Life on the coast of Maine

 

 

 

"For many who live in Maine, life does not just go slow, it has stopped all together"

 

 

As I have grown older, I often think back on experiences I have been blessed to have had in my life.  Over the years, I have said to many young people "if you want a 'sea bag' full of experiences, join the Navy." Many of my more memorable and interesting experiences happened while serving in the Navy. Many of those experiences I would not trade for anything.

 

After "baking" in the tropics on Okinawa for eighteen months, I received orders to report to Winter Harbor, Maine for my next tour of duty. When I told people I was going to Winter Harbor, the question usually was, "Where the Sam Hill is that?" Actually, the base itself was not in Winter Harbor - Winter Harbor was a small coastal town just outside the base. The base was located in Acadia National Park, right on the rocky coast. In the months I lived in the barracks, I would go to sleep hearing the Atlantic waves crash against the rocky shore. It was wonderful.

 

About halfway through my tour, the command authorized sailors in my pay grade to live off base to reduce crowding in the barracks. It was hard to give up living in such a pristine location, but one could find very good housing at ridiculously cheap prices not far from the operations site. I put in a request, it was approved, and soon I moved off base with another sailor.

 

We found a place outside a very small town called Steuben. It was a hundred year old, six bedroom house sitting on fourteen acres of land. Total rent - $85/month. It belonged to a professor who taught at a college in Utah. He was thrilled someone finally rented it. It needed repair and paint, and we offered to supply the labor to bring it up to code. We fixed up the kitchen, painted every room, replaced siding and then painted the exterior. In exchange, the owner gave us six months free rent and set up an account for supplies at the local store. The trade worked out wonderful for everyone.

 

 

 

My friend Terry and his roommate found a place in a nearby town called Goldsborough. It was another big house with lots of land and very cheap rent. After living on an island with lots of social unrest and turmoil during my first tour, it was nice to be able to live somewhere that offered a variety of outdoor activities to do in my off time. We hiked, camped, picked berries, hung out with the "locals" and ate lots of lobster. Since most of the people we lived by were lobstermen, lobster was always plentiful and cheap.

 

The State of Maine in the early 1970's had a very low population - under a million for a large state. The vast majority of the population lived in the southern part of the state. Where the base was located in the northern part of the state, there was lots and lots of land and very few people. In the summer time, the population would increase due to people with summer homes. However in the off season, the northern part of the state was like a ghost town. Life was simple, it was cheap, and looking back in retrospect, it was very, very good.

 

People have asked me over the years what life was like living on the coast of Maine. My response always was the same - it is the North Shore of Minnesota on steroids. Maine is located on the mouth of the Bay of Fundy. That area of the Atlantic is noted for some of the largest tidal changes in the world. The result - big waves pounding massive rocks on the shoreline. In addition, the ocean was teaming with marine life. I saw whales, seals and a wide variety of birds. On shore, we shared our rented land with many bears, countless deer and an occasion Moose. If you love nature, Maine is a great place to live.

 

All I have remaining of my time in Maine is memories - many, many fine memories. Without the Navy, that experience would have never happened for me. I am grateful to the Navy, I am grateful for this experience. Some day, I would like to take my wife there to visit. As with most things, the place, and the time, will not be the same. Only my memories remain unchanged, and my desire to share them.