Early Risers..and 'Fallers'

Another early riser greets me at dawn in Camden Harbor. Ospreys abound here and several are to be seen flying around looking for breakfast. Fish make up more than 99% of their diet and they are quite amazing to watch in action. When a fish is spotted, often from very high up, the Osprey swoops down and then hovers briefly before seemingly 'falling' on its prey. Alone among non-waterfowl in its ability to actually dive into the water and then emerge with the fish in its claws, the Osprey is a true work of evolution.


Going to the top of Mt. Battie was our first morning event and its views of Rockland, Vinelhaven and even to Acadia Nat'l Park are spectacular but the picture it presents of Camden Harbor is my favorite. Out in the distance the entrance to the north Atlantic can be seen. One can imagine the reaction the earliest sailors had when this very protected but tidal harbor was first discovered. Nestled into the west shore of Penobscot Bay, it avoids the brunt of the north or west winds that prevail in the mid-coast area.


Our afternoon trip took us to the Penobscot Narrows at Bucksport with its recently completed suspension bridge. Liz and I showed the common Walsh genetic flaw...acrophobia....as we stepped out of the elevator on the top of the tower into the glass enclosed observation deck. Reflected in this photo of Bucksport one can barely make out the image of the truly scared photographer...me. Situated at the northern tip of Penobscot Bay, Bucksport's main source of employment is the local pulp mill. The bridge represents both a technical and civil engineering accomplishment in that it went from conception to completion in less than five years. The old bridge, built in the 1930s, was being inspected in 2003 prior to some repairs when engineers discovered corrosion hidden inside the main suspension cables. They determined that the cables were too badly corroded and that the bridge would need to be replaced. As a safety measure, the weight limit of the bridge was immediately reduced from 100,000 to 24,000 pounds and the plans for the new bridge began.