Day Drive around the West side of Mount Desert Island

I forgot to blog our dinner the night before this blog. Joe had stopped at Parson's Lobster and Fish Market on the way home. He decided to get lobster there, thinking it might be fresher, than back at our campground. He had read that the longer the lobster's are in a tank, the more they have muscle atrophy. As he waited in line, fishermen came in with their catch of the day. The lady who was serving her customers, took these lobsters instead of the one's in the tank, and sacked them up for us. ( This was my lobster. It was right handed, because it's right claw was bigger)

We didn't come straight home, and by the time we got home, the lobsters seemed not so active. Joe decided to put them in water to revive them. I told him, I didn't think he should do that, as fresh water might kill them, but he ignored me as husbands sometime do to wives. Well the lobsters died as I said, and they sat for about 30 minutes before Joe was ready to cook. I was kind of glad, because I wasn't going to have to watch the lobsters suffer, being thrown into boiling water. The lobster was delicious, especially because it only cost us $9.00 each. This was Joe's lobster. It was also right clawed! The lobsters were about 1 1/2 lbs each. The cost was $6 per pound. These were soft shell lobsters which sell about a $1 per pound cheaper than the hard shelled lobsters which are the ones usually shipped around the country because they travel better. We were told that the soft shell lobsters taste sweeter but the meat isn't as firm as a hard shelled lobster.

We knew this day was going to be rainy, but as Joe said, "When you are paying $51 a day in a campground, we are going to do something, and not just sit home"  We took Hwy. 102 north to just past Town Hill, then turned south on Indian Point Road on the Western Bay. We stopped at Bartletts Landing. It was a bit dreary, but we made the best of what we were given!

When we arrived at Thurston's Lobster Pound it had quit raining. Joe went in to check lobster prices.

While I waited, I took pictures of Bass Harbor.

I knew Maine was famous for their lobsters, but I didn't realize how much of their economy is supported by it.

We were looking for Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse, and from a distance, we thought this was it. 

We found out it was  Cap'n Nemos Restaurant.

We finally found Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse which is the southern most tip of Mount Desert Island. Since 1858, it has warned mariners of navigational hazards along the rocky shores.

It was not raining, but we had our raincoats on, in case it started again. Joe was watching Eider ducks that swim under the water for mussels.

Joe and Mallery in matching rain coats.

Mallery, like usual, got all the attention from the other tourists!

This is a cairn, Joe spotted at Natural Seawall. A cairn is a mound of stones erected as a memorial or marker. They are usually used to mark trail routes. 

A lot of people were out, just like us, trying to make the best of the day.

We stopped at Southwest Harbor for a quick harbor picture. There seemed to be bigger boats in this harbor. Most small harbors have just lobster boats moored. Some of them are pretty small.

On the way home Joe stopped at Rat's to check lobster price and got some steamers instead for $3.50 a lb. Steamers are like clams only smaller.

Note the sign, "Sound the horn we are here"

On our way home the sun came out. As we past through Somesville, I had Joe stop, so I could get a picture of Somes Sound. We go by it every day, going and coming back to Smuggler's Den Campground.

I also wanted to take a picture of  the bridge at Somesville's Museum and Garden.

After rain there is always sunshine!

It was after five, so the museum was closed.

The garden.

View from the museum across the pond to Somes Sound.

It was a beautiful day, rain or shine,  Psalm 118:24, "This is the day the Lord has made! Let us rejoice and be glad in it"