Sunday, August 4, 2013

Cabbage Island Lobster and Clam Bake

When we contacted our friends that we were coming to Maine, and figured out when we would get there, which is the hardest part. Kathy email back a link to see if we wanted to take a boat over to Cabbage Island and go to a Lobster and Clam Bake.  It sounded like a real Maine experience, so of course we said yes.  We drove to Boothbay Harbor to catch our boat.


Our friends used to have a boat and they docked their boat here. David told us this is a little touristy but not like Bar Harbor, and it is still a real fishing harbor.


Our boat was the Bennie Jean.


The island is about a 25 minute ride, but on the way over, the Captain gave us an hour tour of the bay.




We saw a lighthouse. This is the Burnt Island Light in Boothbay Harbor.


We saw lots of sailboats, sea birds, but no puffins, and lobster buoys.



This is a lobster buoy.  Each fisherman has a license for a certain number of lobsters.  They have to be between 3 1/2 inches to 4 1/2 inches to keep.  Traps need to be checked every 3 to 4 days. Each fisherman has his own color or design buoy.


Landing at Cabbage Island.  Cabbage Island has been the home of a tradition clambake since 1956, and our host were the Moore family, who treated us to a "Downeast " tradition. 


The original Downeast Clambake is cooked in seaweed, steamed from top to bottom, covered with tarpaulin and rocks in order to capture the flavor of the sweet Maine lobster and clams. The meal included fish chowder, two lobsters, clams, corn on the cob, baked potato, onion and a hard boiled egg.  Dessert was blueberry cake. Delicious.


Lobsters covered in seaweed.


Our meal before we got started.


Our lobsters


and clams.


One of the houses on the island, used in rainy weather, has restrooms and a gift shop.  Mrs. Moore who is 92 and from Dallas, Texas, walked around in her walker and greeted every guest.  Then she worked the gift shop. Her two sons over saw the cooking and also greeted every guest. Wonderful hospitality.


The other side of the island.


On the way home, we saw this beautiful church,
Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Boothbay Harbor.



Back to Boothbay Harbor.



This was the icing on the cake for Bob and I.  Our last day with friends, who were fabulous guides to their beautiful state.

No comments:

Post a Comment