Let Captain D help you discover Downeast Maine, Acadia National Par

	IN THE PAST DECADE, Rockland has become one of Maine’s most attractive cities. Yahoo picked it as being among the ten coolest small cities in the country. Historically, it has been a working man’s town, Maine’s second major fishing port. City fathers still host the Maine Seafood Festival, a major summertime happening. In recent years, the city has become a Mecca for artists and intellectuals as well. The Farnsworth Museum, which has long had an intimate relationship with the Wyeth family, is a major draw. On Main Street, the Farnsworth Museum Shop carries prints of many paintings found in the museum’s extensive collection. According to Yahoo, in Rockland "You'll find just enough sophistication to balance the saltiness of mid-coast Maine... where regional mainstays are reinvented every day." After honing her skills working for Perry Ellis in New York City, Beth Bowley was lured back to Maine four years ago. "Rockland is filled with folks who've seen what the world has to offer and want to be here," says Bowley, who opened the boutique FourTwelve, which she stocks with clothing and accessories like Sea Bags, made from recycled sails. Down the street at Suzuki's Sushi Bar, Japanese-born chef Keiko Suzuki Steinberger infuses freshly caught lobster, shrimp, and crab with modern Japanese flavors. The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Rockland as one of its 2010 Dozen Distinctive Destinations. The working waterfront, rich history, world famous festivals and first-class dining - especially the seafood - were all cited as reasons for the honor. For the past ten years, the trust has been naming communities across America that differ from typical vacation destinations. The sites offer unique Main Streets, compelling architecture, a commitment to historical preservation, sustainability, revitalization and other characteristics. Near Main Street in Rockland look for the Park Street Grill, Red Jacket Lobster & Seafood, Maine Lighthouse Museum. On Main Street, look for Camden National Bank, Brass Compass Cafe, Audubon Project Puffin Visitor Center, the Pastery Garden, Planet Toys, Rustica Cuisine Italiana, Rock City Books & Coffee, Key Bank, MacGregor, Art Space Gallery, Doug's Haircuts, Strand Theater, Atlantic Baking Co., Harbor Square Gallery, Jewelry By George, C.M. Pollack & Sons, Maine State Ferry Service, Coastal Communications, United Home Furniture, Dunkin Donuts, Home Kitchen Cafe, Good Tern Natural Foods, Look for the turn to Samoset. The Samoset is perhaps Maine's finest golf course; it has been called Pebble Beach East. There are ocean views from 14 holes. Golf Digest placed it among the top ten most beautiful courses in the Country. Leaving Rockland on Route One, you'll come upon a McDonald's, Bangor Savings Bank, Prompto, Tumarino, University College at Rockland, Xpress Lube, Texaco, VIP, Irving, Littlefield Memorial Baptist Church, Tim Horton's, Pizza Hut, Fuller Certified, Goodwill, Machias Savings Bank, Store, China Coast Buffet, Home Depot, Bar Harbor Bank & Trust, Walmart, Penobscot Bay Chiropractic, Woodsound Studio, Coastal Medical Clinic, Hoyt Eye Care Center, KFC, Nicole's Hair Studio, The Willow Bake Shoppe, Super Shoes, Club House Grille, Glen Cove Professional Building, Claddagh Motel, The Ledges, Maine Coast Eye Care, Island View Inn, Strawberry Hill Seaside Inn, Glen Cove Inn & Suites, Dead River Convenience, Penobscot Bay Medical Center, Oakland Commons, Cedar Works, Oakland Seashore Motel & Cottages, Coastal Hobbies, Oakland Park Bowling, Rockport Professional Building, Downeast Rehab, Oakland Seashore Cabins, Spruce Ridge Inn, White Gates Inn, Down East Enterprises, Megunticook Campground By the Sea, Plants, Pen Bay Health Care, Pen Bay Veterinary Associates, Yankee Clipper, Fresh Off the Farm Natural Foods, State of Maine Cheese Co., Rockport Market Place, Chickadee Photography, Crestwood Kitchens, Dorr Wood Carving & Sign Co., Cody's Roadhouse, Cottage Consignment, Family Eye Care, 7 Mts. Motel, Schoonner Bay Motor Inn, Fuller Chevrolet, Yankee Magazine says Nana's Kitchen is New England's "best -don't-judge-a-resturant-by-its-exterior." According to Yankee "It's pure heaven inside, with fresh breads, biscuits, muffins, and doughnuts." A turn to the right leads to downtown Rockport Rockport is one of Maine's more sophisticated and attractive small communities. Check out Resource, the Maine Photoraphic Workship Store, and Maine Coast Artists Gallery. The Maine Photographic Workshop Store serves students and faculty as well as the general public. Here you'll find rare photo and film books along with more routine postcards and t-shirts. Maine Coast Artists is one of the few galleries in the state you can depend on to present cutting-edge, innovative work. Back on Rte 1, look for Hoboken Gardens, the Sweet Sensations Pastry Shop and the 3 Dog Cafe. TIMESHARE RESALE RENTAL offers the Internet's best deals on Maine TIMESHARE RESALES and rentals! Specializing in finding the ideal vacation property for you and your family, TRR's certified timeshare resellers will save you thousands off resort costs while you explore the wild Maine coastline, quaint small towns, and mountains for the true New England experience! A summer home for many wealthy people, Camden has many upscale shops. Downtown you'll find Maine Gathering/Finest Kind Candles stocking fine Maine crafts, Penobscot and Passamaquoddy Indian baskets, and dipped chocolates. The Foreside Company sells imported gifts and household accessories, while Starbird specializes in American and country decorative accessories. In downtown Camden, look for Cappy's Chowder House, Voyager Restaurant, Linda