Stacy: Day 8

NOTE: I am running out of time right now, so I will (Wi-Fi permitting) add photos later tonight.

It turns out that the Lubec Public Library was quite literally next door. [Reference Day 7]

We all woke up extra early today to witness the sun rise over Lubec, Maine, the eastern-most city in the U.S.

Then, we packed up the van again, and drove ten minutes to the docks of a tiny city named Cuttler, where we then spent five hours on a Puffin-seeing tour.  They are considered the penguins of the Northern Hemisphere.  Oh, are Puffins absolutely adorable!!!  I believe this was Mom's most anticipated event for our journey.  We rode out to the island for 45 minutes, 10 miles out to sea.  Then, we stood in these little boxes [blinds], on the hilltops, made of plywood, where we watched the Puffins for two whole hours.  They were right outside the blind, no more than 3 feet away at time!

They are usually open sea-fairing birds, living their lives bobbing on the open sea water, but they migrate to breeding grounds (one of which happens to have the Machias Seal Light House [on Seal Island] on it.  They don't necessarily mate for life, but they do breed/use the same burrow for their entire lives.  Their song sounds like weed-whackers, and the Razor Beaks (who cohabitate on the same island) sound like chainsaws.

We had so very many nests near our blind!  Several different pairs were seen bringing food to the nests (they dive underwater for food).

Oh!  And, they were all over the roof of our blind!  Since they sit on the surface of the water for most of their lives, they made such ungraceful landings.  Rarely was our blind silent due to all of the landings and shuffling of their feet.  We could see their shadows on the rocks outside our blind, and I witnessed a squabble over a branch of seaweed.  It was funny, but I have no idea what they use it for.  Nest material, maybe?  The "winner" flew from our roof to the rocks right in front of us, and just sat there with the branch.  I suppose it was drying it out.  After a while it went into its nest with thebranch.  I could go on for a while about the cuties, but this would be waaaay too long.

Seaweed Winner:

The only blind near us (to our left):

On the boat ride back, the Maine-Atlantic Ocean kissed me goodbye!  [I was sprayed by splashes a tiny bit).  I did not get sick this time!

After the Puffin tour ended, we drove into Canada.  We stopped by St. Croix Island, New Brunswick, to stretch our legs (it is an international National Park, shared by the US and Canada), right on the border.

We had BBQ for dinner near St. John--it was the only not-fast food restaurant with cars in front of it.  It was OK for non-Texas BBQ.

And, then we continued to Hopewell Rocks, where we stayed the night  Our first night in Canada!!  This time we got a whopping 5 hours of sleep!  But, tomorrow should be awesome.  Hopewell Rocks is probably my most anticipated event.