos today are so full of serenity that it would do anybody a world of good to just sit there and contemplate. I hope George enjoyed it too. Not sure that dogs ever find time to contemplate.

A New England Life said...

Now that's a sunset! Gorgeous Kate! Glad you had such warm weather while you were in New England.

I take it George was never left behind for a moment of your vacation. He really is daddies boy isn't he? My husband would think I were nuts if I said 'I'm not going if the dog can't go' LOL! I like your husbands style ; )

Daryl said...

Its okay, you can bring George when we go to Mr Olmstead's Central Park ..

Deb said...

Is that a falcon in the first photo or the stealth bomber?

Anonymous said...

Beautiful sunset shots....lovely!!

ELK said...

one of the best ways to end the day!

Betty said...

Beautiful sunsets. You always have such lovely pictures and that is the long and the short of it.
Not allow George that is awful.

imom said...

Gorgeous pictures! We refuse to go on hikes that we can't take the dog on too. That would have been a fun one though!

Mary said...

Oh how did I miss these?! They're gorgeous!!!

Noe Noe Girl...A Queen of all Trades. said...

Beautiful and breathtaking!