Mount Desert Island, which to some resembles a lobster claw in shape, is the third largest island off the coast of the continental United States. Connected to the mainland by two short bridges spanning the Mount Desert Narrows, MDI is divided into four towns: Bar Harbor, Southwest Harbor, Mount Desert, and Tremont. About three quarters of the islands contains Acadia National Park. Ninety-six percent of Maine is privately owned; the 36,000 actres of Acadia National Park is the largest publicly-owned portion. There are restroom facilities at the Thompson Island information center at the head of the island. In Bar Harbor, there are facilities adjoining Agamont Park. 



Shortly after coming upon Mount Desert Island, consider taking the right fork at Parcadia Exxon Pizza (which makes deliveries to area campgrounds. Call 288-5053.) . The road to the right leads to the island's so-called backside and passes by some interesting roadside attractions. Traditionally, the folks on the "working side" of the island have been deeply involved with such pursuits as boatbuilding and fishing and haven't much hunkered into catering to tourists. This has changed to an extent, but there is still far less glitz here, and sometimes there are better values.

If you're among those who think art should be fun, you won't want to miss Ernie's. Operating from a small shop in Town Hill, Ernie Abdelnour fashions fascinating, often funny sculptures of copper and brass, odd pieces of plumbing, tools, assorted debris, and anything else that strikes his fancy. Truth be told, Ernie seems to be a bit hung up on vehicles--many of his pieces are boats, trains, cars, fire engines and wagons, although he also has done sundry buildings and much else. He does a frog series that features a piano-playing frog campaigning against gourmet food--including, of course, frog legs. Call 207-288-5337.

Just a short ways down the Crooked Road, youâll come to Dalling Additions, which features solid wood furniture and accessories. Their stock is all Made in Maine.

At Woodshop Cupolas, Philip Alley has created an impressive selection of handcrafted cupolas and weathervanes. He designs and builds them himself from pine, cedar, and copper. He has two shops: One on Rte. 3 in Trenton, the other on Rte 102 in Bar Harbor. Alley recently doubled the floorspace in his Trenton shop, adding a line of wooden gifts. Phil Alley is a true and honorable man who takes great pride in delivering the best quality possible. Nobody who deals with him is ever sorry. Call 1-800-698-5538.

In Somesville is the Mount Desert Island Historical Society Museum, a collection of local documents and artifacts, including period clothing, pewter, and old maps. Open 2 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays, mid-July to Labor Day. Both wild and domestic ducks swim in nearby Mill Pond. You might enjoy checking out the frequently-photographed Somesville Bridge, a graceful span over Somes Creek.

At the A.V. Higgins Store, there is a pleasant conglomeration of antiques, collectibles, and deli items, including baked beans and blueberry muffins and pies. Ready for lunch? You won't find a better sandwich anywhere in the territory. Call 207-244-5401.

Just down the road, the Acadia Repertory Theatre has been presenting summer theater for the past quarter century. Call 207-244-7260 for reservations and additional information.

At Echo Lake, there is a man-made beach with changing facilities and lifeguard. From the parking area, a steep trail leads up the cliff face of Beech Mountain. At Ikes Point, there are boat-launching facilities (Powerboats with motors exceeding 10 hp are prohibited.)

You can get a good deal on family camping at the Appalachian Mountain Club Camp on Echo Lake. Campers live in tents that have board floors and are supplied with beds, sheets, and blankets. Hot showers are available along with three daily family-style meals, including a clambake and lobster picnic. The camp is so popular that a lottery must often be held to determine who will get in. Write Echo Lake Camp, Mt. Desert, ME 04660, or call 207-244-3747.

Itâs a little hard to find and itâs nothing fancy, but the Rocky Coast Rock Shop at 70 Beech Hill Crossroad is certainly an interesting place. Proprietors Steven Haynes and Juanita Sprague are the foremost authority on Maineâs historic granite industry. They have collected specimens from over 350 of the stateâs abandoned granite quarries. (Steven can look a hunk of rock and tell you precisely where it came from!) Although they have many products made of granite at the shop, they are as interested in instructing folks as they are in selling them something. They will show you their extensive collection of artifacts, including blacksmith and stone cutting tools, oxen shoes, railroad cartwheels, railroad spikes, old photos and derrick parts. Studying granite has been a lifelong pursuit for Steven; nobody knows more about this somewhat ignored aspect of Maine history.

SOUTHWEST HARBOR

The Fernald Point Road, which goes by the Causeway Golf Club, takes you to Valley Cove, a scenic lookout to Somes Sound. From the Fernald Point Road, you can take a trail up Flying Mountain. It's an easy climb, said by many to provide the park's best view for the least effort (unless you count driving up Cadillac Mountain). The Seal Cove Road goes to Long Pond. From the south end of this pond, there are hiking trails providing three routes to Mansell Mountain.

The Cranberry Isles, half an hour out of Southwest Harbor, provide an experience that is distinctively Maine. These islands, home to generations of fishermen and spared commercial exploitation, are much as they were a century ago. The Cranberry Cove Boating Co. makes trips daily. Take your bike, pack a picnic lunch. There are plenty of trails for hiking, and lovely, unspoiled ocean beaches you'll long remember.

Lots of local folks eat at Kozy Kove. They know what's good hereabouts. Call 207-244-9607.

