Maine is a beautiful state. I spent some time in Rockland and I will always cherish my memories of that time.
They have the public boat docks in Rockland, and there's a great bar/restaurant out on the wharf! It's also where they have Lobster Fest, which is delicious.
If I have time, I'll go spend a weekend - just up the road, at the Samoset (spelling?) resort. I go there and make an ass out of myself by playing golf.
When you leave the public boat landing, there's a bar right straight across the road - and it hardly has any tourists in it! It's usually just burly fishermen/lobster boat workers. It's pretty awesome!
If you go down Rt. 1, there used to be a prison on your left, in Thomaston. I've broken into the quarry across the road, but that was an acid-fueled adventure.
But, I'm nowhere near the coast. I'm way up in NW Maine. I'm outside of Rangeley, if you want to look it up on a map. It's beautiful! I much prefer it to the coast, though I'm pretty fond of LL Bean and the outlet stores in Freeport.
What were you in Rockland for, if you don't mind me asking? How long were you there? Did you ever make it to Lobster Fest? If not, it's delicious!
I lived in Rockland for about a year and Portland for 2 years. I don't know if it's the same one, but we would go to an old quarry near Rockland and go swimming. My friends would jump in but I was never able to work up the courage, it was quite a drop from the top. Lobster Fest was great, nothing like fresh lobster, lobster rolls, lobster bisque, etc. I'll try to find them, but I also have some great pictures from the top of Mt Megunticook. Maine will always hold a special place in my heart.
Headed south on Rt. 1, out of Rockland, the quarry is on the right. I have a couple of quarries that are much closer, including one in Jay and one in Hallowell. Most of them are closed to public access, lawfully. I can understand why, as it'd be a bitch to get insurance for them for public use.
I love Maine. I have a graduate degree in math and a few bucks because I sold my business. I can live pretty much anywhere. There are very few countries who won't give me a permanent resident visa and most offer me a quick path to citizenship. I pick Maine. There's literally no other place on the planet that I'd rather live.
Most of my life was spent in a very urban environment and now I live in the complete opposite. For the most part, I even avoid the coastal areas of Maine, just 'cause there's too many people and too much traffic.
As far as coastal areas go, Rockland is nice. It's nice when there aren't that many tourists and I get to hang out with the local people.
For anyone reading this, here's a trick...
Go to Rockland. Go to the bar that I mentioned - you can't miss it. It's got a fisherman in yellow garb on the sign. Go inside and wait quietly. Listen to the people. Find a person who works on a lobster boat. Buy them a drink and ask about lobstering. Go out back and smoke a joint with them.
Congratulations, you're in!
Now, ask 'em about 'boat price.' They'll pipe up that you can just come down to the wharf and get your lobster there - and pay wholesale prices. (This is called 'boat price' in their lingo, usually.) They'll tell you where, when, and maybe even offer to show you where the wharf is.
Another good spot to score lobster at boat price is on Bailey Island. There, just go to the bait shop and ask questions - but don't appear to be a tourist. Be legitimately nice and interested - and you can probably even go out on a lobster boat, but they'll expect you to do a little work and it's pretty hard work.
It's wise to have at least two boat price lobster providers! You can have a whole giant lobster feast and spend a trivial amount compared to what you'd spend in a store, even in a Maine store where lobster is comparatively cheap!
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