Downeast solstice

denisegoldberg

I was feeling the need for an Acadia National Park "fix" by mid-December. I settled on a long weekend just before the winter solstice for a quick wander, starting my journey with a quick (overnight) visit with a friend in Yarmouth, ME. That gave me a jump up the coast, allowing me to spend the afternoon of my first Downeast day on the Schoodic Peninsula.

It was a gray day, a day of wind, of ocean swells and crashing waves. The tip of the Schoodic Peninsula is pure magic.

1 :: a splash of color, dried berries

2 :: not quite to the tip, rounded rocks create a difficult walking surface

3 :: magic light, reflected

4 :: a tree standing tall

5 :: mixed colors, granite and a diabase dike

6 :: crashing waves

7 :: a bit calmer as I headed back from the tip of the peninsula

8 :: another view of rocks

After looping the tip of the peninsula I stopped in the fishing village of Corea.

9 :: in Corea

10 :: a view of the harbor

As I started the journey back to my home for the night in Ellsworth, a tree jumped out for a photo.

11 :: tree posing

The next morning I headed to Mount Desert Island to visit a small section of Acadia. The park is open year-round but most of the roads are not. I headed down Schooner Head road to the end, reaching the road that cuts over to the open section of Park Loop Road just before Sand Beach. That was my parking destination; I thought about doing the Gorham Mountain trail but somehow being totally alone on the trail didn't feel like the right thing to do. It's one thing to do that in the season when there are others wandering there as well; this day the park was pretty empty.

Just after I arrived at Sand Beach on a sunny morning I started seeing snow flakes in the air. Brr... chilly! I walked on the beach, then headed down the trail that paralleled the road and wandered onto the rocks.

12 :: some people were surfing (in calm waters), despite the cold air and water

13 :: calm water, reflecting sand

14 :: looking inland, behind Sand Beach

15 :: still wearing green

16 :: looking back at Sand Beach

17 :: tumbled rocks

18 :: an inaccessible "beach" of rounded rocks

19 :: painted rocks

After walking next to the ocean, I headed inland for a bit. These photos were taken near the Wild Gardens of Acadia and along the Jesup Path and vicinity.

20 :: trees!

21:: a puddle and reflections

22 :: calm

23 :: through the trees

My next stop was the carriage trails near Eagle Lake. As I started walking the clouds dropped and I found myself enveloped in a snow squall.

24 :: Eagle Lake in a snow squall

I started back to the mainland, heading again for Ellsworth. I don't know what made me take a left turn at Hulls Cove but I'm very glad that I did. In all my years of visiting Acadia I didn't know there was a sculpture garden hiding in plain sight!

25 :: a sign in the (outdoor) Davistown Museum

26 :: a few residents of the sculpture garden

27 :: are you looking at me?

I hope you've enjoyed this quick glimpse of my short and chilly weekend wander. If you'd like to see more photos from this trip they are available in the gallery Downeast solstice.

Photos in this post were taken with a Fujifilm X-T1, using the XF10-24 and XF18-135 lenses.

--- Denise

sarasphotos

clap Great set, Denise!

I think my favorites are 2, 3, 5 & 6. I also like 8 a great deal but it looks like the highlights got a bit blown on the crashing waves. Kudos for the great job in the difficult light of a grey day.

Cheers, Sara

Awais Yaqub

I really liked the compo on 2 and 4 and how you used to the gray day to your advantage, seems like quite place.

Cavalier

Wonderful series, Denise. I love the coasts (both of them) and wish I could have gone with you for this shoot! I think the berries are my favorite, but love all the tree shots as well.

denisegoldberg

sarasphotos wrote: »

I think my favorites are 2, 3, 5 & 6. I also like 8 a great deal but it looks like the highlights got a bit blown on the crashing waves. Kudos for the great job in the difficult light of a grey day.

Thanks Sara! The light was a bit of a challenge, somehow the angles of the winter sun seem harder to me. And I was also on the Schoodic Peninsula mid-day, not the best light then.

Awais Yaqub wrote: »

I really liked the compo on 2 and 4 and how you used to the gray day to your advantage, seems like quite place.

Thanks Awais! It is a beautiful place - if you're ever planning a trip to the eastern United States Acadia is worth a visit.

Cavalier wrote: »

Wonderful series, Denise. I love the coasts (both of them) and wish I could have gone with you for this shoot! I think the berries are my favorite, but love all the tree shots as well.

Thank you Jo! I also love both coasts but it's easier for me to get to the coast in the east (since I live not too far from the ocean).

--- Denise