The harbor cruise, guided by a ranger from the National Park, sailed around the many small islands surrounding Mt. Dessert Island. From the boat, it was possible to see a variety of wildlife, including cormorants, seals, and bald eagles. Alex joined in on the animal-spotting fun. For the starboard side of the ship, he claimed to have spotted an elephant eating a banana. It was a notable sighting.
Wild elephants are quite rare in Maine, at least in the late summer.
Alex also spotted a killer whale in a Bar Harbor gift shop. Whale is now one of Alex's nightly sleeping companions. In another Bar Harbor gift shop, Alex picked up a rubber sea gull for one dollar. That sea gull was bouncing off the walls, the ceiling, and his parents' faces. The rubber gull would also play a pivotal role later in the trip, during a visit to Plymouth Rock .