Written by Ben Buckton - Incidentsoftravel.com

Day 7 – Rest Day in Searsport

A MARKET, A SHIPYARD, A SEA SWIM. A REST DAY!

I’ve been made so welcome at this wonderful campground, and have so enjoyed the comfortable, relaxed atmosphere – as well as the great sea swimming – particularly after the assorted struggles of the first stormy week of this trip, that I’ve made a management decision and booked myself in for one more night. When I gave Susie a WhatsApp video tour of the site earlier today, she made me promise that we’d come back here together for a holiday one day. If any of you ever find yourselves in this part of Maine, please don’t hesitate to book in, and see what I’m talking abut. You won’t regret it.

I spent the morning looking around the grounds, which cover many acres, then found a shady spot for a coffee on the veranda, where I wrote and messaged. I was already thinking that my mum would have adored this place, and then I saw this:

Mum used to run a thing called the Listening Bench at a local school in Cambridgeshire, and when she became too unwell to do it herself a new generation of ‘listeners’ took over. She would be there during school break times, one day a week I think, sitting on a special bench, usually knitting something. Children knew that if they had something that was bothering them, large or small, they could come and share it with her. As a trained counsellor, and having been a teacher and head teacher for most of her career, there wasn’t much that she hadn’t heard before.

She told me that although some serious issues cropped up, often it was just a case of children really needing to let off steam. I’ve got a feeling that a Listening Bench is something all of us could use from time to time , whatever our line of work. Perhaps this blog is my listening bench? Thanks everyone, I feel much better.

The games room

I was offered a lift to the Farmers Market In nearby Belfast by Sandy, who lives and works on site during high season, so we set off together at 10.30am. Sandy is English but also lived in Australia, and had a long career involved with sailing, and travelled extensively all over the world before settling in the US. She took us via the shipyard in Belfast, where she had some business to attend to, giving me the chance a look at the collection of impressive vessels under repair:

That’s Sandy on the left, utterly dwarfed by this amazing ship – it looks like an optical illusion from this angle.
Another immaculate craft, just don’t go running up that gangway…
And this one is specially for Susie’s sister Selena in Gothenburg, Sweden (Hi Selena!) – whom Susie is going to visit next week, as well as her other sis Joanna in Stockholm. Have fun, you three, and love to you both and all your families! xx

At the market I picked up some fresh veg and listened to some local musicians:

I’m travelling with my mum’s book of poems published shortly before she died, and there’s one I thought I’d share today. It’s about a wild animal she once found dead on a path, when she was a child growing up in Yorkshire, England. I see so many animals like this by the side of the road, that the poem keeps coming to my mind, with its depiction of ‘surprised eyes caught alive’. It’s called ‘Muntjac’s Leap:

Lunch was French toast al fresco with eggs from the camp’s own chickens, bread gifted by Sandy, and delicious lettuce and peppery radishes from the market.

Late lunch

Then a sea swim, some more writing in my favourite spot on the veranda, and a long chat with some card-playing fellow campers who joined me – a meeting that turned into evening drinks! Thanks for you company guys, and the interesting description of living life in a mobile home.

After supper at the tent and a low-tide sunset walk along the beach, Ed the bluesman and I had another session together. @Penny Harrison – you asked for a recording, so Ed sent me this video link (just tap the picture):

I’ll leave you today with a large number of Adirondack chairs in a Belfast store, presumably waiting not to be sat in by anyone

16 thoughts on “Day 7 – Rest Day in Searsport”

  1. Go Ed! Love that video. Is it perhaps a bit dangerous finding a campsite that good so early on? I’m wondering if you should have graded the campsites on a sliding scale and done a sort of Canada 1* sites, Maine 2* sites etc…? See you next July!

    P.s. I love that poem in your mums book. I remember it quite well having not seen it for a long time, guess it stuck for similar reasons.

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    2. Sorry to report, after his nearly did-it heroics yesterday, Cav came a cropper with an innocuous fall and broke his collar bone. End of tour and probs his career. ;-(

      Hope the weather has picked up.
      Safe journey.

      Amanda x

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  2. How lovely that Chris was so present with you, Ben.
    You were in great company with Ed the Bluesman – what did you play in last night’s jamming session?
    Enjoy your second rest day (perhaps you should make that a thing, like second breakfast? ) and if there’s any more music, can you try and record it?
    I’m glad you’re getting your greens. Xoxoxoxox

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  6. Hi Ben,

    We’ve really been enjoying your daily travel blog installments. So glad the weather has improved! Learned a lot today about your wonderful mom  – the story about the listening post and her recently published book of poems. I can see where you get your writing talent from.

    <

    div>Maine is a beautiful thing unto itself. One of our best family vacations was spent there, but

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  7. Isn’t Maine amazing? I went to music camp there a few summers, I think it’s right where you are?? Messalonskee Lake, near Watertown and Belgrade. The friendliness of the people is unbelievable, and the beauty, and the lobster rolls…
    Fun finding a Gothenburg boat! We’re having an incredibly rainy summer so far, so Susie will have a bit of a damp visit unfortunately…
    I’m so happy you’re taking a little rest in that wonderful place and thanks for sharing so much about Chris – heartwarming ♥️
    Love Selena

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    1. Hi Selena! Yes Maine was incredible- crossed over into New Hampshire yesterday afternoon. Portsmouth looked so interesting but I had to press on to find the campground. Glad you’re enjoying the blog and I can’t wait to hear about Susie’s visit. Love to all the family ❤️Bx

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  8. Just checked Google maps and where I was at music camp is about an hour’s drive inland – check it out on your next trip to Maine (maybe together with us???)! 😊

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