After a too long absence, we were able to go back to Boothbay Harbor in Maine this spring (May, 2022). Our absence was due to the COVID pandemic. In 2020 no one from out-of-state was allowed in, and in 2021 we hadn’t yet gotten our vaccines. But this year the stars aligned for us and we were ready to head back.
Much was the same as it had been 3 years ago, but of course there were also changes. We again stayed at Topside Inn. One big change at the inn is that the former guest room #1 is now 'Bar One'. This seems to have been a successful change; at the end of the day many guests got themselves a glass of wine or a cocktail and relaxed either in Bar One or outside on the lawn.
The breakfasts were still top-notch. Along with our old favorites were a couple new selections. Here is a composite picture of the fruit, yogurt, and granola (available every day) plus the entrees.
Another new addition is a chicken coop so they can get very fresh eggs for the inn guests. The hens just arrived and were too small to be in the coop, but their ‘Taj MaHen’ was ready.
The signature scene from the waterside in Boothbay Harbor, with the bright red shed, is basically unchanged.
That shed isn't the only bright red building on the water; the whale watch tickets booth is also in that attention-drawing color.
Looking back to the downtown from the head of the harbor, one can see Topside Inn on the highest point in the city. According to the USGS topographical map, the land there is 75 feet above sea level. That towering elevation is half that of our home back in Massachusetts. The inn is 500 feet from water’s edge; our house is a bit over 9 miles to the closest seashore, yet only double the elevation (at 150 feet above sea level).
In the above photo you can see some sailing masts on the left. These belong to a couple of sailboats that are at Boothbay Harbor Shipyard.
One of the ships being repaired is the Ernestina-Morrissey. According to the sign, this is the official vessel of Massachusetts and was launched in 1894. The repairs are scheduled to be done this year (2022), after which the Ernestina-Morrissey will sail back to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. The Academy is about 13 miles, as the crow flies, from our house and is alongside the west entrance of the Cape Cod Canal.
Just down the road from the shipyard is a cute little house. We know it is little because it says so. Note the stilts holding the house up.
We ate most of our meals, other than breakfast, either in the car or back in our room at the inn. Eventide, from which we have bought bread and olive oil before, now makes an excellent salad (sorry, no photo). We tried a new pizza place, Ports Pizzeria; it looks very good but it was just okay. We also got Thai food (red curry and green curry) a couple of evenings from Best Thai in Damariscotta; we were able to park near the town boat ramp and enjoy a quiet meal with a nice view of the Damariscotta River.
Although it was closed, the Downeast Ice Cream Factory has a very fun sign.
This page will conclude with the classic vacation picture, the one that Matt tends to send out, showing his bare feet above a beach and the water beyond. Except this was early May in Maine. So you get boots above rocks.
Updated June 2022