We headed down Highway 1 and quickly passed Bath, where we saw the Bath Iron Works and shipping yard.  All of the little sea towns are really quaint and wonderful.  Of course, I get excited every time I see the ocean or sailboats.

 

Shortly down the road we passed a flea market - The Montsweag Flea Market which is open on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday.  Isn't that an odd time for a flea market - Wednesday?  But today was Wednesday and there we were.  It was like they opened on Wednesday just for us.  So we made an unplanned stop and spent about 30 minutes poking about the flea market.  Everyone agreed that it was the most unusual flea market we have ever seen.  Carol says most of them just are re-sellers of cheap stuff they bought somewhere else.  But this one had unique Maine items like snowshoes, lobster pot markers, old tools, quaint little chairs, linens, old dolls, fine baskets and furniture.  I saw a very old Stanley planer, but talked myself out of paying $100 for it.  There were big anchors around as well. Sarah saw tourmaline, whatever that is.

 

When we left there, we came across a Maine favorite - Dunkin Donuts, so we had to stop and eat there.  Check!  And of course, Ralph likes to quote his friend Bob Markel, who has a rule that says, "Never miss an opportunity to go to the bathroom."

Before long we came to Camden, Maine!  What a lovely spot!  In fact, I would say that Camden was my favorite Maine place so far.  It was a very quaint seaport town with a bustling harbor and a main street of shops that look SO Maine.  When we left the car, we agreed to meet back in 30 minutes.  The women headed for the shopping and the men headed for the wharf.  Several of the day cruises on sailboats were leaving at 10 a.m. and we arrived just before that.  So we got to see them leave and wish that we had scheduled more time so that we could go with them.  We watched several vessels coming and going.  There was a group of sea kayaks at the dock waiting for the windjammer to get out of the way so they could go on their journey. That, too, looked cool.

 

On the dock, I saw a sign advertising the sailing cruises and there was this quote as well, "Wind is to us what money is to life on shore.- Sterling Hayden"

In the shops, Sarah saw a sign that asked, "How many roads must a man walk down before he admits he is lost?"

At the harbor master's hut, the tides were posted:

Low tide - 12:12 pm
High tide 6:12 pm
Range 9'
Nine feet tides!  I knew they were big because we see tidal flats everywhere and it is obvious from the shoreline that much land is exposed when the tides go out.

Then we drove on to Bar Harbor, arriving about 12:30.  We had to look a bit before finding a parking spot.  Then we ate at Stewtown Restaurant overlooking the harbor.  What a lovely spot!  And the meal was just great.  Every one's food was wonderful.  I had the fish and chips, the best I ever ate.  Sarah & Carol had an Ocean Breeze Salad with crab, salad and fruit.  Ralph ordered scallops.  Darl had clam chowder and potato salad. Pat had a Cobb Salad with lobster.  What a great meal with a great view watching the whale-watching and puffin-watching ships go out.

 

We wished again that we had time to go whale-watching, but not this time.  It takes at least 3 to 4 hours, the sign said.

While waiting for the meal to come, Sarah and I looked over the dockside, amazed at the seaweed exposed in low tide. Then we saw a cormorant swimming along the bottom looking for fish. He would come up occasionally for air and then dive back down looking in every nook and cranny for little fish.

After lunch we decided to split up for two hours before meeting back at the car.

During my two hours, I walked out on the sandbar and then around Bar Harbor Island. I sat for a long time on the rocky shoreline for which Maine is famous and listened to the waves rolling in and felt the sea breeze on my face. 

 

At four, we all met back at the car and started the three-hour drive back to the campsite.  All the way back we saw moose (cows) and puffin (crows) and delighted in every one.  The signs said, "Warning - Moose next ten miles," but we never did see one really.  On the way back, we drove through Bangor - check, and Augusta-check.  Sarah and Carol saw wild blueberries growing along the side of the road.

 

Back at camper we enjoyed pork chops, which Pat had cooked yesterday before we decided to go get lobster.  So the meal came together quickly and deliciously.

So ends day six!