Bass Harbor lighthouse, Maine

After having a hearty meal in restaurant we decided to visit Bass Harbor lighthouse before  going back to the farm house where we stayed for two days. We were already tired and junior became very cranky. Actually we decided to visit the lighthouse for him only. When I told our plan, he stopped whining.

 
It was late afternoon.The sun started turning soft. We crossed the golf club of Bar Harbor, and started slowly through the winding road of Acadia Park again. In the mellow light of afternoon, the color of the trees started glowing brighter than morning. The traffic was not much, may it was a weekday. Mr. Man, started to talk about his visit in 2005. In torrential rain he and his friends drove through the park in the afternoon to Bass Harbor. The ocean was rough, they couldn’t even go near the lighthouse.

From park, we gradually came out and drove on the village roads. We passed all the small houses, small general stores, little library. It was a kind of dream. I couldn’t imagine how little all those picturesque houses. I just couldn’t stop myself clicking pictures of every moment. 

Every time we crossed a little bridge, I jumped in excitement like a little kid. The deep blue water, the moored colorful boats, and fall colored forest at distant made the nature so mesmerized, that it was difficult to stop admiring the creations of mother nature.

We faced a little traffic before entering the parking of Bass Harbor light house. Actually, the parking lot was very small, so people were waiting in queue to get chance to park the car. As it was already late, we didn’t have wait for long. 

For the fist time in 1858 the lighthouse was lighted. It was brass lamp filled with whale oil. Later it was replaced by kerosene and other kind of lamps. Now it was lighted by a 1000 watt lamp. An acrylic shroud created the bright red light.

Life of the light keepers always fascinates me. In my childhood I’ve never seen any lighthouse. However, I read about lighthouses in a magazine when I was an elementary school kid. The light keepers live their whole life in a lighthouse, situated far from locality, usually on cliffs. They were accountable for anything in the lighthouse. How hard it was to keep eyes on the ocean for the safety of the speeding ships. On foggy days banging huge bells, in storm rushing to the top of the lighthouse through a spiral steep staircase to give danger signal to any ship heading to the shore in rush was incredibly hard jobs. In bad weather they couldn’t stay inside, rather they had to work more.

 

When we reached there, sun was almost going to sleep. Seeing the lighthouse my son gained back his energy.  It was a protected area, so we couldn’t go inside of it. For out side we saw huge bell, which was supposed to be banged on foggy days. There was two trails on the both side of the lighthouse. On the first trail you can read about the history, but the view from that trail was not good. You cannot see the whole lighthouse.To see the lighthouse properly you have to take the other trail through the forest toward the ocean. Then you need to hop down on the stones towards the ocean to get the full view, where you can see the lighthouse standing on the red granite .

My son wanted to get down by jumping from one to stone to another. I also did the same earlier the day. But, when I reached there I couldn’t do the same. Some unknown fear pulled me from behind. Mr. Man and kiddie went down the stones almost to the ocean. After seeing the lighthouse we drove back to the farm. 
We ordered adobo chicken prior. The owner gave a steaming hot chicken and rice. We were tired and hungry. Rice and chicken we so good, that we devoured that, and called it a day.