After flying through and over a line of heavy storms, heralding Hurricane Arthur,  we landed at the Portland airport last night.   And this morning we visited the Portland Head Lighthouse. (Click on any photo to see more detail.)

 

We got there early in the morning before the rain started.  But there was misty fog out in the harbor.

Also located on the grounds of  Fort Williams, aside from the beautiful lighthouse, was the remains of the Goddard mansion, built in 1858 by Mr. Goddard who made his money in logging,  it was purchased by the Army and housed married officers in 1896.

 

It must have been an amazing house in its day.

We also spent a lot of time just looking out at the ocean…

 

…as we drover up the coast and stopped for lunch at the Lobster Shack.

 

Then we headed to Bar Harbor to watch the 4th of July fireworks.  We sat for almost two hours in heavier and heavier rain, along with a few thousand of our closest (and wettest) friends.  Just when we thought we couldn’t sit in the increasingly cold and heavy rain the fireworks started.  They were amazing, it was worth the wait.  There’s something about being with so many people, faces raised to the sky, drops of rain falling on our cheeks, to make you appreciate the fact we live where we do.  The fireworks seemed close enough to touch.   The children in the crowd clapped and cheered.  So did many adults.  We forgot we were soaked to the skin.

Day one in Maine has been magic.