MONHEGAN, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2010

View of the Ed Johnson House where we are staying

Ed Johnson, a watercolorist, has a studio next to the house where he shows a nice collection of marine subjects.

Today is our last full day on Monhegan. We were up early painting from the porch and then Alex and I went over to Gull Cove.

When we cross the island we have most of our gear in a backpack. If my canvas is to big, I just carry it or bungee it on my backpack. I like the tray that fits on my easel, but you could buy a small plastic one that would fit in your back pack. I usually put my camera around my waist, backpack on my back, and then I rest my tray with a fully laid out palette on the top of my camera.

Diana and her painting gear ready to go

Day 6 (Notice tired eyes, but still smiling!!)

Take Trail #5 out to Gull Cove. It is a gorgeous view of Gull Rock, the Cove, and Whitehead. To get to the trail go past the grass at the top of Horn Hill follow the road until you see a sign for the Hitchcock house. Turn left at that sign and go a little ways down until you see some rocks laid at the beginning of the path and a tree limb that hangs over the path. On the limb it will say Trail #5. This trail is not too difficult with lovely grasses on either side.

Alex at the head of Trail #5 to Gull Cove

This is generally the way the trails look winding with tall grasses

These are the two views you will have when you get there.

Gull Rock from Gull Cove

Gull Cove

I am obsessed with Dogs and there was the cutest one cooling off

Later on another dog did some fetching in Gull Cove

After Gull Cove we headed into town because today was Lighthouse Day. The lighthouse was open from 11pm to 4pm. There is a really top notch museum, a wonderful art collection, and of course a tour to the top of the lighthouse. I met one woman who said as a child she did not use a flashlight, but just waited until the lighthouse made its rotation to find her way.

The current lighthouse was built in 1850. It is 48 feet tall and built to last of granite. In 2009 the lighthouse was completely restored. There were so many coats of paint they could not tell the steps had a lattice pattern until the scraping began.

Lighthouse Stairs

In 1995 solar power was installed and the lighthouse is still active. I was fascinated by all this as a ship built by my great grandfather was wrecked in Lobster Cove. The museum's curator kindly did a little research for me on the schooner "John Somes". It was built in Mt. Desert I am assuming by my great grandfather Thaddeus Shepley Somes who had a shipbuilding operation in Somesville at the Mill Pond. The article that Jennifer Pye copied for me was titled "Schooner Goes to Pieces" According to the article it went ashore on the southern end of Monhegan Island. It was a total loss. In another account, it told of the crew looking for land and traveling for seven to ten miles before reaching shore. The men rowed entirely around the islands of Monhegan and Manana (Mena). I first saw a picture of the wreck in a book about Samuel Triscott's photographs and paintings. In my early career I worked at the Smithsonian's Museum of American History and from what I can see there is a high level of professionalism in the Monhegan Museum!!

View from the Lighthouse Tower

After the lighthouse we painted on Fish beach. So much fun.....had to move twice for the tide coming in. Dinner at the Monhegan House. Really Yummy!!!!

One final dog..........Bubba is too cute!!!

Monhegan really pulls at my heart. It is beyond special. Today we looked up and saw a large bubble just floating high over our heads. It seemed miraculous just like Monhegan.