Blue Whales Go Caca?!?!

That is a squirrel track Daddy and that one is a rabbit, proudly exclaimed my four year old. I marveled at the speed at which he had mastered the basic principals of identifying animals through their tracks. Next, I asked him what direction he assumed the rabbit was traveling. Momentarily puzzled he dropped to all fours, resting his nose only inches from the rabbit track. Hmmmm, he pondered, I can see its toes. Great I said, what way are his toes pointing? This way, he excitedly exclaimed and dove headlong into an overgrown spruce thicket fit for neither man nor beast. Minutes passed slowly, as I wondered how his hunt was progressing. Suddenly from the undergrowth, came a low howl . . . DAAAAAADEEEEE! Yes, buddy is everything ok? DAAAADEEEE, I think I found sumpthin?!?!? What is it, I inquired, a rabbit? NO, was the giggled response. DAAAADDDDDEEEE come here I want to show you sumpthin!!

Crawling through snow on hands and knees with spruce needles entering every orifice of my body is not necessarily my idea of a good time but in the interest of child rearing sometimes you have to submit yourself to unthinkable acts in the interest of your child’s education. As I struggled through a particularly complex tangle of shrubbery, I mumbled a soft thank you to the heavens that at least I wasn’t still changing diapers.

Finally arriving beside the lil man I noted he was again on hands and knees examining something. Daddy what is that, he inquired, extending one tiny little tentative finger toward a dozen small round brown objects, littering the surface of the snowy ground. AHHH, I said you have found rabbit caca. “RABBITS GO CACA!?!?” . . . blurted my very perplexed but also extremely interested child. Yes, I said, but another more acceptable term is scat or droppings. “RABBITS GO CACA!??!” . . . came his reaction, this time with added gusto! Yes, I answered; all living things must excrete waste in one fashion or another from the tiniest bacteria to the largest Blue Whale. A look shot across his face, one part confusion and two parts horrified and the lil man belted out at the top of his lungs . . . BLUE WHALES GO CACA!?!

If you haven’t taken your child(ren) out on a snow covered day to look for animal tracks, you are missing out on some fantastic memories. A quick download from the Internet will provide you with all of the materials you need to start this simple and cost effective backyard adventure. If you encounter a track you are unsure of OR simply for documentation purposes (like how many different tracks can we find today, this winter or this year) having a digital camera on hand to record the tracks you find (and the fun) is an added benefit to the overall experience.

Ice Fishing For Perch

I have heard tell of an old home remedy for people suffering from the general malaise associated with a Maine winter. The ancient elixir consists of equal parts muscular torment drilling holes in the surface of an icy lake, a health dose of freezing your butt off and adrenaline laced rock ride when the flags are up and the fish are biting. If that doesn’t give you a swift kick in the rear and jump start your winter then nothing will.

At 55 acres we weren’t fishing what would actually be considered BIG waters but foot travel and deep snow has a way of making even small distances seem massive. As I crossed the frozen lake my exhalations created huge plumes of frozen vapor that circled my head and fogged my sunglasses. Each deep breath of the cold dry air the negative air slammed into the back of my throat causing me to break into a coughing fit. The deck thermometer had registered -10 F before the sun had awoken from its fitful slumber. Now, since rising and despite the intense solar rays the mercury still refused to budge.

With the annoyance level of a small child dragging their fingers down a chalkboard; each of my footsteps creaked nosily across the snow surface causing intermittent shivers up my spine. Peering through my ice encrusted Oakleys I could faintly see our destination, a small finger of land jutting out into the small pond. From many previous trips to this location I knew that an impressive yellow perch fishery lay just 14 inches below the ice.

The old Jiffy ice auger coughed, wheezed and finally sputtered to life like an asthmatic struggling for a strained last breath at a dust mite convention. Despite the bitching and complaining the old warhorse had drilled five impressive ten inch holes within minutes and rattled just about ever filling out of my skull.

As we spread out over the hard water drilling hole after hole our combined efforts left the lake surface the consistency of well aged Swiss cheese. With perch fishing it is all about location, location, location and we were searching for the prime real estate.

Well, it didn’t take long to get the yellow perch to start biting and even with several jig pole working overtime, our tempting minnow supply soon become depleted. Thus was the signal to pack-up the equipment and make the hike back to civilization. Returning back to the homestead I had fun trying out the 30 second perch filleting method and only managed to lose one finger in the process. Not to worry I reattached it myself using some duct tape.

Take Care!

Maine's Greatest Hits (#6 of 10)

Maine's Greatest Hits - Cabbage Island Boat Tour & Clambake
The Cabbage Island boat tour and clambake makes for a great family adventure that can be enjoyed by all ages. The capable crew and well equipped island facility allow access for handicapped individuals as well as those who may simply need a helping hand. Any trip to the island, is comprised of a mixed range of young and older people, locals, those “from away”, vacationing couples, families and small groups of friends.

During the approximately one hour trip out to Cabbage Island you will enjoy a scenic tour of Boothbay Harbor, Linekin Bay and the outer edges of the Gulf of Maine. As the Argo navigates through thousands of lobster buoys you will pass by picturesque islands with such names as Tumbler, Mouse, Squirrel, Fisherman and Negro.

Quick amateur shot opportunities exist for photographing Burnt and Ram Island Lighthouses, however, individuals wishing to seriously photograph these locations would be much happier taking one of the specialty “lighthouse” cruises. Below are two quick shots I managed to take from the boat tour.

Burnt Island Light – Built in 1821 on the West side of the entrance to Boothbay Harbor, this is one of the oldest lights on the East coast. About a mile from the harbor, its white stone tower frequently attracts pleasure boaters and kayakers.

Ram Island Light – Cylindrical brick 35 ft tower on a granite caisson foundation was constructed in 1883. It is often viewed by pleasure boats negotiating the Fisherman Island Passage.

Once you arrive on Cabbage island there are a variety of activities available that include fishing from the dock, horseshoes, volleyball or just relaxing in a lawn chairs. Others simply enjoy walking around the incredible 5 ½ acre homestead owned by the Moore family, who have been hosting traditional “Downeast” clambakes since 1956. Meals are cooked on a giant wood fired oven in which food is wrapped in seaweed and then steamed to capture all of the flavor an sweetness.

The succulent feast is comprised of an appetizer of rich buttery fish chowder followed by two luscious lobsters, tender white steamed clams and all the traditional fix-ins. For dessert, you will be served fresh blueberry cake with hot fresh coffee or ice tea.

For more information please see: Cabbage Island – Open June 21st through September 7th