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Author Topic: Camden Maine  (Read 7414 times)

koolk2

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Camden Maine
« on: January 13, 2009, 08:40:52 pm »

We will be staying in Camden ME in late July.  I have David Middleton's book "Photographers Guide to the Maine Coast" and have some good ideas of places to photograph.  My wife & son would like to go on a Puffin tour. Are the tours from Port Clyde worthwhile?  How close does the boat get to the puffins.  What lens is recommended for shooting from the boat.  I have a 300 f4 and can rent something longer like a 80-400mm or 200-400mm.

We  plan on several day trip sailing tours and attending the Lobster Fest. We will also spend a night at Pemaquid Pt for both a sunset & sunrise.  Anything else not to miss on this part of the Maine coast?  Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken
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walter.sk

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Camden Maine
« Reply #1 on: January 13, 2009, 08:51:13 pm »

Quote from: koolk2
We will be staying in Camden ME in late July.  I have David Middleton's book "Photographers Guide to the Maine Coast" and have some good ideas of places to photograph.  My wife & son would like to go on a Puffin tour. Are the tours from Port Clyde worthwhile?  How close does the boat get to the puffins.  What lens is recommended for shooting from the boat.  I have a 300 f4 and can rent something longer like a 80-400mm or 200-400mm.

We  plan on several day trip sailing tours and attending the Lobster Fest. We will also spend a night at Pemaquid Pt for both a sunset & sunrise.  Anything else not to miss on this part of the Maine coast?  Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken

Just around the tip of the peninsula at Port Clyde is the Marshall Point Lighthouse, amid a gorgeous view.  Also not terribly far from there is the Owls Head Lighthouse, also in a beautiful setting.  There is also the annual antique airshow at the OwlsHead transportation museum, usually at the end of July.  And if you go north along US1 you will come to the Bucksport Bridge, a striking new design, with the very old bridge it replaced, next to it.  There is an elevator in the new bridge that takes you up to the top and you can photograph the bridge and surrounding area from an interesting angle.  Don't miss Boothbay Harbor, and the new Botanical Gardens there.
« Last Edit: January 13, 2009, 08:53:09 pm by walter.sk »
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dwood

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Camden Maine
« Reply #2 on: January 13, 2009, 10:06:23 pm »

Quote from: koolk2
We will be staying in Camden ME in late July.  I have David Middleton's book "Photographers Guide to the Maine Coast" and have some good ideas of places to photograph.  My wife & son would like to go on a Puffin tour. Are the tours from Port Clyde worthwhile?  How close does the boat get to the puffins.  What lens is recommended for shooting from the boat.  I have a 300 f4 and can rent something longer like a 80-400mm or 200-400mm.

We  plan on several day trip sailing tours and attending the Lobster Fest. We will also spend a night at Pemaquid Pt for both a sunset & sunrise.  Anything else not to miss on this part of the Maine coast?  Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken

Hi Ken,

I live in Maine...just outside of Portland. I've never done the Puffin tour thing so I can't speak to that. To be honest, you'd be hard pressed NOT to find subjects to shoot anywhere you went on the coast. The midcoast area (Camden) is a good place to stay as it allows great day trip opportunities up or down the coast without terribly long travel times. Sailing day trips out of Camden Harbor is a great idea and will provide superb shooting opportunities.

However, if you have the time, and an available car, I would *strongly* suggest heading a bit downeast to MDI (Mount Desert Island). There you'll find Acadia National Park and as a photographer, you won't want to leave. Acadia is truly special and if possible, you and your family should not miss it.

Enjoy your trip.
-Doug

Michael Edwards

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Camden Maine
« Reply #3 on: January 27, 2009, 09:56:20 pm »

Quote from: koolk2
We will be staying in Camden ME in late July.  I have David Middleton's book "Photographers Guide to the Maine Coast" and have some good ideas of places to photograph.  My wife & son would like to go on a Puffin tour. Are the tours from Port Clyde worthwhile?  How close does the boat get to the puffins.  What lens is recommended for shooting from the boat.  I have a 300 f4 and can rent something longer like a 80-400mm or 200-400mm.

