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January, 2008






Mark Island Light, Sunset







November, 2007

(cont) . . .


There are three distinctly different kinds of frost that warrant attention and understanding so that the next time the topic comes up, as it can here in Maine, you will be prepared to give your short lesson on frost. Nothing better than being informed, right?

Rime Frost:
Usually witnessed in the fall and late winter. Ice droplets are formed when a damp, icy breeze blows over branches, leaves and other surfaces. Usually the air temperatures hover around 32. The droplets of frozen water look like icing that outlines surfaces. The sightings in the fall are always a reminder that winter is not far behind.


Hoar Frost:
This occurs when water vapor comes in contact with a very cold surface and freezes instantly. If one is near the seaside it oftentimes is combined with sea smoke. In the early morning hours the surface of the water will look as if fog has moved in. The nearby trees and rocks will be covered with ice crystals that look like spiky fingers, the hoar frost. As the sea smoke dissipates the ice oftentimes remains on the trees throughout the day creating a magical winter wonderland. An odd name for such a beautiful sight.


Fern Frost:
The extreme cold weather is when we bear witness to this friend of Jack Frost. This occurs when tiny droplets of water form on cold surfaces, glass being the most obvious. As more moisture freezes on the surface the molecules are freezing at different rates creating fern-like patterns on windows that oftentimes look like feathers. The patterns are astoundingly beautiful. Before insulated windows many of us lived with fern frost inside and out. Remember those days?


Fall Colors, 2007

The last leaves of fall are engaged in their yearly activity of falling from the trees overhead. The blueberry fields are just beginning to ease down with the rich crimson color that have accented the roads Downeast for the past month. . . .
The orange berries on the bittersweet that attaches itself randomly to the trees are just beginning to open up and show the luscious, deep red that is inside the shell. The rosehips at the ocean side have seen their first few frosts so the rich, succulent berries have taken on their trademark muted tawny color of fall.

The harbors are filled with the empty moorings where the sailboats and motor boats of summer peppered the coast’s ports and anchorages. The lobster boats and mussel draggers have the harbors back to themselves. The inland rivers are low because we have had so little rain. Rocks and boulders not usually seen this time of year are in full view.

Shorelines along the fresh water lakes cast a similarity to coastal tidal areas with the receeding water lines due to the lack of rain. Inland and coastal hunters are gearing up for hunting season.

Walkers and joggers are buying their new reflective bright orange hats and vests in hopes of warding off the hunters. The wood piles are neatly stacked by the organized home dwellers, however randomly piled wood is in the dooryard for those who are not so organized and are a bit behind with their fall chores.

The migration of birds and sea life is almost over, although random sightings of many species can still surprise us. The weather this month has been magnificent, but it has that way of changing quickly and being a grim reminder of the cold, gray weather that monopolizes the calendar for the winter months. But that’s still way off.

My power boat is still in the water at Hancock Point. As long as there are still days where the temperatures stay in the high fifties and the sun is warm there continues to be ample opportunity to play on Frenchman Bay

September, 2007

Get out the sunglasses because the brilliant colors are blinding me! What a splendid fall it has been. The intermittent rain, the warm days, the nights chilled to temps in the forties and no strong winds have created perfect conditions for an outrageously colorful October.

Who needs drugs when nature creates these psychedelics?

It has been ten years since we have had the perfect conditions that have given us the visual delights and warm temperatures that we have been experiencing. Utterly fantastic!

My friends Matt and Dave drove over from western Maine last Monday and said that the colors coming through Madison and North New Portland were so brilliant that they almost had heart attacks.
Popped a few aspirin and they were back in biz. But, what a splash! 

I was out on Frenchman Bay on Sunday in my power boat just taking it all in. With the colors splashed against the shoreline, the 70 degree temps, the warm harvest sun and the stillness of the water I could not have asked for anything better.

Stay tuned, though. The real stuff that legends are made of, is on its way!