Bean's Perfect Maine Lobser Roll, Windward House, Whitehall Inn, Out on Route One, you'll come to Norumbega and Camden Hills State Park. Norumbega, now an inn, is a real castle. Camden Hills State Park provides 26 miles of hiking trails through more than 5,000 acres. Keep going on Route One into Lincolnville Beach. Look for the Maine State Ferry Terminal, McLaughlin's Lobster Shack, a U.S. Post Office, Maine Artisans, the Beach Store, Lobster Pound Restaurant, Jane Alden, Beach Inspirations, Goose River Exchange, Chez Michel, the Whale’s Tooth Pub, Beach Cottage Inn, Lincolnville Family Dentistry, H. Swanson Gallery and Studio, Windsor Chairmakers, Bayshore Baptist Church, Ducktrap Decoys, Mike's Align & Repair, Ducktrap Motel, Roger's Art Gallery, Ducktrap Basket Shop, Painted Lady Antiques, Northport Antique Shop, Copper Pine Cafe, Point Lookout, Maine Coast Animal Rescue, Blue Dolphin Antiques, Copper Pine Cafe, Swans Island Blankets, Findings. NORTHPORT Look for Classic Imports, Northport Bath, the Canine Country Club, Nana's Kitchen, Crowley, Suydam, the Northport Diner, Northport Motel and Cottages, Temple Heights Spiritual Camp, Saturday Cove, New England School of Clinical Hypotherapy, Overnight R.V. Parking, Ordained Minister Weddings Performed, Michael's Motel, Jim's Sales & Service, Northport Music Theatre, Northeast Boat, Northport Campground, Northport Marine, Cornerstone Kitchen Showroom, Family Tradition Restaurant, Gallery 981,Grace Tabernacle, Outdoor Sportsman, Rocky Point Statutory, Ray's Homes, Antiques, Blue Goose, Northport Golf Club, Maine Energy, Maine Coast Boathouse, Eagle Real Estate, Hideaway Diner, Country Charm Furniture, Northport Landing Gallery, Camden Hills Realty, Bayside Store, Dos Amigos, Northport House, Little River Veterinary Hospital, Mainely Used Cars, Aubjuchan Hardware, Parenteau's Flooring, Little River Baptist Church, Dye Team, Moss, the Beetle Shop, United Auto, United Realty, Irving, NAPA, Belfast Veterinary Hospital, Penobscot Bay Inn. The "H" in the H. Swanson Gallery and Studio stands for "Harry," its gregarious artist/proprietor. Harry keeps the place open year round and loves to show folks his work. A turn to the right will take you to downtown Belfast. You'll pass Janis Stone Interiors, the Belfast City Park, New Wave Salon, Waldo Cunty General Hospital, Jack's Grocery, Belfast Computer, Stone Soup, the Republican Journal, the Belfast Dance Studio, the Belfast Co-op Store, Out on a Whimsy, Jumbo Shop, Wild Rufus, First Light Community Midwives. Not too many years ago, Belfast was known for processing vast quantities of chicken. So devotedly did it pursue this enterprise that it touted itself as the broiler capital of the world and celebrated this status with an annual festival. The chicken industry died—heating big barns became too expensive—but, contrary to the prediction of many, Belfast didn't. A lovely waterfront park with picnic tables now occupies the slope near the City Landing where the processing plants once stood, and Belfast is enjoying increasing popularity with sailors and tourists. This old port town was saved by the counter-culturalists who during the early 70’s had emigrated to Waldo County’s relatively inexpensive boondocks. Many of them ended up coming to town—driven, some say, by hoards of blackflies÷and now this city may well be the cultural capital of Maine. Maine Times readers declared that Belfast was Maine's "best little-known town to walk around in for an hour" thanks to its "good scenery, history, and many artsy nooks." Belfast is like Bar Harbor was 25 years ago. Things haven't gotten cutthroat here yet; rents are still low enough to attract young entrepreneurs with original ideas and wide-eyed enthusiasm for their enterprises. USA Today put Belfast on its list of five "culturally cool small towns." Lately, Belfast has been billing itself as a "City Full of Surprises." On Thursday nights during summer, there's music and performing arts on the streets downtown. Belfast originally was known as Passagassawakeg—Indian for Place of Many Ghosts. In 1873, fire claimed more than 20 acres of the city, including 90 percent of the waterfront district. Fear of fire led to most of the downtown being rebuilt in brick. In those days, Belfast was a major shipbuilding center. The techniques that went into building great sailing ships helped create many of Belfast's wonderful Federal and Greek Revival houses. Two blocks of downtown buildings are listed in the National Historical Register. On Market Street, just around the corner from City Hall, is the local historical museum. Belfast's streets are spaced so as to allow as many views of the bay as possible. The Republican Journal, founded in 1829, is Maine's oldest newspaper. The Belfast Co-op Store provides participants affordable natural foods. Although open to all, members pay less; in general, they pay 25 percent over wholesale while non-members pay 50 percent. To join, you pay a one-time $25 fee and agree to work a bit. There are weekly specials available to members and non-members alike. Efforts are made to offer stock from Waldo County and Maine producers and to provide as much organic and additive-free food as possible. Call 207-338-2532. Turn right onto Main St. and you'll come to All about Games, Brambles, Yarns, Beyond the Sea, Uptown Jewely and Engraving, Out of the Woods, Clara Johnson Quilts, Dockside Restaurant, Purple Baboom, a Thai restaurant, the Lookout, Front Street Pottery, Belfast CC, Wanderbird Expedition Cruises, the Working Art Gallery, Trust Worthy Home Supply, The Chocolate Drop Candy Shoppe, Belfast Army Navy, Downtown Jewelry & Engraving, Arabus Gallery, The Upper Cut, Roots & Tendrils, Revival