High Island Harbor and Dix Island

Caduceus
Martin and Elizabeth Bevan
Sat 23 Jul 2011 19:00

Position           44:00.82N 069:03.95W

Date                2000 – Saturday 23 July 2011 (UTC -4)

 

We eventually hot town this morning after an even later start than usual.  Dangerous place Camden and a return visit to the famous ‘Owl and Turtle Bookshop’ was required

 

 

in addition to raiding ‘French and Brawn’ for food supplies.  French and Brawn’s meat and fish is excellent and at sensible prices.

 

 

Lunch at the Camden Yacht Club filled any gap and then at about 1500 we set off for a 12nm motor into the wind to a delightful anchorage in a triangle formed by Dix Island, High Island and Birch IslandDix Island and High Island were both homes to granite quarries in the 19th century.

 

The granite was taken by stone schooners to Boston and New York for the major downtown constructions of the period.  Many of the islands in Maine were quarried in the period.  Dix Island quarry closed in 1878 and High Island was quarried from 1894 to 1916.  The magnificent remains of the granite quay on High Island are a testament to former industry.