BY JOHN P. McKEAN Camden, Maine, located About 2,000 miles from Key West, is home port to the Schooner Appledore. Camden is the center of windjamming in the United States, and its rich traditional heritage can be felt almost anywhere in this idylic New England community. The town is located in the heart of the Down East coast, where the mountains meet the sea. Penobscot Bay stretches as far as the eye can see and is filled with hundreds of pine tree shrouded islands. Wildlife abounds, and our passengers are thrilled by the American bald eagles, harbor seals, porpoise, and osprey we see on almost every cruise. Occasionally, we catch a glimpse of a whale, as well. We also see lobstermen hauling their catch against a backdrop of lighthouses and rocky coastline. Other schooners lazily sail from point to point as passengers admire enormous secluded mansions on the water's edge. My favorite sail is always the sunset, as the fireball sun sets below the mountain peaks. Some evenings a misting fog adds to these majestic vistas. And when the day is done, it's time to enjoy a hearty cup of chowder and perhaps a wicked good lobster dinner. Please join us at home: It's beautiful! For information or bookings, call 207-236-8353
|