Salon, Scoops & Crepes, Rollie’s Bar and Grill, public parking, Alliance Gallery, Coyote Moon, Good Table, Awesome Diner, Coburn's Shoe Store, Green Store, Town & Country Real Estate, Traditional Acupuncture, Belfast Bay Inn, Molly Amber Gifts, Aarhus Gallery, The Upper Cut, Roots & Tendrils, Revival Salon, Scoops Creppes, . The Working Art Gallery shows work of regional artists. They’re a member of a group called Belfast Art Galleries; other members have been Art Alliance, Bay River Gallery, Belfast Framer & Gallery, Indigo Gallery, Jacobs Gallery, Parent Gallery, Shamrock, Thistle & Rose, and The Clown. Hungry for old-fashioned candies? You’ll find these downtown at The Chocolate Drop Candy Shoppe. Here you’ll find a huge selection of jelly beans as well as Haven’s Chocolates. How can the military organizations of the world be so culturally vulgar while sartorially cool? We don’t pretend to know the answer, but we do know that if you’re into military garb, you’ll like the stuff at the Belfast Army Navy Store. Owner Ronald Mullen says that at least 60 percent of his stock is military surplus--compared to less than 10 percent in many other so-called Army surplus stores. The emphasis is on authentic international military surplus, both new and used, at very reasonable prices. Also in the main business district, in the Downtown Jewelry & Engraving Shop you will find fine jewelry as well as several brands of watches and repair service. Also estate jewelry, giftware, Zippo lighters, Italian bracelets, Hot Diamonds, engravables and engraving service. A family-owned and operated hometown store since 1959. Call 207-338-2663 or 1-877-338-0700. Look for paper artworks by Belfast’s Robinsunne Postcard at Coyote Moon downtown. The Good Table, whose mission it is to outfit the gourmet chefs among us, has a wonderful assortment of cookbooks. A venerable Belfast institution, the AWESOME DINER is carrying on a tradition of feeding hungry people that goes back more than 80 years. This latest rendition is celebrated locally for its breakfast eggs, which it will fix any way you like. At this time besides breakfast and lunch, it is serving dinner on Friday and Saturday nights. New to town is the Belfast Bicycles, owned by Mike McDonald, a recent transplant. He has a good mix of really affordable and truly top quality bikes. Lots of people doing relatively minor things to make the world a more livable place could finally make a big difference. This is the philosophy behind the Green Store, which sells environmentally safe, energy-efficient products at affordable prices. Casting itself as a general store for the 21st century, the Green Store stocks a wide variety of environmentally benign products, including recycled papers, energy efficient lighting, organic clothing, chem-free lawn-care products, environmental test kits, and energy sipping appliances. On Main Street, check out Colburn’s, which is said to be the nation’s oldest, continuously-run shoe store. Folks have been outfitting their feet here since 1832. Besides being a historical curiosity, Colburn’s sells quality shoes at outlet prices. Down towards the waterfront look fosr Off the Beaten Path Gallery and Belfast Bakeshop and Deli. Down on the waterfront, look for Harbor Chic, Three Tides Brewery, Purple Baboon, and the Ship to Shore Store. For a memorable experience, check out the Institute of Advanced Thinking on Salmond Street in Belfast. Open daily year round, the Institute features outdoor sculpture shows, indoor art shows, festivals and readings. Admission is free. The Institute is the brainchild of the late Bern Porter, who has been variously described as a "maverick publisher, rebel physicist, master of found art," and "The da Vinci of the Atomic Age." Downtown, there is a nice Salvation Army store. Turning right back onto High Street, there is a pizza place on corner, Hawkeye Computer Repair, Darby's, Belfast Soup & Sandwich, High Street Studio and Gallery, Phoenex Gallery, Colonial Theater, Harbor View House of 1807, Audubon Expeditions, and the Belfast Center. Darby’s, 105 High Street, has been the site of a restaurant/pub since 1865. If you kept going straight on Main Street, you'd pass the Parent Gallery, Naturopath, the Galerie Dufour, Chase's Daily, the Old Professor's Bookshop, Maine Farmland Trust Gallery, the Fertile Mind Book Store, Baywrap, Weaver's Bakery, Yo Mamma's Home, Speaking Roses, John's Handmade, Bangor Savngs Bank, Hobbledchoy Toys, Realty of Maine, Shades and Lamps and Old Stuff, and Suntan City in the Belfast Plaza. At GALERIE DUFOUR, photographer Charles Laurier Dufour brings new meaning to Natural Beauty with his stunning photos of both Nature and Nudes. Tastefully presented, his photos are something not to be missed. Located at 94 Main Street in Belfast . Call 207-338-6448. At the Old Professor's Bookshop, George Siscoe has a nice selection of scholarly books, new, used, and rare. Yo Mamma’s Home at 96 Main Street in Belfast has cool stuff for you and your home. It's a unique Retro Style gift and home décor store that is as diverse as it is colorful. Look for the bright Yellow Awning with the Yo Mamma’s sign. Down on the waterfront, look for Off the Beaten Path Gallery, Belfast Bakeshop & Deli, Harbor Chic, Three Tides Brewery, and Ship to Shore Store. On the other side of Route 1, you'll see Reny's Plaza, near which are Damariscotta Bank & Trust, Bangor Savings Bank, Good Will, a Pizza Hut, a Mr. Paperback, Bell the Cat Cafe, and Olympia Sports Attire. BELFAST TO BUCKSPORT BACK ON ROUTE ONE, it is 17 miles from Belfast to Bucksport. There are no fast food restaurants along this stretch and no all-night gas stations.Just across the bridge spanning the Passagassawakea