The final leg of our journey took us to Matinicus Island, a secluded spot where lobster fishing is still a mainstay of life. At its peak in 1870, the island's population was 276. In July and August, renters up the number to about 90. But it's hardly a tourist mecca. In July and August, there's a biweekly farmers' market.
Telephone service is via microwave tower, which now and again goes out.
That was fine with us. We took long walks along muscular shores, collecting rocks and shards of blue bottle glass. At South Sandy Beach and Cato Cove, we watched lobstermen appear from the fog banks and disappear into them once again. They were so close we could see each sculpted feather. The sturdy ducks landed in the water with a quiet, satisfying splash.