Monhegan Island "43:46.09N 69:19.11W"

VulcanSpirit
Richard & Alison Brunstrom
Sat 6 Aug 2011 13:18
We're now at Monhegan, an isolated island 2km x 1km several miles out into the Atlantic with about 60 residents, and no roads. There are 12 miles of trails. The island has a long history. 10 000 years ago early Indians were catching swordfish here in the summer using amazingly sophisticated (stone age) gear, but the climate changed and the fish moved south. Other Indian groups came and went but never settled. The island got its present name from Giovanni da Verrazano who passed here in 1524 - along way north considering the it was only 30 years after Columbus 'discovered' the New World. Interestingly Verrazano records that the Indians (still of course in the stone age) were keen to trade for metal implements, of which they were already aware - proof that there had been previous European contact, and circumstantial evidence to support the claim that English cod fishermen out of Bristol had got here before Columbus arrived in the Caribbean. We know that Leif Ericson and Barni Heriulfson did reach Newfoundland from Iceland around 1100 from the Sagas, and the discovery of their short-lived settlement at L'Anse aux Meadows - and intriguingly there are carvings on the rocks here at Monhegan which look very like the Norse runes found in Europe, but no-one has yet proven their origin. Anyway, enough of that.
Here is Vulcan Spirit at anchor in the Harbor, calm at present but wide open to the south west. The fishing boats are moored to granite blocks half the size of a house because 120mph winds are not unknown here.
 
 
Everything comes and goes by small boat. Here is the supply vessel unloading at the quay.
 
 
Most of the island is a nature reserve, and very beautiful. And, joy of joys, on the west coast there are real cliffs - about the only ones in Maine. Only 50m high, but real sea cliffs nonetheless.
 
 
And it seems that Dr Who has penetrated even here
 
 
The whole island is a delightful gem. The museum alone would repay an entire day. Unfortunately we have to move on south and west - Newport and boat maintenance beckon.