River, look for Castle Homes, Bridal Boutique, Cornerstone Baptist Church, Sun Services, Inc., Ciao Bella, Heavenly Bean Bags, Flora Creations and Gifts, Cherished Home Gift Shop, J&L Trading Post, the Book Lover's Attic, East Side Garage, J.A. Black Printers, Perry's Nut House, Jamie's Miniatures, Bennett's Gems & Jewelry, and Waldo County Insurance. The Book Lover’s Attic has several specialties, including children’s books, maritime, military, music, and modern first editions. There are roadside attractions and ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS!!! PERRY'S NUT HOUSE on Route One in Belfast is definitely the latter. Since 1927, Perry's has been entertaining visitors with its fascinating museum-quality displays of stuffed animals, unique selection of fresh roasted nuts, silly practical jokes and comic t-shirts. Perry's is also famous for its fabulous fudge of many flavors. There is fun for all at Perry's Nut House. BENNETT’S GEMS & JEWELRY offers an interesting and varied assortment of gemstones, minerals, and fossils. Open year round, Bennett’s is the place to find affordable gemstone jewelry from Maine and the world. Here you’ll find Maine’s largest assortment of polished stones. There is always a good selection of Maine tourmaline appealingly priced. You can spot the place by the pink dinosaur out front. Owner Kim Dunn is both knowledgeable and friendly. Nearby is a turnoff to Young's Lobster Pound. Back on Route One, look for Lupine Cottage,Amore, the Belfast Harbor Inn, Amore, Jerry's True Value Hardware, Th' Barn, the Wentworth Event Center, Aerus, Tire Warehouse, Seng Thai Restaurant, PC Medix, Ocean's Edge Restaurant, a Comfort Inn, Maine Coast Welcome Center, Scoops East, Fuky Junk Maine Coast Cafe, Mainely Pottery, and Funky Junk Art, Ming’s Restaurant, Moorings Oceanfront Camping, Bay Area Fitness, Gull Motel, Papa J’s Lobster Bar, the Colonial Gables, Seascape Motel, Tec Wind Products, Wonderview Cottages on the Ocean, Admiral's Ocean Inn, GRK Real Estate Company, Searsport Auto, Searsport Agway, Used Books, Searsport Veterinary Hospital, Oceanside Chiapractic, Moose Point State Park, Frazee's Furniture, Crosspatch Farms, Searsport Shores Camping, Watchtide by the Sea, Remarkable Realty of Maine, Penobscot Books, Cranberry Hollow, Inn Britannia B&B, Old Glory Antiques, Gaul's Antiques, Pumpkin Patch Antiques, Clothing Outlet, a Chamber of Commerce Information Center, Nahme Fine Art Gallery, Public Boat Access, Rollie's, Bangor Savings Bank, Captain Shorty's, Searsport Laundry Center, Sundog Solar Store, Tozier's Market. You can see the work of more than 20 Maine potters at Mainely Pottery. Included is stoneware, porcelain, earthernware and raku. Some of the work is quite expensive; much of it is priced quite modestly. Out front, there is a table of seconds at reduced prices. At the adjacent studio, you can see the work of master potters in progress. At FUNKY JUNK ART, Judy Judkins (who says her name should be "junkins") turns discarded floatsum and jetsum into fascinating objects of art. She just hates to see anything go to waste and is awfully good at showing why most things shouldn't. She'll teach you her secrets at a reasonable price. Penobscot Books has a really fine selection of books pertaining to architecture and the fine arts as well as a good general assortment. Howard LaRue, a retired minister, collected books for many years before going into the business. For Howard, itâs a labor of love. Prices are reasonable. Call 207-548-6490. For sports fans, Rollie's Bar and Grill has a couple of dozen large, flat-screen TVs. There is no camping at Moose Point State Park, but it’s a good place for picnicking or hiking along Penobscot Bay. The views from here are spectacular. Searsport's greatest days lie behind her. Between 1770 and 1920, Searsport was an important shiping town, launching more than 3,000 vessels. In the 19th century, she was home to 286 ship captains, evidence of which can be found at the Penobscot Marine Museum. Look for a turnoff to Cathy's Collectibles, the turnoff to Poppy's Weiner Wagon and the Town Dock. POPPY'S WEINER WAGON has great prices—like eight dollar lobster rolls and five dollar crabmeat rolls. The cold drink machine delivers liquid refreshment for a buck, a price we hadn't seen in quite some time. There are grills nearby for people who want to do their own cooking. A road to the right goes down to a nice park by the ocean and the Sea Captain's Inn. Mosman’s Park is a pretty spot overlooking Penobscot Bay with picnic facilities and playground equipment. A road to the left goes to the Hidden Gardens and the Searsport Pines Golf Course. The Searsport Pines Golf Course is the decade-old dream of Bert Whitten. It took root in his mind in the late eighties when he was a professor at Michigan Technological University. Heir to a 300-acre family homestead, he was aware of stats indicating that Waldo County golfers had fewer places to play than golfers anywhere else in Maine. What he has created is a pretty 9-hole, par 35 course cut out of a century-old pine forest. The layout has watered fairways, and most of the tees and greens are elevated. Water comes into play on five holes. In one of the ponds is a foot-long goldfish. Daily greens fees are just $15 for nine holes and $20 for eighteen. The Hidden Gardens are, well, hidden and a little hard to find, but if you’re into lovingly pampered flora, they’re worth the trek. You head north out of Searsport for six or seven miles, following the occasional signs. Just when you think you’re hopelessly lost, you’re there. You’re welcome to browse to your heart’s content through the huge variety of both perennials and biennials. Back on Main