Road Trip to Bucksport

H and I have had plans to take a trip to Bucksport to go up into the observation tower of the new Penobscot Narrows Bridge which connects Verona Island and the mainland on the other side heading on to Belfast. We waited for the perfect day - a clear blue sky a day after a frontal passage. Yesterday was that perfect day.

Here she is in all her glory. The observation tower is on the left and is 42 stories above the river. It is the only bridge with an observatory on the American continent.

The 360 degree view from the top is spectacular, and what a better season to enjoy it than autumn. The colors were glorious.

This is Rt 1, on the way to Belfast......


This is looking west toward Bucksport. The tide was coming in and it was interesting to watch how the outgoing river and the incoming tide collided with one another.

Looking east toward Penobscot Bay as the river emptied into the bay......

Another view of Bucksport. A colorful, autumn New England scene.


Before leaving Bucksport on our way to Belfast, we stopped by historic Fort Knox on the Penobscot River, a veritable mountain of hand hewn granite sitting high on a bluff overlooking the river, it served to keep enemy ships from sailing upriver during the war of 1812 and the Spanish American War.

The cannon openings offered a great view of the river......

The temptation was great, but I didn't dare try to pick one of these cannonballs up!

They look amazingly like bowling balls with those holes in them!

I made a brief stop in the bathroom before we left and learned that one should never leave one's camera in the hands of an amateur! H couldn't resist taking a quick picture of himself. Foolish man, the sun was not at the right angle for this self portrait.

Then, it was onward toward Belfast. We headed over the bridge to the mainland to do a bit of shopping.


While in Belfast, we took a nice walk along the Memorial Bridge. It was a bit windy and cool, so we didn't dally long, but I did get some nice shadow shots for my next photography class. This bridge crosses the Passagassawaukeag River. Try saying that quickly three times! "-)

A dilapidated boat house with an apple tree casting it's shadow caught my eye at the other end of the bridge.

As did this historic house in Searsport.


Back in Bucksport, we had to stop by to visit Captain Buck's gravesite. He was the founder of Bucksport and the tale is that the Captain accused a young lady of being a witch and had her executed, however, before she died, she cursed him and said her foot would be on his head for all eternity. His headstone has the eerie impression of a boot on it. Relatives tried several times without success to remove the impression, thinking it was a flaw in the stone, but soon after each attempt, it reappeared.

All in all, it was a wonderful day and a thoroughly enjoyable road trip. And, we found gas for only $2.80 a gallon!

Life is good!

Hugs, Giddy