Mainly Maine – WPC Bridges

“I demolish my bridges behind me…then there is no choice but to move forward”

Fridtjof Nansen

BRIDGE REFLECTION

Many of the opportunities for photography during our visit to Maine were natural wonders, while others, like the bridge in my opening capture, were man-made.  This sweet little bridge is one of the most photographed in the entire state and simply sits by the side of a busy road. My ever-patient husband drove the 20 minutes back from our rental home so that I could shoot it, after we’d passed it several days earlier on our way to a family wedding.

WALKWAY TO HISTORY

“Gratitude builds a bridge to abundance.”

Roy T Bennett

During one of our days in Bar Harbor we came upon this idyllic scene which reminded me of bygone days. The 4-masted schooner is a recreation of one of the many ships that would have dotted the harbor in this seafaring town long ago.

 

SAFE HARBOR

“The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn.”

Bertrand Russell

Maine is well known for its lighthouses, one of which is shown above. Its rocky shoreline presented a challenge for sea captains as they traversed the area going about their dangerous work.

ON THE ROCKS

“Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.”

Sun Tzu

Speaking of rocky shorelines, the little glint of sun caught my eye as I was capturing some macro shots of the seaweed early one morning. I couldn’t resist including it in my captures for the day. I suspect the sea captains found it much less appealing than I did!

LOBSTER CATCHERS

“Men build too many walls and not enough bridges.”

Joseph Fort Newton

While not strictly a bridge, the shot above epitomizes Maine for me. The lobster traps are neatly stacked waiting for their next deployment, lending color and atmosphere to the waters beyond. The pier on which they sit is fully exposed but in a few hours will be completely hidden as the tide comes in and they are once again put to work.

SPECIAL DELIVERY

Maine’s lobster business is thriving, much to the delight of visitors like yours truly. The little red truck above fronted one of our favorite dinner spots, Thurston’s Lobster Pound. Their LBLT (lobster, bacon, lettuce, tomato) sandwich is enough to make even the strictest dieter stray from their rules.

RED

“If you’re gonna burn a bridge behind you, make sure you’ve crossed it first.”

Quentin R. Bufogle

Each of the companies that trap in Maine’s harbors has its own colors to identify its traps. Thurston’s were a bright red, which of course caught my eye as I meandered through their work areas while waiting for dinner to be served.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS

“Love is the bridge between you and everything.”

Jalaluddin Rumi

I’ll close with a capture of a sea-weathered little window I spotted that was chock full of the tools of a sea-faring trade. It’s a difficult life the lobster fishermen live. Short seasons, rough weather and seas, abundant competition and fluctuating prices all combine to present challenges only the strongest can survive.  I’ll think about that the next time I’m enjoying the fruits of their labor.

WPC: Bridge

 

 

 

Tags: Photo essay, weekly photo challenge

• July 7, 2017
• Bridges, MAINE, Photography, Travel
• 87 Comments