Machiasport, Maine

With only about 400 households, it has several famous attractions including Liberty Hall (built in 1873 and on the National Register of Historic Places), Starboard School House (the last of five one-room schoolhouses providing education for Machiasport families – built in 1804 and utilized until 1938), and Jasper’s Beach (named after the red volcanic stone on the beach).

When I reached out to BunkaBiker host and Machiasport resident Claude, he texted me to meet him at Jasper Beach in the middle of the afternoon. I exited from Route 1 northbound onto Route 9 after a beautiful ride up the Maine coast. Jasper Beach was about 9 miles in on a winding, twisting, and hilly narrow road with no shoulders. The years had taken its toll on both sides of the road as there was a 4” dropoff onto what was left of any shoulder. There was no room for error.

It is a unique drive and for being known as a tourist attraction, I passed only one oncoming vehicle on the stretch to blue waters and then a truck that passed me on a solid yellow line going about 60 miles per hour! I never saw it coming and I thought for sure it would go air bound over the crest of hills that seemed to pop up every few seconds in front of me.

Known for its fisheries and “coasting” employment, yes, look that one up as I had to, it appeared to be a town in hibernation. When I arrived at Jasper Beach, I was concerned that Claude had not received my messages, but after waiting about 10 minutes he came cruising in on his own motorcycle, gave me a wave, and motioned for me to follow his lead. I trailed him back to a small house within earshot of the waves pounding the shoreline, and Claude beckoned me to follow him behind the place of residence where I was offered some space to set up my tent. Twenty minutes after parking, we were out on his StarCraft boat taking a tour of the harbor and Claude was pulling up his lobster traps to potentially boil up for dinner. There’s nothing like Maine lobster – with its unique and distinct flavor that can only be described as sweet and succulent. I was drooling over the thought of such a mouthwatering sensation after a long ride north! The first couple of traps did not yield any lobsters as Claude had said he had just been out less than a few days before. Welcome to Machiasport!

I quickly learned that Claude could have run for Mayor of this small seaport, if there was a mayor, and he would have won in a landslide. His personality is such that he would be the star of a sales team. Personable, friendly, and outgoing, he knew every person with whom we came in contact and he created an instant mood of joy and interest. One yacht named Maine Idea was moored in the harbor, and Claude couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit and compliment the owner on his choice of crafts. It turned out the proprietor was building a house on the nearby shoreline and would be residing on the yacht until the house was completed later in the summer. It was then that I learned that Claude was a master carpenter and he took the liberty to network his trade skills with the yacht owner, who then seemed to be disappointed he hadn’t met Claude earlier and prior to hiring his current contractor!

Exchanging conversation and pleasantries, and on our way back to shore, Claude pointed to an adjacent island where the yacht owner was building his home and informed me that the island’s residents could only get to and from by boat, but during low tides could actually drive their vehicles on the sand. He commented that the drivers all would exercise extreme caution in driving slow enough so that the salt water would not splash the undercarriage of their vehicles. He said it was sometimes a spectacle watching vehicles trudge through the ocean water.

Back on land and with the boat now in tow on its trailer behind Claude’s van, we started back to his dwelling. After learning I was a middle school teacher, Claude made sure to make a stop at the Starboard School House where he served as the town’s official tour guide and enlightened me on some of the town’s history. He mentioned that only two students graduated from 8th grade this year at the local school to give me a perception of just how small a town Machiasport is.

Back at his residence, I was able to grab a quick shower. We had a wonderful dinner outside. He shared his life story in true BaB fashion and mentioned that after living in Machiasport for the past six years, his love for the town, its people, its location, and his craft all contributed to his decision to never want to leave.

Claude indicated he needed to be up early, so we called it a day (with daylight still to burn). Just minutes later, a torrential thunderstorm crossed the area, and I was close to making a beeline for inside shelter from the confines of my tent, but I stubbornly resisted hoping the thunder and lightning would pass without me resenting my decision. It was a storm that tested both me and my tent’s durability. Not one drop made its way in or under my pavilion! Claude came out when there was a break in the storm concerned about my well-being, but I informed him I was good.

The next morning, I woke at the crack of dawn and proceeded to break down the camp, hanging my tent, its rain fly, ground tarp, and motorcycle cover over anything I could find so the rising sun from east over the Atlantic waters would expedite the drying process. I fried some eggs that I had brought from my ISA and Orpington chickens back home, Claude and I exchanged photos and said our good-byes until we were able to meet again, and I was off to Jasper Beach.

With the morning fog enveloping the coastline, and with tiny waves gently rolling over tide-borne pebbles on the seabed drowning out all other ocean noises, I was all alone in taking some time to explore one of only two beaches like it in the entire world – the other located in Japan. Beautiful round and oval rocks of all sizes were speckled with shades of red, rust, white, and gray looking like Jasper. It was a breathtaking scene, extraordinary, somewhat secluded, and like its name, a real gem. I was sad to leave it all behind, but I breathed in as much as I could with one long inhale hoping I would be able to hold the moment forever. I climbed aboard my companion and headed north for Houlton, Maine.