Brown Family Vacation 2012

Brown Family Vacation 2012

We arrived home this week from a great adventure full of lifetime memories! Darlene, Austin and I traveled to Boston, rented a Suburban and drove 5 hours up the east coast through Massachusetts, New Hampshire and up Highway 1 through Maine to Mt. Desert Island Maine. 

Approximately 12 years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Rich and Barb Dickson on a 10' Avon dinghy at Chicago Yacht Club.  We were riding out to the sailing vessel Astra to meet our mutual friend Mike Mayer.  While Rich and I had not met we became fast friends as watch partners on the Chicago Mackinac Yacht Race.  A few years later we spent a few weeks sailing the Mediterranean and Adriatic Seas on Richs cruising sailboat Chimera.  After Darlene and I married in 2004 we visited with Rich and Barb in Chicago and became better friends at the 2006 Verve Cup Yacht Race.  

A few years back Rich and Barb purchased some land on Mt Desert Island in Northern Maine and built their amazing retirement home Broad Reach.  Below is a narrative and pix of our first of what we hope to be many visits to see Rich and Barb at Broad Reach on Somes Sound Maine! 

I hope you enjoy! 

http://www.acadiamagic.com/somes-sound-photos.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Desert_Island

Beehive Hike in Acadia National Park

We took a fantastic hike up the Beehive trail in the Acadia National Park! So cool, amazing view!
Here are some pix we took, I stole from other sites and a cool clip from YouTube I found!

View up Beehive from Sand Beach Parking Lot

Rich and Austin above Sand Beach after the Beehive Hike!

Broad Reach- Mt. Desert Maine

Rich and Barbs home is near Broad Cove on Somes Sound.  Their compound is called Broad Reach which is a point of sail or wind direction that is one of the fastest and most enjoyable points of sail.  Some pix below of Broad Reach.  There are two guest houses-1 above the carriage house and one below the main house near the dock.  Both guesthouses have forest and water views and are wonderfully appointed for comfort and relaxation!

Out and About Mt. Desert Island Maine

Out and about on Mt. Desert Island Maine and surrounding islands!Darlene at Little Cranberry Island

Lobsters at Richs in Bass Harbor

View across Bass Harbor 

The Famous Hinckley Yacht Facility in Southwest Harbor-where Chimera and many other beautiful and famous yachts were built! 

The Barbara Anne! 

Cruising into Southwest Harbor for a lovely Dinner at Red Sun

Lobsterman Austin

Rich and Barbs neighbor is a 'gentleman lobsterman' who has 5 traps near his waterfront home.  He took Austin and the kids of Rich and Barbs nephew out to catch some lobbys! What an experience for Austin to pull up the traps and bring the catch! 

A few random shots- 

1. Our lunch on Islesford on Little Cranberry Island Maine- quaint little village for a lobster roll, a beer and a some shopping for the girls. 

#2- Rebecca- 140' Ketch moored in Somes Sound- AMAZING yacht, google her if you have time for more details! 

#3-afternoon sail with my lovely wife Darlene! I think our 13yr old was at the helm! 

Barb Dickson and my lovely wife Darlene.  "boats, boats, boats, boats" that seems to be all they talk about. No wait-thats all the girls say Rich and I talk about!

More from Maine! Rich and Barb have 2 boats on moorings near their dock. 1-Chimera which is a custom Alden designed and Hinkley built yawl and the Barbara Anne a 26' custom lobster boat for coastal cruising!