Maine's Southern Coast: Lighthouses, Part 3

We saw two more lighthouses on a beautiful day when we traveled to the southernmost coast of Maine.  We made our way out to Frisbee Wharf in Kittery which is just north of the Maine-New Hampshire border.  There we saw Maine's Whaleback Light and New Hampshire's Portsmouth Harbor Light.

Looking out from Frisbee Wharf in Kittery, the lighthouse closest to you is actually in
New Hampshire.  This is the Portsmouth Harbor Light.

The present lighthouse was built in 1878 and stands 48 feet tall.

Maine's Whaleback Light as seen from Frisbee Wharf in Kittery.

Whaleback Light 

The present Whaleback Light was constructed in 1872 and stands 50 feet tall.

You can capture a great view of Whaleback Light from Fort Constitution Park in New Hampshire.

Maine's Southern Coast: Lighthouses, Part 2

The Nubble Lighthouse and the Boon Island Light are both located in York, Maine.  We were lucky enough to visit them on two separate occasions during our trip--once on a rainy, windy day and once on a dry, partly sunny day.  Both visits were well worth our time.

Located on a small island just off the coast at Cape Neddick, the Nubble Light is a
popular tourist attraction on Maine's southern coast.  Built in 1879, the light is
41 feet tall.

The rocky north side of the island is a great spot for bird watching.

Look closely and you can see the nests of the cormorants. 

The waves and the weather don't seem to bother the birds.

There are several places to sit and enjoy the scenery.

About six miles off shore from the Nubble Light is Boon Island Light.  The present light
was built in 1855, and at 133 feet it is the tallest lighthouse in New England.

Maine's Southern Coast: Lighthouses, Part 1

Two great things about traveling to see a lighthouse: you're pretty much guaranteed a great view and an interesting bit of history.  The lighthouses we found along Maine's southern coast did not disappoint.  Today's photos are from our visit to Portland on a rainy Monday when conditions were just perfect to experience the drama and majesty of the coast around the Portland Head Light and the Ram Island Ledge Light.

Our first glimpse of the Portland Head Light, Maine's oldest lighthouse (c. 1791). It is located
in the Cape Elizabeth section of Portland in Fort Williams Park.

The keeper's cottage is now a museum, the small building on the left a gift shop.

The museum housed several of the old lights that were once
used in the lighthouse.

A British ship, the Annie McGuire, wrecked on these rocks in front of the Portland Light on
Christmas Eve 1886.  The keeper and his family helped get all the passengers safely
to shore.

The original 1791 lighthouse is still in use and stands 80 feet tall.  Visitors are not
allowed inside the actual lighthouse.

The views are magnificent even on a stormy day.

Ram Island Ledge Light is located about a mile offshore in front of the Portland
Head Light.  Completed in 1905, it is 90 feet tall.

Maine's Southern Coast: Kennebunkport's Most Famous Family

Throughout the southern coastal region of Maine, many restaurants and businesses proudly display photos of the Bush family visiting their establishment.  Kennebunkport, summer home of President George H. W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush, is especially proud of their most famous family. Proud and willing to share tidbits of information about the Bushes, Kennebunkport residents also seem respectful of the family's privacy. During our stay, Kennebunkport was busy preparing for Barbara Bush's 90th birthday celebration.

Walker's Point, the Bush family home, in Kennebunkport

Walker's Point

Because it offers a good vantage point on Walker's Point, the Goat Island Lighthouse in nearby Cape Porpoise
 was home to secret service agents for a time during the presidency of George H. W. Bush.*

First Lady Barbara Bush leaving Gooch's Beach after a walk with her dogs

This birthday banner for Mrs. Bush was proudly displayed in downtown Kennebunkport--
just across the street from the town's democratic headquarters.

* From The Lighthouse Handbook:  New England by Jeremy D'Entremont 

Maine's Southern Coast: Dogs on the Beach

If you're a dog lover, as I am, you will enjoy visiting Gooch's Beach just to dog watch.  Dogs are allowed on the beach before 9 am and after 5 pm in the summer and at all times during the rest of the year.  The best part about dog watching on Gooch's Beach?  Every dog I saw was happy! 

For more photos of dogs enjoying Gooch's Beach, see the book Gooch's Pooches:  The Dogs of Kennebunk Beach by Robert Dennis and Annette Hall Quezada.  Great photos of some adorable dogs!

Maine's Southern Coast: Gooch's Beach

About 100 yards from our rental house is a beautiful little stretch of sand called Gooch's Beach.  On Beach Street just about a mile east of downtown Kennebunkport, Gooch's Beach is a wide crescent-shaped space that is seems to be well-loved by the locals.  Lots of runners, dog walkers, and surfers use this beach, but it never seemed crowded.  The Kennebunk River meets the Atlantic Ocean at one end of the beach while a peninsula of jagged rocks juts out into the ocean at the other end.  The sea wall, Beach Street, and pretty homes wrap around the rest of the beach.  Clean, unspoiled, and completely free of commercialization, Gooch's Beach is simply a beach--and that's what I loved about it. My husband and I made our way to Gooch's every day and enjoyed all it had to offer no matter what the weather was.

Kennebunkport & the river sit at this end of the beach.  The huge white building is the grand Colony Resort.

Homes on the far side of Beach Street and the sea wall

A taste of Maine's dramatic rocky coast

Watch the seagulls

Or watch the ships on the ocean

Enjoy the dogs playing in the surf

Surf--or enjoy watching the surfers

That's former First Lady, Barbara Bush, getting into her car after walking her dogs on Gooch's Beach.
And, yes, that's a local surfer changing at the car right beside her!

See what the sea brings to the shore

Leave your mark

Just enjoy all the moods of Maine