Low Tide in Bass Harbor

Well, all those pretty Maine scenes you picture--those scenes with the colorful harbors populated with sailboats and workboats tugging at their moorings and anxious to shed their docklines, ready to head off to play hard or work even harder, with sun sparkling off the water and fluffy white clouds dancing overhead--those scenes change dramatically at low tide--at least they do here in Bass Harbor.

At low tide, I would guess something like three quarters of the area of this harbor turns into mud flats. And that ain't so scenic. Not the kind of scene that you would capture for a postcard and write home to brag about where you'd been.

If your boat is a serious boat, whether serious about work or play, you've secured a properly located mooring or dock space where there's still plenty of water under your keel, and you can ride out low tide with little worry or inconvenience. The mud won't bother you. However lots of casual boats sit the low tide out, literally stuck in the mud.

This tide thing is also true of our lives. We live our lives in the midst of high tides and low tides, with some sense of symmetry and an acquired recognition that some days are better than others. But in our reporting (about our vacations, and our lives) there is the temptation to report only about our high tides, sunny days, and brightly colored harbors. We tend to share less about the gray days spent at low tide, stuck in the mud.

When you're stuck in the mud, at least you don't need to worry about dragging anchor and going aground. You're there and most likely will stay there until the tide starts to come in.

So, you know what's coming. Enjoy the anticipation of your ride back to the next high tide. Its making its way.

Hoisting Anchor in Colorado, Heading for Maine

Tomorrow morning I hop a flight to Boston, and then drive up to Bass Harbor, Maine.

The flight is about four hours. The car trip is about five and a half hours. This trip, Jackie's staying home, tending to the sheep, goats, and dogs. Someday soon, we hope to spend some extended time in the magical, beautiful area on and around Mount Desert Island.

Our plan was, you see, to spend four or five months a year 'in residence' in Maine. That's why we bought our little place. We had expectations of sparkling Maine summers poking around near the shore, sailing on the ocean, and hiking the lush trails of New England. And we looked forward to sharing brilliant autumn days in Maine.

We appreciate the falls in New England not only for their beauty, which can be beyond comparison, but because the transition from Summer to Winter is so gentle and soft and extended. Fall in Colorado can be spectacular, but the season tends to be 'abrupt'. Fall in Colorado is very localized and usually lasts about a week in any given location. Then the aspens lose their leaves and it snows.

However, rather than spending 'quality time' together enjoying friends, family, and each other (as we had hoped), our Maine time tends to be busy with 'tending to things'. Everything from maintenance on our place to Annual Meetings of the HOA, to getting the place prepared for some seasonal rentals (so that we can afford to keep the place).

For the most part, we've only stolen a week here and a couple of weeks there. Last fall, we did manage nearly a month and it was wonderful.

Someday, we're going to figure out our lives, set our priorities, and work to achieve a slightly simpler, and less scattered life.