Street look for Captain Tinkham's Emporium, Left Bank Books, Coastal Coffee House, The Brick House Restaurant, Frame by Frame, the Penobscot Marine Museum Store, the Penobscot Marine Museum, Camp, Cottage, and Castle Antiques, Pieces, Cromin and Murphy, the Grasshopper Shop, Capehouse Coffee & Tea, Shiloh's Gallery, Angela Austin Hair Styles, United Methodist Church, and Full Gospel Church. Captain Tinkham’s Emporium is the place to shop for beautiful, old tools and other items of inerest. Also you'll want to visit the Penobscot Marine Museum Store. THE BRICK HOUSE RESTAURANT is acquiring a reputation for great fried clams. There is live entertainment. The newest Grasshopper Shop, located on Searsport’s Main Street, stocks women’s clothes, housewares, gifts, cards and all the rest of the neat stuff that’s made the other Grasshopper Shops so popular. At the Penobscot Marine Museum, you can see one of the country’s finest collections of marine paintings and artifacts. Located on Rte 1 in Searsport, collections and special exhibitions are housed in eight historic structures, including the newly renovated Capt. Jeremiah Merithew House (1816). Here you’ll find a new permanent exhibition, "Working the Bay: Ports and People of Penobscot Bay". The Merithew House also contains the museum’s collection of 25 marine paintings by James and Thomas Buttersworth. Open Memorial Day thru Oct. 15. During your visit, you’ll want to check out the Stephen Phillips Memorial Library and Museum Store. Call 207-548-2529 for more information. Leaving downtown Searsport, look for the United Methodist Church, Searsport Full Gospel Church, Hamilton's Seine Loft, By the Bay, Bouchard Insurance, Carriage House Inn, The Homeport Inn, The Mermaid, A.V. Nickles Inn, Searsport Self Storage, Searsport Antique Mall, Hamilton Marine, Treasures & Trash Barn, Dunkin Donuts, Blimpie Sub & Salad, Chester Fried, BlueJacket Ship Crafters, Fillmore's Wash Tub, Yardarm Motel, Birgfeld's Bike Shop, Searsport Flea Market, The Rhumb Line Restaurant, Silkweeds, Irving, Angler's Restaurant, Bait's Motel, Cook's Crossing, Waldo County Craft Co-op, Searsport Motor Company, Safe Harbor Church, Bowditch Cemetery, Downeast Auctions & Antiques, Custom Spiral Stairs, Colleen's Touch of Country Gift & Craft Shop, Griffin's Antiques, Hobby Horse Antiques Flea Market, Primose Farm Antiques, Greg's Auto Sales, Red Kettle Antiques, RC's Auto-Marine Upholstery, O'Donovan & Dole Wooden Boat Works, Stoney Knoll, inc., Baxter Cook House and Building Movers, The Rug Rat., old cemeteries, and Just Barb's Restaurant,. Searsport is antiquing heaven. In a five-mile stretch, there are no fewer than 15 dealers. The Searsport Antique Mall is a major group shop. There are also three regular summertime flea markets. Hamilton Marine is the largest discount ship’s chandler north of Boston. It’s a good source for much traditional, hard-to-find hardware and gear. Searsport is a Mecca for serious modelers of historic ships. It is the home of BLUEJACKET SHIPCRAFTERS, manufacturers of the world's finest ship model kits. In terms of accuracy, attention to detail, and quality of materials and instructions, no other ship model kits are comparable. The company is the oldest modeling company in the US, founded in 1905 as the official ship modeler to the US Navy. BlueJacket's models are found in museums worldwide, with over 70 in the Smithsonian alone. In their showroom at Lighthouse Place on Rte. 1, you'll find the largest selection of ship models anywhere, with over 100 models on display and available for sale. Also in the gallery are nautical gifts, ship model fittings, tools, books and supplies.  If you wish, they'll build a custom finished model, do restorations, build cases, and everything else to do with ship models. Open year around. Call 1-800-448-5567, email info@bluejacketinc.com . In busiess for over a quarter-century, SILKWEEDS has expanded to become a major gift emporium—three two-story buildings providing 7,000 square feet of floor space. Things you’ll find include wreaths, jams & jellies, braided rugs, Maine-made Castine Candles, silk flowers, country/ primitive home decor and much more. Try Silkweed's famous homemade fudge. This is mid-coast Maine’s largest gift emporium where "it's always worth the trip." Call 1-800-711-1136. COOK'S CROSSING, a small restaurant, gift shop, and mini-railroad museum, is housed the original Bangor & Aroostic Railroad station circa 1905. In 1999, the station was fully restored and opened to the public for the first time in 63 years. Great place to experience a piece of Maine’s rich railroad heritage while eating a delicious lobster roll. Call 207/548-2005. The Waldo County Crafts Co-op features the work of over 25 Maine crafters. The Safe Harbor Church on Route One is home ot nine stained glass windows by the noted glass designer Louise Comfort Tiffany. This is one of only ten buildings in the country with all-Tiffany windows, which depict both religious and pastoral tableaux. At A Touch of Country, you’ll meet Colleen York, who says she has been preparing jams and jellies for the last 50 years. She still makes all her own, keeping overhead low, allowing her to charge less than other shops. "I have customers who have been coming back for 25 years," she boasts. Baxter Cook of BAXTER COOK HOUSE AND BUILDING MOVERS says he is equipped to move just about anything. He uses something called a unified hydraulic jacking machine that can lift the haviest load with amazing ease. Baxter is a member International Association of Structural Movers Call 207/548-2994. Sarah Nickerson uses hooked rugs as the medium for her folk art. Creating the rugs from wool scraps and burlap bags, she treats them as