No words necessary…
This is Stonington on Deer Isle, on what’s referred to as the Blue Hill Peninsula. Stonington is a small thriving village of primarily artists and fishermen, not to mention incredible views of the outlying islands and distant mountains of Isle au Haut. And let’s not forget an Opera House. My husband and I went yesterday to visit one of my listings (Inn on the Harbor) and to enjoy some fried clams and a glass of Sauvignon Blanc by the water! We stopped by Isalos Art Gallery, one of the many wonderful galleries lining Main Street. I’ve been a big fan of Rebecca Daugherty’s large formats of fishing boats but I had never met Michael Daugherty in person (we’d only connected on Facebook and Twitter) until this visit.
Stonington offers a wide variety of real estate, many of which are second homes. There’s a pretty strong demand for weekly rentals on the coast, so a second home makes a great investment. It’s a wonderful small town to park your car and forget about it for a while…
Greening Island sits just off the coast of Southwest Harbor on Mount Desert Island, home to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. It also sits at the base of Somes Sound, the fjord that nearly splits the island into two.
This is the view of Mount Desert Island, Maine, home to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park. It’s taken from the shorefront in Sullivan, Maine from one of my listings dating back to the late 1800′s – a classic Maine “Shingle Style Cottage” (Dan Cooper shows some nice examples on Mount Desert Island, or “MDI”). MDI has long been a very desirable to live for the natural beauty and deep water for large sailing and yachting enthusiasts. There are gorgeous homes dotting every bit of the coastline, many with incredible views of outlying islands. Waterfront homes on the island with deep water frontage from 4,000-8,000 square feet and beyond can range from $2.5 million to $10 million.
But waterfront homes off the island are a different story and can offer a buyer a gorgeous piece of shorefront property and a view quite often under $2 million. Continue up the coast along Route 1, or ‘down east‘ as we say: “When ships sailed from Boston to ports in Maine (which were to the east of Boston), the wind was at their backs, so they were sailing downwind, hence the term ‘Down East.’”
Down East Maine is known largely for blueberries, Puffins, the Schoodic Peninsula (part of Acadia National Park) and fishing. While much less affluent than MDI, there are beautiful waterfront homes down east which make great vacation homes just the same…
Low humidity; ocean breezes; low 80′s in the warmest of summers (but much cooler at night); upper 20′s in the winters; manageable snowfall; few road conditions or snow delays; and for the most part, free from catastrophic weather. The coast of Maine enjoys temperatures 10-15 degrees cooler than inland in summer and 10-15 degrees warmer in winter. We experience the best of both worlds. We enjoy summers with open windows without air conditioning. I know it seems unfathomable to many, but once you experience our fresh air, you’ll understand. Our winters aren’t all grey and cloudy. Sure, our spring doesn’t arrive until May and our summer begins to fade in September but they’re simply short but very sweet. We have a gorgeous fall foliage season which peaks around October 15th. The leaves begin to drop and by early November, we’re headed into winter with crisp air and plenty of sunny days where snow doesn’t often fall until late December. I personally love this time of year – it’s particularly great for hiking with soft rustling leaves and pine needles on the forest floor. Most of our snow on the coast falls between January and March. Come April the snow melts and we have a month of “mud season”. May dries up, trees begin to bud and before we know it, spring has sprung. We have four distinct and intense seasons and we appreciate the intense beauty of each.
It’s no wonder why Maine leads the nation in the second home market…
There’s no need for a picnic table when there are beautiful granite rocks, boulders and ledges on which to enjoy a picnic by the ocean in Maine. With 3,000 miles of coastline, you can probably even find a spot where you never see another person. But this area known as Seawall is one of my favorites in all of Maine. It’s part of Acadia National Park on the southwestern half of Mount Desert Island, but on the eastern shore of the western side, just before the southernmost tip of the island and Bass Harbor lighthouse.
Seawall Campground Entrance GPS: Latitude 44.240444; Longitude -68.304272
Seawall Picnic Area GPS: Latitude 44.237646; Longitude -68.302139
Just bring your blanket and enjoy the sound and smell of the ocean…
Fact: Mount Desert Island is nearly split in half by a natural fjord known as Somes Sound which was formed by glaciers long ago. It’s popular by sailing enthusiasts for its deep waters that drop off immediately beyond the shore. Somes Sound is home to many incredible waterfront mansions from Southwest Harbor around to Northeast Harbor.
The Maine coast has long been a popular destination for both tourists and locals alike. It’s about enjoying the simple beauty of the landscape and the small villages that dot the coast. It’s getting lost in the smell of the ocean, the rolling fog, the beauty of the sun’s rays as they break through the morning fog that captivate us. It’s about buying from the local fisherman, purveyors, artists. It’s about supporting the locals. And it’s about civility where we’re free from road rage and urban sprawl.
I’m new to blogging for OceanHome Magazine and am honored to be asked to contribute as a Coastal Maine specialist. I was approached by OceanHome from a connection on Twitter and Facebook where I regularly post my photos of Maine. I’m a Broker and statewide Lodging Specialist for The Swan Agency Sotheby’s International Realty in Bar Harbor, Maine. Because I travel so much of the state, I have the opportunity to see some of the most beautiful places and I enjoy blogging and sharing them. I don’t just sell real estate, I sell the lifestyle; the luxury Maine lifestyle.
As we say, “Welcome to Maine, the way life should be…”
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