Coastal Maine flying report

[poeboy]

PoeGal & I are back from a week of vacation in Maine and were able to get a bit of flying in while there. We rented a 172 from Maine Senic Airways at Belfast (KBST) and flew over Bar Harbor (KBHB) airport, then made a loop around Mount Desert island. Sandy Reynolds is the head cheese at KBST and was really accomodating to work in a checkout for us on short notice - thanks, Sandy! We hoped to do more but were pushed for time, so had to go back early. Lots of personal jets at BHB - counted 16 on the ramp as we flew over! The airport at KBST is evolving - new runway, small but friendly FBO that is in an old building that was literally moved recently from another spot to its current location. Weather was clear and serene and the Maine coastline is really spectacular from the air. I can see why people like to vacation there - looking forward to going back some day.

BTW, KBST had the only rental planes along the Rte 1 coastal drive that we found. Bar Harbor and Rockland/Knox County (RKD) don't have any for rent, although we didn't try Wiscasset (KIWI).

-dpp

[cjensen]

sounds like a great vacation! the scenery has got to be beautiful up there! it's nice that you were able to rent something up there to check out the sites from above.

any pics?

[poeboy]

Sure do... will get a few selected ones posted in the next day or so.

-dpp

[poeboy]

After much demand (well, OK, 1 half-hearted request from Chad), here are some pictures from my recent flying trip along the coast of Maine:


This is the Rte 1 bridge across the Penobscot River near Verona/Bucksport. It is being replaced by a new suspension bridge just beside it that you can see under construction. According to the signs, the new bridge will have an observation deck at the top of one of the supporting piers.


This is Bar Harbor. You can see the breakwater in the foreground. About halfway up the picture is a second island with a sand bridge to it. The sand bridge is only exposed for about 4 hours at high tide and you can walk across to the island. Otherwise, it's completely submerged and the only island access is via boat.


Nice house, eh? Kinda like the poeboy mansion, except a little smaller As Ferris Bueller would say: "If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up".


This is the appropriately named "Sand Beach" on Mount Desert (where Bar Harbor is located). There's one other small sand beach at Seal Point, but all the other "beaches" are rocky.


Back at Belfast (BST). On final for runway 15 - looks like I'm high, doesn't it?

A fun place to fly - we didn't get as much time as we hoped, but enough to get a sense of things. Looking forward to going back someday.

-dpp

[cjensen]

half-hearted??? oh man, i just might take offense to that!

nice pics poe! my aunt and uncle are new englanders, and i always enjoy visiting that part of the country.

[captain_john]

...as we say out this way, it is a WICKED PISSAH place to live!



The coastline is magnificent and really makes it simple to navigate due to the uniqueness of the shoreline! Not to mention the fact that each area has it's own unique flavor.

Cool pics, Poe folks!

When are ya comin' back? Need to show you around Plymouth!

CJ