No new lighthouses today, but we went for a stroll and found a good vantage point to get a better picture of one of the ones from yesterday. Then, despite cool temperatures and an increasing wind (but clearing skies), we paddled
out to the island that another one was on. I did a lap around it to get a good shot in the light of the setting sun, while Nancy pulled up on shore and headed to the light. When I got there after some rough waters on the outside, her boat was well up on the beach, and I put mine up there as well, a little higher than hers. Then I hustled off to join her. There was nobody on the island, the caretakers were away, and Nancy was peeking in the windows and reported that it was a nice place. I asked if she had checked to see if the lighthouse was locked, and she said that she had, and it was. Not that I didn't believe her, but I checked myself... and saw that it was a type of door latch that I was familiar with, and it wasn't installed properly, and putting into play some knowledge that I acquired in college, I had it open in fairly short order using improvised burglar tools. Up to the lantern room for a quick peek, and I even signed the register (Joe Cleversky, Island Pond, VT). Then we went back to the boats. We both know that the tides in Maine are tall, and tall tides move fast, but in the 20 minutes we were on the island, the water had come up enough that both of the boats were already adrift. Fortunately, some weeds and ropes slowed them down enough that I only had to go knee-deep to reach the far one with a paddle. Close call!