Leg 62 from Fish House cove south, around Arey neck and up to the head of Arey Cove.

Often, in October, deer hunters station themselves at stategic points along the shore in anticipation of a deer, being 'run' by a companion, crashing out of the woods into their sights. They don't often welcome me as, at those expectant moments, I come stumbling around the bend.

If I'd come during a big tide (with a corresponding extra low) I'd have been able to make it out to Greer (actually Green) Island. As it was I might have made it. The water was about a foot and a half deep, cold though.

I passed a house my dad built around the time I was in the service. It's an unusual house, designed by the artitect owner, flat roof, no conventional framing, unusual materials. He enjoyed it though. It's settled very nicely into its surroundings which is, I'm sure, what the owner had in mind. He and his wife still summer there and have settled equally well into the fabric of this community.

I'm moving, for the first time since I began in '09' into the settlement that is Vinalhaven and walking along the shore may now and then intrude on someone's privacy. I'll try to keep that in mind. I've photographed, but not exhibited here, every dwelling that's been visible from the shore. I'll stop doing that as I get nearer the village.

On the shore I found the remains of, I'm told by a learned aquaintance, a Minke Whale.

Next leg, 63, from Arey Cove to Narrows Island or thereabouts.

Leg 61, south from Smith harbor, around Barley Hill and Calderwood Point and into Fish House Cove.

This was a comparatively easy walk as have been the last two, lots of big flat rocks or boulders, very little mud, plenty of barnacles to cement each foot hold and lots of opportunity to enjoy the extraordinary beauty that is the east side and all that lies beyond it. Today was perfect, quite windy out of the north northwest and thus plenty of sea pounding the ledges all around me, cool temperatures so no matter how I pushed I didn't overheat and bright sunshine illuminating everything around me and brimstone, Saddleback Light and Islle a Haut beyond.

It had everything too, bold ledges being pounded relentlessly and a tiny secluded white sand beach in the lee.

The fresh water run off through this little clam flat eroded all but certain elements within the mud but only in this center trickle, not in those on either side. These more sturdy fragments stood erect amidst the little wash like soldiers on parade.

A boathouse foundation?




Next Leg (62) toward and round Arey Neck.

Leg 60 from midway down the east side of Coombs neck south, around Brown's and Stoddard islands and to the head of Smith Harbor. This was certainly as beautiful if not more so as any vista I've encountered so far. I sat and leaned against a boulder and gzed out at Isle A haut, twice in fact, an unheard of respite.

The rock contined to amaze me, as they have all along this eastern shore of Coombs Neck. Stunning volcanic formation are everywhere.

As the waves rolled in and receded they exposed this cluster of kelp that, at first glance, and even the second and third, seemed like a flock of seabirds bobbing up from bottom feeding.

Not to be outdone by Kirk's scat photos I took one of my own.

That's my pocket knife there in this enormous footprint. I left it in the photo so the viewer might better appreciate the size of who or whatever made it.

Browns and Stoddards islands are georgous little environments, the latter Vinalhaven's easternmost low tide extensions.

next Leg (61) headed for State Beach.

Leg 60