Coastal getaway, part 1

If I tried to share all the photos from our recent overnight getaway, it would make for a very long post indeed.  So I am planning three posts detailing Thursday's daytime activities, our late afternoon and evening doings, and then breakfast and the trip back on Friday.

Good friends of ours have been celebrating their wedding anniversaries in Boothbay Harbor, ME, for over thirty years.  They like to stay at a bed and breakfast when possible, and always take the boat trip to Cabbage Island for the famous clambake. You can read more about that here: Cabbage Island Clambakes.  This year, as once before,  we joined them and had a wonderful time away.

We left our house around 6:30 a.m.  Of course no road trip is complete for us without these:

so we made a stop on the way and got a dozen to share.

When we arrived at Boothbay Harbor, our first stop was at a thrift shop my friend Lynne loves to visit.   Creature Comforts Thrift Store is operated to benefit the local humane society and is a wonderful place to shop.  I found a great pair of LL Bean pants for only $2!  Lynne found some great deals as well.

Next we proceeded to the Harbour Towne Inn where we would be staying.

We parked the car, got the luggage unloaded and freshened up a bit before heading out to  Pier 6 to board the Bennie Alice for the trip out to Cabbage Island.

The boat was full and we were not able to get upstairs, so the pictures Mr. T got were all taken through the windows of the boat and so not the best quality.  Still, they have a sort of soft, dreamy look that I really like.

 After an hour or so of touring Boothbay Harbor, we headed for Linekin Bay and arrived at Cabbage Island!  It is really like arriving home and being greeted by members of the family.

We could see the clambake steaming as we approached the island.

There are picnic tables all over and people seat themselves.

The clambake in progress

A closer look

Many occupied picnic tables

Waitstaff take drink orders and, in a short time, the fish chowder arrives. Soon the clambake is ready and people get in line to pick up their trays loaded with lobsters, clams, baked potato, corn on the cob, egg, and onion.  Mr. T and I had barely tasted lobster (other than in a lobster roll) prior to our 2014 visit here, but we sure enjoy it in this context, fresh as fresh can be and perfectly cooked.

The foil packet in the bowl contains delicious steamed clams!  The foil at left holds a baked potato.

Excuse the empty iced tea cups (and the tip jar) in this picture.  Refills were soon brought.

As folks finish with the meal, dessert is then brought to the tables -- gigantic squares of  homemade blueberry cake.  I wish that I had gotten a picture of this cake, but I failed to do so.  I enjoyed mine with coffee, although Mr. T ended up finishing my cake for me.  The servings are huge.

After the meal, we walked about and explored the island a bit.  Mr. T got a picture of the osprey nest and I enjoyed the many beautiful plantings around the island.  There are activities like horseshoes, badminton, and volleyball available as well, and visitors are encouraged to explore every inch of the island.

The osprey nest at one end of the island

These are some of the bluest hydrangeas I have ever seen.  So gorgeous with the roses!

Daisies and hydrangeas

Just a relaxing spot!

Another flower bed

Soon it was time to board the Bennie Alice again and return to the mainland.  What a wonderful afternoon it had been!

Part 2 will follow later ...