A Day On Monhegan Island, Maine

When back in the United States, it's nice to soak up some iconic areas of the country. Time to head North to Maine and hop to an island.

First, the ferry.

Chatting and worrying.

Enjoying the land and sea. And good company.

Runaway towel. Captive lobster, lunch in 10 minutes.

Post lunch, time to feed seagulls the shells.

Colors of summer.

On Monhegan, buildings take a back seat to preserving the natural.

Dock Jumping On Monhegan Island

Everybody into the pool! There's a great tradition on Monhegan. When a family member or friend departs the island, the rest of the clan heads down to the dock to see him or her off. A simple kiss or casual wave won't do. You need to don your bathing suit, perch on the dock edge and, once the ferry clears, throw yourself in. An emotional goodbye of diving madness.

Lining up.

Sizing up the distance to the water. The ferry is clear, time to leap!

Like bison over a cliff, they keep going.

Hitting the water.

A happy diver.

Living On Monhegan Island

Despite its funky style, architecturally Monhegan leans classic New England cedar shake. When it comes to housing, traditions seem to endure.

Cedar shake, bunting and a view, ingredients for a long-term style.

An Ivy league pedigree and a library. On closer inspection, a strange collection of dated pulp paperbacks. How does Auschwitz become just another subject within the pile of Hitchcock books?

The view. Lawn, flowers and the Atlantic beyond.

House details: china cabinet, wood staircase and a collection of blue glass in a kitchen.

You haven't completed your decorating if lobster buoys aren't present.

Let's Eat On Monhegan Island

Time to see the seafood on Monhegan and the place has a couple of good spots, whether you're eating out or in.

First stop, a marooned food truck called Hot Fat. Mmmm, let the name attract, not repel you. Bring it.

Beer and a simple menu, easy options.

Ordering and waiting.

Fish sandwich, fish tacos and some chicken for the land lubber, all good. Next stop: buying fish to take home. The ladies line up.

The men show their catch.

The Mighty Lobster At The Monhegan Quadricentennial Parade

James went to Monhegan to visit a friend and his family and to check out the big parade.  It turns out, the family brought their parade game and aced the thing with a champion lobster float/interactive/free-for-all exhibition.

The Big Red One. Wait'll you see it move.

Portrait of a lobster holder.

The details were superb, right down to the rubber bands around the claws. Who was impressed? How about the honorable Maine Senator, Susan Collins.

Line up, get that lobster moving! (All those multicolored strips are water)

And move it did, beyond a regular march into some sort of jiggling dance mayhem. Rock lobster, rock!

Post parade family photo. Fun!

The Monhegan Island Quadricentennial Parade

Four hundred years is a looong time in America and certainly worthy of a blow out parade. Monhegan recently marked the anniversary with its take on the tradition and a little sprinkling of the homemade, arts vibe that defines the small island. Let's get started.

The retro and the future, parading along.

Captain John Smith? He's the reason for the parade. Nothing happens in Maine without lobster references.

Some firemen participated, others witnessed.

Arts were definitely featured: painting and music.

The area for speechmaking, all ready to go.

Hopping The Ferry To Monhegan Island

The only way to get to Monhegan is by ferry or private boat. And for good reasons: it's too far for any sort of bridge and the island doesn't accept vehicles. Grab a boat and a seat and enjoy the hour-plus ride.

Loading up. Don't forget your bag!

Waiting in style.

The ferries have classic names. The ride below.

Approaching Monhegan.

The rocky coastline and the rocking locals, waiting to pick up their supplies, wearing their politics on their trucks.

In addition to people, the ferries bring cargo, food and other supplies for the island.

Baggage lined up for the trip back to the mainland.