canvasses to describe many incidents in her life, such things as former residences and stages of her children’s growth. She shows them at her shop, THE RUG RAT, on Rte 1 in Searsport. The setting is humble, but her work has been attracting some major collectors. Her prices — $70 per square foot — are well below most comparable creations. There are three old cemeteries along this stretch and a scenic overlook providing a view of the Penobscot River. If you take the right fork at Just Barb’s Restaurant, you’ll head into Stockton Springs, a sleepy little town by-passed by most visitors. Here is one of the safest harbors on the Maine coast.Look for Wyman's General Store, Safe Harbor Massage, Community Library / Historical Society, Stockton Springs Municipal Offices, Purple Fleece, Fort Point Light, and the Book Barn. At Cape Jellison, Fort Pownall (1759) once defended upper Penobscot Bay. Now you can see the pyramid-shaped bell tower of Fort Point Light. For recreationists, Sears Island is something of a well-kept secret. It’s a great spot for hikers, swimmers, and picnickers. Parts of the island are a state wildlife sanctuary. There is an access road near the Searsport-Stockton Springs line. If you stay on Rte 1, you'll come to Just Barb's Restaurant, and Wyman's Seafoods, JUST BARB'S RESTAURANT has a nightly $7.99 all-you-can-eat fish fry featuring freshly caught haddock. The people here say nobody has challenged their claim that they serve the best clams on the Maine coast. Look for the Junction of 1A, which will take you to Winterport and Bangor. Staying on Rte One in Stockton Springs, watch for The Good Kettle, Maine Marine Service, Mid-Coast Self Storage, Russel Marine, Central Maine Satellite, Red's Automotive, Mark's Garage, Rocky Ridge Motel, Sandy Point Congregational Church. How do you please the locals, summer people, and tourists all at the same time? The folks at THE GOOD KETTLE have found a way. They combine simple, good, home-style cooking with high-quality ingredients to provide nutritious, wholesome, delicious food. Home-grown produce is combined with wines, Maine brews, and cheeses from all over the world. On hand are Maine-made ice cream, baked goods, entrees, soups, and cheesecake. The folks here pack picnics for daytrippers (call ahead, 207/567-2035). All of this is pretty much guaranteed to please the pickiest palates of any and all. The folks at RUSSELL'S MARINE are happy to help new sailors. If you're a novice, they know you have many questions. Well, consider them your boating answer source. They'll answer your questions in a low pressure, friendly way. They can help you select the right sailboat for the type of sailing you're envisioning. To them, you're not a one-time potential buyer. Instead, you're a fellow sailor and a potential lifelong customer. They want you to return again and again because you were treated so well with each and every interaction. CENTRAL MAINE SATELLITE, which shares office space with Russell's Marine, brings fun back into TV viewing. Watch for the sign to Fern Hill Fine Art. A short drive up Meadow Road brings you to William H. Landmesser’s studio. Highly original, his oils and watercolors are for those who have grown weary of mainstream art aimed at tourists. "I don’t do lighthouses," he points out. Back on Rte One, look for a turnoff to Sandy Point Beach. There is a real boardwalk leading down to Sandy Point Beach. Asha Fenn of asha fenn Pottery, Art & Writing Studio insists that Sandy Point Beach is a highly magical place. Back on Rte One, look for the asha fenn Pottery, Art & Writing Studio and Perry's. Perry’s is known far and wide for its crabmeat sandwiches, a full half-pound of meat for under $10. (This place is said to have the lowest gas prices in the territory.) Next on Rte One comes an old cemetery, a scenic outlook, the Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory, Fort Knox, and the Waldo-Hancock Suspension Bridge leading onto Verona Island. At 420 feet, the Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory is the world's tallest. For five bucks (three for kids) you can shoot to the top in Maine's speediest elevator. (It travels at 500 feet per minute. Do the math. It'll get you there in less than a minute.) Once there, you'll be treated to one of the world's grandest views. This is one of the best deals you'll find Downeast. Your five dollarss gets you free parking and a tour of Fort Knox in addition to your trip u the tower. Construction on Fort Knox began in 1844 and continued for 20 years. The project never was completed. As has always been the case with military projects, cost over-runs ran rampant. It was manned, but never attacked, during the Civil War and the Spanish-American War. Today, it is a great place for kids to play; there are underground stairways, brick archways, and other ramparts of master stone masons. In an inspired marriage of art and architecture in the 1950s, Macbeth was staged here for two summers. Twice yearly, the 20th Maine Company B Civil War Re-enactment Regiment stages authentic Civil War-era exercises; visitors can see how infantrymen of the period lived. Daily tours of the facility are conducted at 1 p.m. Admission: adults, $2; children, 50 cents; children under 5 free. It's a good idea to bring a flashlight. Once you cross the Waldo-Hancock suspension bridge, you’re on Verona Island. It was here that in 1905 Adm. Robert E. Peary had built the Roosevelt, the vessel he used as a base for his successful dog-sled dash to the North Pole. On Verona Island, you'll find the Island Pool & Spa, a picnic area, American Country Antiques, the Unique Rock Shop, Newcomb Auto Body, an acupuncturist, Maine RV Rental, Fort View Variety, Wo's Wicked Fine Barbecue, JD's Island Market, Island Automotive, Life's Treasures, Seabreeze Restaurant, Kravings Restaurant and Pub, and a public boat access. The UNIQUE ROCK SHOP stocks all sorts of rocks, minerals, semi-precious stones, fossils,and what-nots. This is among the most interesting shops on the Maine Coast.   