We  plan on several day trip sailing tours and attending the Lobster Fest. We will also spend a night at Pemaquid Pt for both a sunset & sunrise.  Anything else not to miss on this part of the Maine coast?  Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Ken


HI, Cool K, from a new member.
I have shot several times along the Maine coast, as recently as last July.
My wife and I consider the place a pilgrimage now.
A few thoughts:
Re puffins: I understand that the tours are a bit long.  The main fact is, that the seas still are a bit rough out toward the islands, even in July. The longer lenses are going to be a real issue to stabilize on the boat.  Pemaquid Point is a wonderful place, but there is only one place to stay anywhere near, and the site is about as isolated as you can imagin. Not that that is bad, but you just need to be aware. The access is steep (I should know, I injured my MCL in my right knee there going down o the rocks.  Also, the place is COVERED with people on the weekend, especially in the afternoon, and unless you plan to clone like crazy, better to try it early AM during the week.
Now, for suggestions:
1) If you don't visit Acadia, you are crazy.  Pain and simple, a gorgeous place. Take the road north 20 miles, and visit the branch of Acadia on the Schoodic peninsula.  Private, not as dearly "loved" and solitude is the name of the game.  If you have time, take one of he "carriage trails" in a guided cart.  They will stop where you want, you miss the traffic, since the Rockefeller carriage roads are out of sight of cars, and some views you see, you can't reach by car, or by hike, unless you know where you are going.
Camden is great, and beautiful.  There is a nice state park about 1000 feet up hill, for great views.
I will look at a few shots, and get some more for you...

 
Regards,
Michael
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koolk2

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« Reply #4 on: January 28, 2009, 08:20:40 am »

Walter, Doug, and Michael,

Thanks for your reply's to my question.  Two years ago we did the Arcadia trip.  We plan on going back this year. As for Pemaquid Pt we are staying at the Pemaquid Inn which is 100 yards from the lighthouse. I'm not worried about crowds.  I'm still trying to get additional info on the puffin tours.


Ken
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mshea

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« Reply #5 on: January 28, 2009, 08:38:45 pm »

Hello Ken,

Monhegan Island is also interesting. I won't bother to describe it here, but I'm sure you can find loads of information by Googling it. You can get there by boat from either Port Clyde or Boothbay Harbor. And there's a nice little beach on the east side of Port Clyde that's great if you can combine a low tide with sunrise or sunset, and hopefully a few clouds.

Also, consider the large peninsula that's just to the west of Mount Desert Island. There are a number of delightful small towns there: Castine, Blue Hill, Brooklin, and especially Stonington, at the peninsula's lower tip. And there's a beautiful little Nature Conservancy site, called Barred Island, that's on the western side, just north of Stonington. Try to go there at low tide. Also, there's a marvelous view of the whole peninsula and Penobscot Bay from a high point along Rt. 175 (I think!).

Do you own the Delorme book map of Maine? If not, get it!

Merrill
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Ken Bennett

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Camden Maine
« Reply #6 on: January 28, 2009, 08:52:18 pm »

Ken,

Re: Puffins. We did the tour of Machias Seal Island a couple of summers ago. You take a fishing boat to the island, transfer to a small dinghy, and spend about an hour in blinds on the island. We were *surrounded* by thousands of puffins, murres, etc. We took the tour from Norton Tours in Jonesport, ME, which is a couple of hours north of Camden along the coast.

If you are a birder, or a bird photographer, the tour is well worth it. If all you want to do is see a couple of puffins, then you might consider it excessive -- it's a full day, it's expensive, and you have to be on the boat before dawn. We loved every single minute of it. We're birders, not bird photographers, so all I had was a G-7 (see attached photo.) Awesome. I wished for my real cameras.

Again, not sure this will work for you, but there it is.

--Ken

[attachment=11224:2007trip_k_0769.jpg]
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david loble

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« Reply #7 on: February 12, 2009, 07:13:07 pm »

Ken
Just want to suggest that you add to the itinerary Timothy Whelan's photography book store in Rockport. You will not be disappointed. His inventory and knowledge are both deep. As of last September he did not have a website.
David
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dwood

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« Reply #8 on: February 12, 2009, 07:20:29 pm »

Quote from: david loble
Ken
Just want to suggest that you add to the itinerary Timothy Whelan's photography book store in Rockport. You will not be disappointed. His inventory and knowledge are both deep. As of last September he did not have a website.
David

David - didn't even know about this. I'll have to find this place the next time I'm in the area. Thanks

koolk2

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« Reply #9 on: February 16, 2009, 11:06:01 am »

David,

Thanks for the reminder. Tim's bookstore was already on my list. It's recommended in David Middleton's book. After further recommendations from other websites we will not be going on the cruise to Easter Egg Rock. The ship only circles the island a couple of times and does not get close enough for my needs. We are already planning a future trip to "Down East Maine" and I'll do the Machias Seal Island trip then.

Thanks to all for your recommendations.

Ken
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