Bar Harbor – Maine – Lobster, Whales & Pretty Flowers- Part 3

After getting stranded (temporarily) on Bar Island (see Part 2), you would think we would stay away from Bar Harbor, but no, we spent some more time there.   There are a lot of restaurants around the harbor and we tried several of them.   After we made it across the water that was quickly covering the sand bar between Bar Island and Bar Harbor we headed directly to the Fish House Grill for some lunch.  I had a Lobster tail (small) and it was yummy!   We came back a couple of days later and had dinner at the Black Friar Inn,  I ordered Lobster Thermidor which was super yummy!   Now I am still a little upset with Andy as they had Wild Blueberry Pie for dessert and he told me to hold off!   (He was intending to treat us with Blueberry Pie the next day as a surprise but when they went to get us lunch, there was no Blueberry Pie to be had! ) Andy owes me some Blueberry Pie!!

Lobster is what Bar Harbor is all about!   The first day we were there the lobster boats were all out fishing.  But the next time they were in the harbor!

There were a few that were moving around and unloading at the wharf.

When the lobster fishermen go out to their boats they take a small boat out from the dock at the wharf and leave the small boat at the buoy where they anchor their lobster boat.   So when they leave to go pull their lobster pots the small boats are all sitting out in the harbor.

There are usually interesting reflections where ever there is water so I am always on the lookout for colors and abstract designs.  Bar Harbor had many of those to capture.

One of the fun things I noticed in Maine was the amount of flowers everywhere!  In Florida, by this time most of out flowers have succumbed to the heat and rains so it was awesome to see so many big beautiful flowers in gardens, pots and window boxes.  I was constantly behind the group as I stopped to get images of these beauties!

This was the day we had decided to do the tourist thing and take a trip out on one of the whale watching boats.   We got in line and went through security just like at the airport!   Then joined about 300-400 other folks on a huge catamaran!   The trip out to what they call the “Ballpark” was interesting and windy!   I found a spot on the upper deck that had less wind and I could brace myself to hopefully get less shaky images!   There were a few sites along the way such as this rocky island.   This boat usually goes to the Puffin nesting areas but we were a bit too late for them as they had already left for the season!

After about an hour, the whale biologist onboard started sighting water spouts from whales.   The captain carefully made his way into the “Ballpark” which is a feeding area for whales, seals and seabirds!

He maneuvered this very large vessel around so that everyone would get to see the whales.   They were careful to stay away from them but the whales came right up to the boat and went underneath it.  The biologist and some of the passengers saw Minkey Whales and Fin Whales but they were on the other side so I did not see them.   I did get to see several Humpback whales, though!   There was a female & her calf that hung around for quite awhile.  Then a male came and joined them briefly.  The biologists could identity them with pictures they had of their  flukes (tails)!  That was a good thing as other than their backs, we mostly saw their flukes.   Evidently the food they were after was very low in the water so they were not breaching (jumping out of the water) and only doing terminal dives where they throw their flukes up and dive straight down!

After the trip back from the whale feeding area we were cold, hungry and thirsty!   We immediately went across the street from the whale boat dock and sat down at Paddy’s Irish Pub!  We had beers and obligatory Lobster Dip!   I had a delicious Corned Beef Sandwich after nice HOT French Onion Soup!    This was the topper to an awesome morning in Bar Harbor and the Gulf of Maine!

Please visit my Gallery for these and additional images of Bar Harbor and our Whale watching trip!

If you get to visit Bar Harbor be sure to try out their wonderful restaurants & book a whale watching trip ( the puffins are included a bit earlier in the summer!)

That is all for now!

Lobstered to death, Lynn!