Two For Tuesday

It had been over 6 months since I had traveled to the Down East section of the Maine coast, a magical place that I try to visit as many times as I can. This past Tuesday, I made the trek to Cutler, a small fishing community that sits barely 15 miles from the Canadian Border. About two miles past the village of Cutler, there lies what is perhaps the most dramatic hiking trail in the state of Maine. The Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land, a 2,220 acre tract of rugged land that juts out over the Bay of Fundy, is a very special place to visit, no matter what time of year you happen to go. I had been to Cutler three times before, each in the spring and early summer. Each previous experience has been breathtaking to say the least. On my fourth trip, I was joined by my mother, a seasoned hiker with a similar love for the Maine coast. Together, we navigated the rocky slopes, grassy paths, and jagged rocks of this Bold Coast treasure, spending a good 4 hours on a tough 7 mile loop that weaved in and out of the wild forests of Cutler and ended on the rocky shores of the Bay of Fundy. We had an absolute blast, mother and son, alone in nature, both doing what we love to do. My faithful Nikon by my side, I snapped away with a fury that was undeniably driven by the immense beauty that surrounded me. To stand out an a rocky ledge, with the ocean 200 feet below and the cool winds of the Atlantic whipping around you, is to stand on the edge of a world that seems to only exist in a dream. When nature holds sway over an individual, that individual is able to escape the real world, and enter a sacred place where their senses are treated to a grand feast of all that the natural world has to offer. Every time I travel to Cutler, I never want to leave! But leave we had to, and leave we did. The day however, was not over yet, not by a long shot. We sped down route 187 to Jonesport, where my mother was able to reconnect and visit with old friends. My mother first visited this salty fishing community when she was child. She would spend her time camping on nearby islands, taking long walks under the stars, and swimming in the frigid waters of Englishman Bay. She spent many summers in Jonesport, and has always had a special place in her heart for the town. She met with old friends yesterday afternoon, telling stories and recounting what the past 40 years had brought in terms of jobs, marriages, children and grandchildren. It was a wonderful afternoon for her, a real chance to relive her past, a past that had brought such simple happiness on the Downeast coast of Maine. We left Jonesport around 5, made Bucksport by 6:30 and returned home in time to enjoy a great meal, and a beautiful sunset. I love my mother, and love this coastline. Both are always in my mind, and will forever remain there. To be able to share both loves in one day made this past Tuesday, a truly special day for this 28 year old.