Kennebunkport Maine vacation - 2022

Our 2022 Kennebunkport vacation is now in the books.  We ended up renting 2 houses again due to the growing family size and schedule.  We rented a house this year that was a mile from Goose Rocks beach.  We were 8 minutes from the other rented house and 10 minutes from town.  It was a great location.

Renting was Friday to Friday which was different.  In all previous years, the changeover was always on Saturday.  Turns out we really liked Friday to Friday as we did not have to deal with the heavy Saturday traffic.

Pam and I left Friday morning but could not check in until 3PM.  We drove all around the area and went into town.  Pam’s folks stayed with us Friday night also as the other house rental started on Saturday.   Since the kids are all adults and have different work schedules, they arrived and departed at different times throughout the week.  We had 1 dinner where we were together from both houses.  That was really because of Courtney and Photoshop (oops … I’m not supposed to tell you that!!)

It was a very quiet location as the house had woods around and it was on a dead-end dirt road so no traffic.  The house was set up well with big bedrooms and a nice common space for us to move around.  We did have an unexpected visitor!

This location was also close to Cape Porpoise so I would use that as a picture default.  Here are a couple Goat Island Light pictures.

If you haven’t read my past vacation blog posts, I am an early bird.  Even on vacation!  The earlier I wake up, the further I can drive before the sun comes up so it helps me determine my destination.  The earliest was 3:30AM and the latest was 4:50AM.  As I have said in other blog posts, cloudy, sunny, haze, fog, rain … “it is what it is”.  I am more of the “what you see is how it was” type of photographer.  I decided I would take more boat pictures this year. 

I went to Biddeford Pool to take Wood Island lighthouse pictures.  I parked and walked a half mile to an open area by the rocks.

The horizon had some clouds but the sun eventually rose above them.  I went to another area by the mouth of The Pool and took some boat pictures. 

From a distance, I saw something that looked like it could be another lighthouse.  It turns out it was Stage Island Monument.  I asked a local and she said it marks where the Saco River ends and meets the ocean.

In doing a bit of investigating it is called a Day Beacon (which serves the same purpose as a modern-day navigation buoy) and was built in 1825.  The monument is 60 feet high, its base is 20 feet in diameter, and the base walls are 4 feet thick.  It is used as a visual landmark for mariners attempting to navigate the mouth of the Saco River and it marks the northern entry to Wood Island Harbor.
 
I went to Cape Porpoise at different times during the week.  Sunrise, sunset, and mid-day.  It was nice being so close.

I met Gary and Patti who have a sailboat in the harbor.  I enjoy taking pictures and am happy to share them with boat owners if I meet them.

Floating lobster crates are used to store lobsters until they are delivered to the dock for pick up.

I went to York twice to take sunrise pictures of the Nubble.  The sunrise looks different each time.  I would love to take Nubble pictures after a big storm to see the waves crash against the rocks.

Perkins Cove in Ogunquit is also very pretty and a fun destination.  Always nice to see the boats and the shops.  From Perkins Cove, the Marginal Way is a fun walk along the rocky coast. 

I also went to Ogunquit beach for a sunrise.

A drone observation and a bit of research.  There is an inlet channel that runs along the rocks by the Marginal Way and loops behind the beach to an enclosed tidal area where the tide water (tidal jets) flows in and out throughout the tidal cycle.  There are 3 phases to a tidal cycle.  The flooding tide/rising tide/flood jet starts pushing the seawater landward through the inlet.  The slack tide is when the water is not moving for a short time. The falling tide/ebb tide/ebb jet is when the water flows strongly through an inlet toward the ocean.  These strong, reversing currents, ebb jets, flood jet, or tidal jets can carry large quantities of sand outward that form sandbars far out in the ocean or into the bay outside the inlet channel.

Why did I explain all of that?  I was at the Ogunquit beach when the tide was going out (ebb jet).  Once the water goes under the bridge the inlet narrows and the water speeds up as it approaches the ocean and makes the turn.

Looking at the water from the bridge I saw brown sandy water flowing into the ocean.  With my drone looking from above the sand looks like clouds flowing to the ocean.  The pictures were interesting, but this video shows it best.  My camera shoots 4K video but I have a limit on video size here.

Wells is always fun to visit to get a sunrise or sunset picture with boats.

Pam does not like Intentional Camera Movement (ICM).  I like it so here are a couple IMC pictures.

I did some experimenting with camera settings.  I took a normal shot and played a bit.  Light or dark …  What do you like better?

A few of our family traditions:
- We had our all-together dinner at Alisson’s Restaurant. Currently 19 but who is counting? (missing were Matt, Megan, & Jack)
- We went to Goose Rocks Beach and Gooch’s beach multiple times throughout the week. 
- We walked through town and the shops. 
- We had lots of fun at the Trolley Museum. 
- We can’t forget the Maine Diner, All Day Breakfast, the Cape Pier Chowder House, the Clam Shack, and Rococo’s for ice cream.
- The last dinner together is pizza on the beach.

Throughout the week I took overhead pictures in different places.  There can be some interesting colors, patterns, and shapes.

I stopped at Portland Head Light after dropping Alex at the airport.  It was mid-day, hot, with no shade, lots of people, and not so great for pictures. 

We were packed up and out of the house Friday morning but stayed in the area until dinner before heading home.  It was a great family vacation.  Looking forward to next year.
 
Renting Friday to Friday also gave us the weekend to regroup before going back to work.  That was nice.  For me … Rokon time (rode 8 miles in the woods) … range time … church … relaxation … 

Click on the pictures to enlarge.