Daytrip to Owl's Head
Our August Daytrip was a quest to savor Maine’s most fleeting season. For many reasons, these sunny months are never long enough — regardless of how many sunset beach picnics, spontaneous ice cream cones, or swims in the nearest body of water we manage to seize. So, rather than letting the logistics restrain us from making the most of it, we set out for a day kayaking along the coastline, weaving in as many delicious stops as possible.
We woke up beneath a fog bank hanging over Portland last week on the day of our Daytrip. The forecast was bright and sunny, but the reality of the weather was much muggier. Undeterred, we loaded the boats and some gear. Before leaving Portland, we popped into Dutch’s and grabbed breakfast for the road. Cam decided a breakfast burrito would be manageable to eat while driving and I kept things traditional with a breakfast sandwich on a croissant. We both highly recommend making it a combo, which includes coffee and their insanely tasty hash brown fritters.
With coffee and breakfast in our system, we continued up the coast. Morse’s was a little detour from the most direct route to our destination, but took us on some beautiful farm roads to get there, which is always worth it. While they don’t make sandwiches to order, we found some picnic boxes with ingredients to assemble our own Ruebens in their fridge, so we snagged one each along with chips and a drink. Back on the road, we approached Beth’s Farm Market and couldn’t pass without a peck of fresh peaches. Stone fruit surely sums up the sweetness of summer days. I had to resist grabbing lots one of everything from Beth’s — like honey, smoked bacon, and more. We love Maine farm stands and all the freshness they share with us!
Almost to Penobscot Bay, we realized we had forgotten some essential kayaking equipment (namely paddles and life jackets)… Too far to turn back, we pulled up a quick google search to see if there were any outfitters on our way to our destination. We gave Maine Sport Outfitters a call and found out that they sure do have rentals — boats, bikes, and all the necessary accessories. They set aside our equipment so it was ready for us when we swung through Rockland. They made the transaction seamless and we were especially grateful because without them we would have been stuck onshore!
Finally, with picnic lunches and paddles in tow, we parked at Crescent Beach in Owl’s Head to offload the kayaks. It took a few trips to bring all of our gear down to the beach, but wasn’t long before we set off! The fog had partially lifted and, while still cloudy, the air was feeling nice and warm. At this point, I was thinking I wouldn’t swim, but just as I launched my boat in the water, a wave swamped me… I guess the ocean had other plans!
A tradeoff for blue skies was a calmer ocean. Lulling ripples lapped beneath us as we paddled our way up to Monroe Island. Just off of Owl’s Head, this island is owned by the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, and offers dense mossy forests, a grassy meadow, and dramatic rocky cliffs overlooking Penobscot Bay. We landed on the beach at the south end of the island and, having warmed up from the paddle over, decided to take a swim before I changed my mind. The water felt incredible — refreshing, but not too chilly at all. Rarely do I ever regret a swim!
I threw the dry bag with the picnic lunch over my shoulder and we headed clockwise around the island. As always when we find ourselves on offshore islands, we’re so grateful for the work of non profits and organizations that conserve our coastline and make it accessible to the public. Lush with ferns, moss, and evergreens, we admired the various ecosystems that call this island home as we trekked across the island to lunch rocks. Aptly named, we made our way down to the cliffy western shore and pulled out our picnic.
Morse’s sure thought ahead when they separated the saucy ingredients from the dry. We added the thousand island dressing and sauerkraut to our pastrami and Swiss on rye, then dug in. While I don’t typically go for Reubens, I was immediately made aware why they’re so popular after my first bite. A nice tang rom the sauerkraut, saltiness from the smoked meats, and a sweetness in the sauce made this one heck of a sandwich. With a crunch from some chips, we washed it all down with some birch beer for an ideal island picnic.
We hopped on the trail back up after lunch and wandered through the stunted pines to the north, where we were greeted with views of Owls Head Light House and the Camden Hills. As if it were a painting, the fog lifted and a sailboat cruised through the channel. We picked up our pace and blitzed back to our boats, as we had a special dinner reservation waiting for us on the mainland. The tide had gone out substantially from our arrival, giving great views of the shallow waters below on the paddle back! We opted for one more swim when we hit shore before changing out of our adventure apparel. Eager for our highly anticipated evening, we swung through Maine Sport Outfitters to drop off the rentals before our final destination of the day.
Cam and I had dined at Nina June once before. It was a celebratory meal after the launch of an edition of Maine the Way. We remember the meal fondly — including the oysters, the ambiance, the fresh pasta… We have recommend this spot to any friend passing through the area ever since, so, while we were in the neighborhood, we knew we had to visit again! Our table was waiting for us on the back terrace overlooking the Rockport harbor. Surrounded by beautiful flower pots filled with eggplants and hibiscus flowers alike, it was clear how intentional each detail was. After briefly laboring over the menu, we decided to try their prix fixe for the evening. Cam and I eat everything, so we were thrilled with the opportunity to try the chef’s seasonal selections.
We put our cocktail orders in — a Negroni for me and a spin on a daiquiri for Cam — and marveled at the fog bank rolling in and out of the harbor. The first dish to arrive was a pair of oysters served with a sumac mignonette. I typically add a spritz of lemon to my mollusk, but was delighted with the complexity and uniqueness the chef had brought to an often familiar flavor. Up next, we enjoyed a savory watermelon salad with feta and a kick of aleppo pepper. A surprising highlight was the tomato leaf ravioli stuffed with basil ricotta, surrounded by fresh tomato sauce. This bright dish nice balanced acidity and creaminess. For our mains, we tried one of each offered that evening. Cam raved about the pork steak on a bed of seasoned chickpeas, covered in zucchini fritters. My halibut was deliciously flaky and bursting with flavor from the shallot yogurt, charred cherry tomatoes, and saffron couscous! Unsurprisingly, the dessert was the real show stopper. Their rendition of peaches and cream was served with a rye oat crust. Not too sweet and perfectly salty, we slowly spooned our way through the final dish of the evening. Everything that was served to us came with such intention and connection to our surroundings here in Maine, showcasing the seasonality and local food systems we’re so proud of here.
Our favorite days are ones that include a big adventure followed by an amazing meal and we surely accomplished that for August’s Daytrip out to Monroe Island. Finishing the day at Nina June was the ultimate treat. We were again reminded how special it is to live in Maine, a state with so many means of adventure and even more delicious food. Thanks for joining us as we set out to savor what was left of summer. Hope you have been enjoying this season, wherever you are. Until next time!