Chasing Waterfalls

It’s Friday night and I’m currently in Erie, Pennsylvania. I spent most of the day at Niagara Falls. I’m definitely happy I was able to stop there along my route home. My photos don’t do it justice - it’s just magnificent. And like I’d heard, you really need to see the area from the Canadian side.

Looking from Canada, the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls

Horseshoe Falls, Canada

Video from top of Horseshoe Falls

American Falls from USA side

It seemed ominous to walk Charley over the “Rainbow Bridge” into Canada, but we both enjoyed the trip.

The day before, I went to New York’s Letchworth State Park to see its waterfalls of the Genesee River.

Genesee River Upper Falls

Genesee River Middle Falls

Tuesday and Wednesday I drove from Maine through the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Green Mountains of Vermont and into New York. Here are some pics from that drive.

Hemlock Bridge, Fryeburg, ME

Saco River Bridge, Conway, NH. Same bridge in photo below.

Bridge over the Mad River in Warren, VT

Bridge over the Tweed River near Pittsfield, VT

Acadia: Schoodic Peninsula and Eagle Lake

I’m currently in Camden, Maine (Sunday). Thought I’d post a few more photos of my last days at Acadia. Thursday I drove around to a separate part of Acadia National Park on the mainland, the Schoodic Peninsula. It was much quieter there - so few people. 

Friday I drove the Park Loop Drive again, stopping at a few of my favorite sights. With a three-day weekend starting up, I could really tell the main attractions in the park were getting busier. The fall colors are getting more vivid too.

Today I drove south to the Camden and Rockport area for a couple of nights before I’ll start slowly making my way west.

Photos from Acadia

 

This rock formation is called Thunder Hole. When the waves hit just right, it makes a thunderous sound. It was a calm day, so it wasn’t making a ton of noise. But it was fun to watch.

Thunder Hole video

Wednesday morning I got up at 4:30 to drive up Cadillac Mountain to see the first sunrise in the U.S. Access is limited and I bought my permit for October 5 in July, hoping that I’d hit on a clear morning. Nope. But at least it was clear enough to see a hazy panoramic view and a peek-a-boo glimpse of the sun before it all got socked in a half hour later. 

While on top of the mountain, I walked the loop trail in the hazy morning fog.

Bass Harbor Head Light Station

In addition to all the hiking trails, Acadia has 45 miles of “Carriage Roads,” put in by John D. Rockefeller and family from 1913 to 1940 to allow for peaceful, motor-free travel through the forests by horse and carriage. They’ve been maintained as vehicle-free paths. You can walk, bike or take a horse and carriage ride.

Outside the park, near where I’m staying is the Asticou Azalea Garden. I see this gorgeous view from the road as I drive toward Acadia National Park.

What’s a trip to Maine without eating your fill of lobster? I arrived at Thurston’s Lobster Pound just as they had taken some out of the cooker. My lobster roll was delicious, but the blueberry crisp was divine.

Acadia: Jordan Pond

Enjoyed a salad and a popover with jam here on the Tea Lawn at Jordan Pond. Popovers at Jordan Pond seem to be a “must do” at Acadia.

Back in the USA

 

I’m sitting on the balcony of my room in Northeast Harbor, Maine, with this bit of a view of the harbor, listening to the Mariners game. They just got their first hit and hopefully that will turn this game around. The air is brisk - it is October after all. I’m here for a week, ready to explore Acadia National Park, the Maine coast, and hopefully relax a bit too. Life is good.

Lepreau Falls in New Brunswick

The Algonquin Resort in St. Andrews, NB

My first photo in Maine at a primitive rest stop. 

But the scenery was pretty and the fall colors are coming out.

Reversing Falls

There’s a phenomenon in Saint John, New Brunswick called Reversing Falls, where the incoming tide of the Bay of Fundy reverses the waters of the St. John River. It changes from a modest set of falls going out towards sea at low tide to rapids heading inward at high tide. I visited the area three times today to see the differences.

Near low tide

Mid-afternoon, shortly after slack

High tide

Video: Low tide

Video: Same location at high tide

Video: Downstream at low tide

Fundy Trail Parkway

St. Martin’s

Friday I spent the day exploring the Fundy Trail Parkway. 

It’s a scenic multi-use area with a driving parkway, a long biking and walking trail, and many pull-offs and side trails to viewpoints and waterfalls. Unfortunately, I didn’t get good pictures of many of the waterfalls.

I stopped along the Big Salmon River to eat lunch and ran into a couple of women I’d seen two other times on my Canada journey, first a week ago sharing a bench at the end of the Greenwich Dunes Trail on Prince Edward Island, then last Monday at Luckett Winery in Nova Scotia. One woman is from Saskatchewan and the other from Ontario, and as we’d talked about our planned itineraries, none of us were surprised to run into each other again. It was nice to see familiar faces!

Long Beach on the Bay of Fundy

Suspension footbridge over the Big Salmon River

Falls at Walton Glen Gorge