Isle au Haut

Duck Harbor

Isle au Haut - the pretty little island off the coast of Stonington, Maine is actually part of Acadia National Park.  Or at least 60% of the Island is park land.  Boaters can anchor in Duck Harbor and hike on the Island.  It is a small harbor as you can see - not many boats can fit.  

 Someone actually lived on that little island in the distance with his 5 children!  No place to hide.  But back to Isle au Haut - the park service maintains a few campsites on the Island.  People have to apply a year in advance!!  Very hard to get a spot and you may not get your first choice, you have to submit 2 dates in case you don't get the first.

The population on Isle au Haut is 73.  They did not get electricity until 1970 and no phone service until 1988.  It is still pretty primative and isolated.  And that is what people like.

But there is a church and a grocery - what more could you want?

And should you need more - you can always catch the ferry and head to Stonington for an evening out.

Although I must say - there is not much in Stonington either.  If you really get ambitious you can make your way to Rockland.  There you will find all the fast food restaurants and WalMart.  But who wants that??

There is something to be said for those who choose a simple life.  Living simply, simply living.