This year after my husband retired, we bought an old RV camper and took to the hills with our cameras to see the beauty of our wonderful United States close up. A two-week trip to Massachusetts and Maine yielded thousands of pictures of birds, old friendships being renewed, and several different camping experiences. Our favorite by far was our time camping by the sea at Searsport Shores Oceanfront Camping in Maine. We were lucky to snag a reservation when someone had to cancel and we got the prettiest spot in the campground for 4 nights!

From the moment we drove in we noticed a difference when the other campers all waved to us, or said hello as we passed. This friendly atttitude comes from the top down, with owners Steve and Astrig who built the place themselves twenty years ago, and remain engaged with their extended family who tend to be repeat campers.

Although kayaks are available on the premises, we had our own along and were able to keep them near the water so we could get out every morning and paddle with the loons. This quiet time before the world woke up, with a loon, (or two or three) swimming alongside, softly yodeling, was the highlight of the entire trip!

Each summer Searsport Shores invites a different artist in residence each week to stay on the premises and to teach campers their craft or art such as watercolor, pottery, or felting with wool, the craft which was offered while we were visiting. At least a handful of campers including children take advantage each morning of using their creativity to make something beautiful with the guidance of the artist. I thoroughly enjoyed making a pillow with a felted loon to take home as a keep sake of our wonderful vacation. As an added bonus, the artists often perform music around the campfire in the evenings!

On Saturday night, we took advantage of the weekly Lobster Bake which Searsport Shores offers in the pavilion near the water. What an awesome experience it was, to see how the seafood was steamed in seaweed over a fire, and to be able to meet new people from other places while having our feast! Astrig shared bounty from her productive garden and her wonderful baked goods for appetizers, rolls, and dessert. Steve obtained the lobsters, mussels, and clams from his local sources, and set up the steaming grill. What an incredible feast! We ate till we were full, and the servers kept bringing more butter, clams, and mussels! I’ve never tasted such sweet, delicate seafood! Yum! A night to remember forever.

We have many more places to explore in our “new” RV, but Searsport Shores will be a place we will come back to in the future!

For more information on Searsport Shores Oceanfront Camping, see http://maineoceancamping.com/

Every fall they host the Fiber College of Maine. See www.fibercollege.org

See Birdingpictures.smugmug.com to purchase loon photos.