The Church is perfectly located to allow views back into Kennebunkport Harbor,
and out to sea. We watched a number of sailing and fishing vessels go in and out of the harbor.
After driving past some of the most magnificent "cottages" in the country,
We rounded the cape and looked across Sandy Cove at Walkers Point. President George H.W. Bush purchased the compound from his mothers family years ago (George Herbert Walker Bush…get it?) and made it his presidential retreat. The entire family continues to enjoy this rocky coastline several times a year.
From our vantage point we came to understand some of the beauty of this area.
It's evident that the people of Kennebunkport honor President Bush "41" almost as much as he loves them. We made an acquaintance while in Washington, D.C. who lives in this area and at one time performed some extensive construction work on an adjacent home to the Bush's. President Bush 41 visited the construction site to meet the workmen and greet his neighbor. What a nice guy!
Northward past Porpoise Cove, Marshall Point, and Goose Beach brought us to the "The Pool". Located between South Point, East Point, and Halftide Rock, the pool is formed by a very narrow inlet to a wide and flat depression that remains filled with seawater, but is almost perfectly calm and flat since it's protected almost on all sides.
Biddeford Pool:
And the narrow inlet to the pool.
We continued north on Hwy 9 through Old Orchard Beach, but didn't stop or take a photo. We had planned on having lunch here, but the miles long stretch of Tee Shirt shops, souvenir stands, hotels, and carnival rides just didn't seem like something we wanted to get into.
We went on a bit farther to the village of Saco. Crossing the Saco River on Hwy 9, we noticed that we were on an island. At about the same time, we also noticed some large brick structures nearby.
Each small, 3' wide by 4' tall window had an interesting brick and plaster detail.
One building was labeled North Dam Mill, Building 35, and another was called…..Social Security? It has been refurbished and renovated, and converted into offices and such. The "such" part was the Saco Island Deli. Ah Ha! The menu consisted of organic, gluten-free, free range sandwiches and wraps, but was…..delicious. Talking to the owner about the history of the area, we found out that the island is named Factory Island, and that textile mills and tanneries had once occupied the buildings, but were long gone.
Just south of Portland, Maine, we turned to the east on Shore Road. We had plans to go into downtown Portland, and perhaps visit Old Port and the Harbor, with side trips to Bug Light and Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse, but time was getting away from us so we contented ourselves with a big loop south that took us to the Portland Head Light at Ft. Williams.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is said to have traveled from his home in Portland to this lighthouse for inspiration. There's plenty of that to be had!
In 1886 the Anna C McGuire went aground on these rocks on Christmas Eve.
The City of Cape Elizabeth maintains this free park where people and their pets can walk, bicycle, or jog on miles and miles of trains. Large grass areas provide space for volleyball games and football, and picnic tables are scattered everywhere. A very nice gift from the City of Cape Elizabeth.
South again on Shore Road, past Chimney Rock, Smugglers Cove, Pulpit Rock and Whale Back, we came to Dyer Point on Cape Elizabeth, and Two Lights State Park. One of the lights, while inaccessible, provides a visual beacon to passing ships.
And the other is an acoustic beacon (foghorn) that blasts such a noise that warning signs are place everywhere within a 100 yards or so.
On the trail back to the parking lot, we spotted these beautiful wild roses, blooming for all they're worth
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