MAINE

The Maine coast is characterized by over 3,000 miles of jagged shoreline along the Atlantic Ocean. Hard granitic rock gives rise to this rugged coastline, which was shaped by southward moving glaciers during the last Ice Age, some 15,000 years ago. These ice sheets, over 10,000 feet thick, advanced all the way down to northern New Jersey, forming Long Island, Cape Cod and the islands of Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard. As the earth gradually warmed, the glaciers retreated northward to Canada, and sea level rose almost 400 feet as these great ice sheets melted. Therefore, Maine is considered a "submerged coast," which produced the many rocky islands just off the mainland coast. This is a great place to buy your own island if this has been one of your fantasies, but don't expect to find many beaches - and the water is frigid. Throughout northern New England, you will find far more people looking at the water than actually swimming in it.

Beaches are rare along Maine's long coast, and where present are generally small by East Coast standards. In northern Maine, wildlife abounds, and the Best Wilderness Beach in the Northeast is Jasper Beach, close to the Canadian border. While this pebble beach makes for difficult walking (some say it is like walking on large ball bearings), you are virtually guaranteed the sighting of eagles soaring above unless the thick fog moves onshore. The Maine fog is infamous; so thick you can almost cut it with a knife, and the temperature can drop 30 degrees in a matter of minutes as you become shrouded in the swirling gray clouds coming off the cold water.

The preponderance of the sandy beaches are found along the southernmost 30 miles of the Maine coast, but Sand Beach in Acadia National Park in the north is really special and one of my favorites. Sand Beach is a small beach, bounded by rocky headlands near the village of Bar Harbor. This pocket-type beach has no obvious source of sand as the granitic rock is very resistant to wave attack. In fact, Sand Beach is a real geologic rarity - a cold-water carbonate beach. The sand is composed of the crushed spines of sea urchins (they are ground down and too fine to hurt you) and other shell debris. Therefore, this cold water (mid-50 degrees on a warm day) sand beach is more akin by sediment type to the southern coral reef beaches of the Florida Keys than any of its northern neighbors.

Other attractions at Acadia National Park include Cadillac Mountain, which at 1,532 feet is the highest point on the North American coastline. Bar Harbor is also well worth a call, and I still remember my first visit when I was anxious to order one of those famed Maine lobsters. I asked the lady at the hotel lobby where was the best place to order a lobster dinner. She told me with a full Down Easter accent, "You can't get a bad lob-stah in Bar Harbor." She was right. I stuffed myself with these tasty saltwater crustaceans on several occasions. I also recommend the fresh blueberry pie, pancakes and muffins, as these tasty berries flourish there.

Two other wonderful beaches in Maine are Popham Beach and Ogunquit Beach. Popham is a delightful beach anchored by offshore islands; it is one of the widest, sandy beaches in the state. The water is a little warmer here, but barely reaches 60 degrees on the warmest summer days. Most people want to keep this beach a secret; Popham Beach is the real gem in the state park system.

Ogunquit is a quaint New England village situated on a hill overlooking a three-mile long, slender barrier beach. This is one of the most attractive seaside communities I have ever visited, and the sandy beach is a real treat with its fine, white sand. There is swimming both in the ocean and the flanking river. As along the entire Maine coast, the tides are the largest in the United States at a maximum of 11 feet between highs and lows. Be wary of the strong tidal currents near the inlet mouth to the ocean, especially on an ebbing tide when the waters are rushing towards the sea. The beaches become considerably wider at low tide. Walking is the best way to explore the beach and the town of Ogunquit as well. The name Ogunquit is an Indian word that literally means "pretty spot by the sea," and this has not changed over the ages.

The most outlandish beach resort in Maine is Old Orchard Beach, a favorite of many Canadians probably because of its proximity. With its amusement park, arcades, bars, clubs, and rabble-rousing visitors, Old Orchard is the biggest beach party town in these parts. The party goes nonstop from Independence Day until Labor Day as this year-round town of 6,000 swells to over 100,000 people. This beach will never make my top 10 list, but it is the one that visitors have heard most about.

Maine Publicity Bureau
P.O. Box 2300
Hallowell, Maine 04347
(207) 623-0363

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