Luxurious Motorhomes and Travel Trailers from MAINE RV RENTAL are a convenient and economical alternative to airfare, hotel rooms, and rental cars. A family-owned business, Maine RV Rental can be counted upon to go the extra mile to ensure your vacation will be a great success. You can have an RV gassed up and ready to go upon your arrival at Bangor International Airport or a Maine regional campground. Meticulously maintained coaches are fully-equipped with a grills, microwaves, TV/DVDs, AC outlets and generators. Forgetful? You're covered with complimentary linens and towels, cookware, dishes and utensils, flashlights, lawn chairs, and, of course, marshmallow sticks. Call 207-469-6230 today to learn how your family can be teated to a fantastic vacation adventure. At WO'S WICKED FINE BBQ, you'll experience Wo's award-winning fresh garlic and chipotle pepper sauces which he makes and bottles at his nearby home. This is a family-run business that takes great pride in everything it does. If you turn left into Bucksport, you'll come upon a public fishing pier, waterfront walk, and the Bucksport Marina, Ming’s Garden, Bob Hoffmann Real Estate & Insurance, H&R Block, NAPA Auto Parts, Radio Shack, the Chamber of Commerce Information Center, the Bucksport Depot Museum, Bayside Party & Gifts, Classic Cuts, Commnity Pharmacy of Bucksport, Talk 'n' Shop, Maine Bytes, Sun Kissed Tanning Salon, Stranz Hair Salon, Blind Faith Tattoos, Camden National Bank, Bangor Savings Bank, MacLeod’s Restaurant, Fort Knox Park Inn, Rosen's Department Store, Bookstacks, Sheehan's Florists, Alamo Theatre, Bittersweet Gifts, Bittersweet Bake Shop, Waterfront Day Spa, Community Pharmacy, Dairy Port, Studio 83, ATA Martial Arts, Katchall Auction Downeast, Leon's Auto Repair, Sawyer's Auto Sales, the Vineyard, the Bucksport House of Pizza, KRT Appliances, Blind Faith Tattoes, martial arts, and the Verso paper mill, and Vance’s Tropical Fish and Exotic Pet Shop. In downtown Bucksport, the Chamber of Commerce operates a small information center. The Bucksport Depot Museum, housed in an old railroad depot, has artifacts dating back to the days when Bucksport was a seafaring settlement. Admission is free, although donations are accepted. Near here, Bucksport has developed its waterfront with benches providing nice views of Fort Knox and the bridge. Much work has been completed on Bucksport’s waterfront, including a new marina. Among the treasures found at the BITTERSWEET GIFT SHOP are Maine-made items and home decor. This shop’s original tin walls and ceilings make it a one-of-a-kind original. Operating in the back of the Bittersweet Gift Shop is the BITTERSWEET BAKE SHOP, where Marie Chiofolo specializes in homemade pastries, cookies, special occasion cakes. This is the home of Max's Jumbo Muffins. Richard Rosen of Rosen’s is carrying on a family tradition that goes back for a century. Great clothing and footwear and sensible prices and situated on Bucksport’s beautiful waterfront. Also on Main St., check out the floral displays at Sheehan's. These guys have won awards for their designs. Also downtown, there’s a theater that just won’t quit. Built in 1916, the Alamo was a popular movie house for 40 years before entering in a period of considerable TV-induced degradation. It was, at times, an A&P, a health clinic, a bar, and a video store. By 1992, things had become grim; the structure faced foreclosure. This was when Northeast Historic Film—a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving films of the Northeast—came riding onto the scene. Acquiring the place for a headquarters, this group began a struggle to replace the original 600-seat auditorium with a more intimate 120-seater. A major part of the project includes climate-controlled storage vaults for three-million-plus feet of irreplaceable historic film. NHF intends to be the country’s premier regional moving image archives. Open at present is the Theatre Store, which stocks Hollywood films relating to Northern New England and unusual movie-related gifts and toys. Heading north out of town, the Silver Lake Road leads to the William Pond Lodge. IT IS 18 miles from Bucksport to Ellsworth. Leaving Bucksport, you’ll see Wilson's Express Tire & Lube, a Hannaford Super Market, Buck Monument, Bucksport Barber Shop, the Bucksport Motor Inn, Wanning Tree Service, a Dunkin’ Donuts, Curves, a dollar store, a video shop a McDonald’s, Landmark Properties and Ocean Edge Realty, Two River Realty, Vancil Vision Care, Spring Fountain Motel, Tozier's Bar and Grill, Homemade Pies, Jerry's True Value Hardware, a Rite Aide Pharmacy, a Subway, a State Liquor Store, the Shady Oaks Campground, EBS Building Supplies. . Buck Monument has the outline of a foot and leg said to be the result of a curse put upon Col. Buck by a woman he had executed for witchcraft. Just before departing this world, she promised to dance on his grave. Don’t try to convince locals she hasn't made good. Stop by and say Hi to Eddie and Val, owners of the BUCKSPORT MOTOR INN, a great place to hang your hat. Close to downtown Bucksport and the riverfront, these are about the cleanest, nicely appointed accommodations around. Wireless Internet, cable TV, and microwaves as well as refrigerators, coffee makers, and air conditioning are in all rooms. Pets are also welcomed in selected rooms. Call 207-469-3111 Bucksport Hardware and Jerry’s True Value