South Bristol

Here is some background. Mimi and Terry Stewart moved to Fernandina a couple of years after we did. Mimi worked at the hospital and Terry volunteered at Ft. Clinch as the blacksmith. When the AI Chamber Music festival was started Mimi  and Terry were welcome volunteers and over the years we became good friends. After a few more years Mimi and Terry decided that they would sell their house and move north to Minneapolis to be near their family and grandchildren. From that move to last year Mimi and Terry would spent some winter time in Florida, part with us in our house and part with some family in South Florida. This year the Stewarts went on a trip to Africa but when they got home and found out that we were RVing to Maine they decided they they would drive to South Bristol, ME to visit a cousin and they invited us to meet them and park our RV in their cousin's driveway. This was the plan.

However before they left Minneapolis, Mimi had some health issues and wound up in the hospital for a bunch of tests. They decided that they should not go on the trip but encouraged us to be sure to continue withe the plan and visit their cousin. By that time we had been in contact with the cousin and discussed the size of the RV and if it would fit under some wires across the driveway. So we didn't stay with them but did make plans to meet with them on Thursday afternoon for lunch at their house.

Now South Bristol is a quaint, little lobstering village on the Pemaquid peninsula and the GPS had no trouble finding their location. I did, though, pull into a wrong narrow driveway but we apologized to the neighbor and were told where the Harris' lived. We finally met cousin Koko and John Harris and their daughter Heather.

 OMG, John got some lobsters from the coop, cooked them up and we were served fresh Maine lobster, corn on the cob, salad and fresh fruit. What a meal, better than a restaurant, and with friends who felt like family. Then we walked down to their boathouse and had our coffee while overlooking the harbor. Heather had to leave and I took this picture of Susan and our new family members. Oh yes, John is a collector and this is their restored 1935 Ford Phaeton (4 door convertible) that we were privileged to enjoy a tour of the Bristol area.

 As part of our quest to visit Maine lighthouses there just happened to be one on one nearby - Pemaquid Point - which is maintained by the village of Bristol. The tower and the keeper's cottage were constructed in 1827. But neither lasted long because the builder used salt water to mix his lime mortar. The second contract stipulated that only fresh water be used and the new tower was completed in1835. A new wood frame Keeper's House as added in 1857. The beacon that shines today is a forth order Fresnel lamp which can be seen 14 nautical miles out to sea. The lighthouse and museum were closed but interesting enough, there is a one bedroom apartment in the keeper's house that can be rented out.

We looked at Christmas Cove and some other harbors but Back Bay Harbor, in our estimation was the best. The tour wound up at the "Garage" where John keeps his collection of antique motor cars - an MG TC, Model A sedan, Super long Packard convertible that supposedly President Roosevelt rode in, a Morgan plus 4, a T model Ford and a couple of REO's plus some others that I can't remember.

What a great day! We decided to go back to the RV park in Boothbay and got back just before it got dark.