andipantz

My first day consisted of some grocery shopping (complete with Maine Blueberry Jam), a hike around Jordan Pond, a little drive off the beaten path where I discovered some enormous houses, and an amazing dinner at a French Bistro in Bar Harbor.

I never had the chance to explore the ponds during my last visit to Acadia so visiting them was a top priority on this trip.  The ponds were developed during the glacial period.  They supply drinking water to the communities on Mt. Desert Island so no swimming is allowed.  I’ve never seen such clean, clear water in a body of water in my entire life.  It was so clear that it looked like there was no water there.  Apparently visibility ranges from 45-60 feet.  I decided to take the Jordan Pond Shore Trail, a 3.3 mile moderate hike around Jordan Pond.  The walk around the pond exceeded my expectations.  There were so many micro-ecosystems along the route.

A boardwalk hovered above one side of the pond to prevent damage to the ecosystem.

Twisty, rooty trees lined the path…

Wildflowers emerging from little crevices…

The area was dense with new life that was bursting out everywhere…

Sundew (my favorite carnivorous plant!)…

There were a couple of these little bog areas that were hidden in little inlets of the pond….

The sky was the most amazing shade of blue and provided for some interesting reflections on the water…

The awesome rocks that lined the shore with a view of the North and South Bubbles in the background (yeah those two that look like breasts)…