Hardware in Belfast are two of the best-stocked and most organized stores of their kind in the Coastal Downeast area. Everything from A to Z in hardware and home and camping supplies as well as Equipment rentals and a large garden center make both stores a one stop shopping destination. A left onto Rte 46 will take you to the Carrier's Mainely Lobster, Masthead Family Campground, Cosby's Takeout, the Triple Strike Sports Center, Kindred Spirits Kennel, Bucksport Heritage Park: Razoni Stone, Waterworld II, Union River Boat Co., We Store Inc., the Bucksport Golf Course and, eventually, to Holden. Back on Rte 1, a right onto Rte 175 will take you to the Shady Oakes Campground, the Orland Historical Society Museum, the Orland House B&B, Orland Pottery Studio Gallery, and Dennnett's Wharf in Castine. The Orland Historical Society operates a small museum with military uniforms, a mineral collection, and local memorabilia on Main Street (Route 175). Open daily 2 to 4 p.m. July and August. The Orland River was once call the Narranassic—Indian for "Hard to Find." Back on Rte One, you'll see the Penobscot Bay Yacht Exchange. THE PENOBSCOT BAY YACHT EXCHANGE provides a full range of Marine Services including sales, service, boat rentals, repairs, towing, salvage, and shrink wrapping. We represent TowBoatUS in Maine. We have towboats ready to respond in Portland, Boothbay, Rockland, Castine and Southwest Harbor. Each boat serves a 50 mile radius from it's home port. This ensures maximized coverage along the coast of Maine. Further on the road to your left leads down to the Alamoosook Lakeside Inn. Back on Rte One, watch for HOME Co-op, C&G Growers, Pelican Seafood, Acadia Highway Dollhouse Treasures, Freshwater Stone and Brick Work, Outback Towing and Outback Auto Sales, the Love Barn & Flea Market, Soper's Market, On Rte One in Orland is H.O.M.E. (Homemakers Organized for More Employment), an organization that assists local people in many ways. If you’re just visiting this area, you might want to check out H.O.M.E.’s marketstand with fresh produce, craft museum, thrift shop, and gift shop featuring work of Maine artisans. There are facilities for pottery, woodworking, weaving, leather, and a greenhouse. During the summer there is a non-stop flea market. In August, H.O.M.E. holds a country and crafts fair. At one recent book sale, you could buy a whole bag of books for a buck. Call 207-469-7961. At ACADIA HIGHWAY DOLLHOUSE TREASURES, Mary Soper stocks a wide variety of dollhouses, miniatures, and tiny furnitures. . Look for OUTBACKTOWING AND AUTO SERVICE. The people here like to say that this is the place "where great auto things happen." They're located at 589 Acadia Highway, US Rte 1 in Orland. Call 207-469-3733 In Orland, the Love Barn & Flea Market sells neat used stuff from 15 mini-barns. On hand also is a well-run lunch wagon. Open weekends. Rte 15 leads down to Deer Isle past the Wild Blueberry Patch Gift Shop. Just a bit off the beaten path on Route 15 is the Wild Blueberry Patch Gift Shop. Combined here are edible blueberries and gifts with a blueberry motif. It is operated by the Allen family, which has been in the blueberry biz for five generations. Check out their giant wind turbine, the ecologically friendly way they freeze blueberries. On Route One, watch for the turnoff left to Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery. Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery in East Orland was established in 1871 and is the nation’s oldest salmon hatchery. It is situated on the shore of Alamoosook Lake on a road that isn’t marked very well, but it is well worth visiting. There is a Visitors’ Center with aquaria, a picnic area, and boat-launching ramp, all free of charge. Each year, Craig Brook produces upwards of half a million young Atlantic salmon for Maine’s restoration programs. We visited the hatchery on a lovely July day and had the place all to ourselves. At the hatchery housed in an old ice house is Maine’s first-ever Atlantic salmon museum. On display are intricately-tied flies of master artisans, century-old flyrods , assorted reels, gaffs, tailers, and other artifacts and memorabilia. Back on Route One, there is a boat launch, Duffy's Restaurant, WERU Community Radio, Whispering Pines Campground, the Pine Shore Motel and Toddy Lakeside Cabins, B.C. Burke's Fine Jewelry, Orland Antique Mall, Great Pond Mountain Wildlands, and the Horsing Around Flea Market. DUFFY'S, a small but good restaurant, has new owners. They've introduced a terrific all--you-can-eat breakfast buffet for just $7.99. They're open daily for breakfast and lunch, and on weekends for dinner. If you feel like you're ODing on Limbaugh, switch over to WERU at FM 89.9. Amy Goodman and Jim Hightower are good juxtapositions to the far right chatter that makes up most of talk radio. WERU is a community, listener-sponsored, ad-free station providing a nice balance of good music and public service (and most always politically correct) broadcasting, now makes its home on Route 1. B. C. Burke’s Fine Jewelry on Rte 1 in East Orland offers diamonds and other natural gemstone jewelry as well as the region’s largest selection of Tourmaline — all at very reasonable prices. Most of the jewelry is created on the premises. Sizing of any purchase is free. Also here is the East Orland Antique Mall, a multi-dealer shop with estate jewelry, over 2000 pieces of costume jewelry, books, doll houses and doll house furniture., Wade figurines, and a wide variety of antiques and collectibles—all at prices even other antique dealers find irresistible. Call 207-469-1000. This trek continues in Chapter Ellsworth Area. Questions or comments? Send them along to Captain D. RETURN HOME