New England is such a breathtaking region. What an amazing coast lines with dramatic sunrises, sweet sunsets and the most photogenic lighthouses!
My son doesn't understand why I have so much interest in them. You know, while they all have the same function (shine a light, ha!), each of them has a unique personality and the mood change with the weather: from warm summer nights, to freezing winter winds. In this trip, we had the opportunity to visit the three below:
Nubble Lighthouse. Cape Neddick, York, Maine. Such a cutie!
We arrived at Sohier Park and could almost drive straight into it, just a few yards of rocks and water stopped us. We had an amazing view without even getting out of the car; the lighthouse was sitting on an island across from the parking lot. However, it is more fun walking on the rocky shore, watching the waves as they crash onto the rocks while the sun sets down. such a dream! until the wave splashes cold water.. ha!
The place is open 24hrs and we met someone who was boon-docking so I decided to stay too to catch the first light of the sunrise. I was surprised to see the amount of people that showed up for sunrise, considering it was around 4:40am in this area.
Portland Head Lighthouse. Cape Elizabeth, Maine. World has it this is perhaps the most picturesque light house in Maine, and the most photographed too! On first sight, it is easy to understand why.
The lighthouse is inside the Fort Williams Park which is open from sunrise to sunset. At 4:30am, I was outside the gate to run as soon as it opened to get in position for the composition I had pre-seen the evening prior when I was scouting the area.. I was nervous about being there before the sun rose but the gate automatically opened several minutes before allowing sufficient time for me and other photographers to get in position.
It was great to be there for sunset AND sunrise!
I highly recommend this place to anyone in the area. Bring the family for a fun day or come alone. Walk on the small beach, on the garden, on the trail that follows the shoreline. This is a must stop, worth the drive.
Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. Bass Harbor, Maine. The only lighthouse in Acadia National Park. Quite a popular sunset spot specially after all the activity in the park during the day.
There's a small parking lot, no charge but can get busy. The trail is to the left of the house, I always forget and take the right that takes me to the house itself which is closed to visitors. The trail leads to some step stairs down to the rocky shore. To get the first glimpse of the lighthouse, one must continue walking on the uneven path for another 100 feet or so. In all, it takes about 10 min and a good pair of sturdy shoes!
Most good photos I've seen, are taken from much closer to the lighthouse which means doing a balancing act on the rocks which can be very slippery. In the winter, the rocks could be covered in thin ice or snow, wearing crampons is a good idea.
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