On Schoodic Peninsula (October 2016)
It's low tide at Schoodic Point. The golden light on this October afternoon warms the ledges of granite that cascade down into the sea. It's a calm day, but it's easy to imagine the danger of this rockbound coast to those who once used nothing but a paddle, oar, or sails to navigate wooden boats in these cold and often stormy waters.
The original Passamaquoddy tribe navigators here named this peninsula "Skute-Auke" (burned land), which later was transmogrified into English as "Schoodic." The tip of the peninsula, Schoodic Point, is now the only part of Acadia National Park that's not on an island. The Point is a very popular tourist attraction during "the season," but there are few tourists here now to see the windswept spruces stand serenely over the austere, but magnificent, landscape.
Nonetheless, there is danger within this beautiful serenity. This is where the tides continue their eternal war against the slanting, sharpened coast. Where careless tourists and their pets have slipped off wet stone or been drawn into the churning coldness and suffered a hideous death.
The seafarers who have lived in this area for centuries did not settle here. They always have sheltered in nearby natural havens. One of these once was called Indian Harbor, a White Man's reference to the original Passamaquoddy settlers who congregated in the harbor. In 1896, that name was changed to Corea (pronounced Korea). Why it was changed to Corea seems to be a matter of conjecture. One theory is that it was named in honor of Korea, which sometimes was spelled Corea in the 19th Century. (Maine also has a town called China.) Despite the mysterious name, there is no debate over the fact that Corea has a calendar-worthy harbor.
One notable aspect of Corea Harbor is the Lobster fishing gear, especially ropes, lying around everywhere. Some is arranged artfully, although most is stored in purely utilitarian form.
But the realistic art is in the water, where the graceful sweeping bows continually swing slowly into the changing winds.
Finally, we would be remiss if we did not pause a moment in another picturesque place with a Passamaquoddy name: Wonsqueak Harbor, which is between Schoodic Point and Corea. This shallow cove contains a unique bit of functional architecture that is best seen at low tide, when the little harbor's water virtually disappears.
That concludes the narrated part of our virtual tour. To view larger versions of these images and a few others, click on the link below. (We recommend that your first viewing be in full-frame mode, which you can achieve by clicking the Slideshow button [>] on the gallery to which the link will take you.) Here's that link:
https://leightons.smugmug.com/US-States/Maine/Out/2016-in-Maine/Schoodic-Point-and-Corea-Harbo/
Cheers,
Barbara and Dick