In Southwest Harbor, the Wendell Gilley Museum of Bird Carving features changing exhibits of carvings by Gilley and other artists. Gilley, author of the classic "The Art of Bird Carving," did around 6,000 wooden birds, some of which have in recent years commanded thousands of dollars. The museum is housed in a state-of-the-art solar heated building; staff is on hand to explain its workings. During the summer months, the museum has a full schedule of demonstrations and classes. Call 207-244-7555 for schedules. Low ticket prices make this a real cultural building. General admission: $3; children 5-12, $1; children under 5 free. 

How about a nice eclectic line of gifts with an emphasis on selections for animal lovers? This is what you’ll find at COZY CAT FARM GIFTS FOR EWE.. Especially nice are items made of hand-spun yarn from the owners' sheep. They also offer souvenirs, Maine t-shirts and sweatshirsts, and lots of gifts for cat lovers.

You can see the work of more than 50 local artisans at The Sand Castle, a very pretty shop situated downtown. There are granite carvings, ships' bells, handmade sailing vessels, pottery, blown glass, jewelry, puppets, birdhouses, the list goes on and on. Half the fun of visiting this shop is not knowing what you'll discover next. On top of it all, everything is reasonably priced.

The Quiet Side Cafe on Main Street is an ice cream shop, but it’s also a terrific place to eat. Hands down, this places serves Downeast Maine’s best crab and lobster rolls.

Hot Flash Anny, a master in the art of stained glass, is celebrating her 10-year anniversary. If you are in the Southwest Harbor area, Carroll Drug Store will deliver your prescription. Sawyer's Specialties has the biggest selection of fine wines north of Boston. The second Saturday of every month from 2 to 6 p.m., the folks here sponsor wine tastings.

For a good cup of espresso, check out Jumpin Java on Main Street.The Quiet Side Café on Main Street is an ice cream shop, but it’s also a terrific place to eat.

MDI is a leading national center for birdcarvers. Gilley was first, but Cliff Youse, who loves to talk about the intricacies of carving birds, has been a major factor in getting others interested in the art. You can see his work at the House of Youse on Clark Point Road. In Bar Harbor at MDI Woodcarvers, Wayne Edmondson is usually on hand to demonstrate how birds are carved.

You can eat your lunch at an authentic Maine working wharf at BEAL'S LOBSTER PIER.

SOUTHWEST BOAT MARINE SERVICES serves the individual needs of anybody with a boat. From metal fabrications and welding to underwataer hull inspections, Southwest Boat is the company to turn to.

In Away for the Weekend: 52 Great Getaways in the Six New England States for Every Season of the Year, Eleanor Berman singled out two special, easy-to-overlook attractions in Southwest Harbor: The Gilley Museum and the MT. DESERT OCEANARIUM, which it called "a great place for kids, with its touch tanks and other hands-on exhibits, including phones for listening in to the songs of whales." In Traveling with Children in the USA, Leila Hadley applauded just one privately operated attraction on MDI: The Oceanarium. Call 207-244-7330.

On Route 102, SMUGGLER'S DEN CAMPGROUND provides 100 wooded sites for tents, pop-ups, and RVs. It's a pleasant 20-minute walk to Echo Lake Beach in Acadia National Park.

The Claremont Hotel, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, holds an annual summer croquet tournament.

Henry R. Hinckley, noted builder of luxury yachts, has its yard in Manset. Driving past the yard and in the harbor at Northeast, you can see some of the world's most beautiful sailing vessels.

The Seawall Picnic Area on the ocean is near the Seawall Campground. Both are in Acadia National Park. Here there is a rocky shore laced with tidepools..

Manset Boat House repairs, services and sells Johnsn and Honda outboard motors. The company also repairs and sells boats.

The trail to Wonderland is an old road offering an easy walk to the shore thru a dense spruce forest and open pitch pine forest. Here there is an amazingly wide variety of habitats, making it a good birdwatching spot.

The Ship's Harbor Nature Trail runs about a mile-and-a-half thru a spruce forest and open ledgy woodlands. A self-guided brochure to the trail is available free at Seawall Campground.

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse (1858) is often said to be the most-photographed lighthouse in the world. It has been automated, and the house is now a private residence.

The Seal Cove Road, most of which is in Acadia National Park, is a winding dirt road that takes you thru a heavy coniferous forest, providing access to Bald and Western Mountains, two of MDI's quieter hiking areas.

Roaming around these parts is a great way to avoid the crowds that flock to Sand Beach and Thunder Hole. You may meet no other hikers as you explore such places as Seal Cove and Hodgdon Ponds. Likewise is true of the Long Pond Fire Road, an unpaved loop providing access to Western Trail, which leads to a notch between Bernard and Mansell Mountains. The forests hereabouts have been untouched for decades, allowing for mature growth.

"People say we have the best lobster rolls, in Maine," says Karen Godbout of Bass Harbor's Maine-ly Delights Snack Bar. Karen, who started out serving great lobster and crab rolls from a tiny milk truck a quarter century ago, evidently hasn't heard about inflation. From day one, her lobster dinners have been as low as $6.95—depending on market price. Doughboys, the only ones on MDI, are among her specialties; they're just $1.50. Karen has other daily specials as well. If you like, you can eat outside on her deck overlooking the fishing village of Bass Harbor. No way can you beat the low prices and friendly atmosphere you'll find here.

Island Cruises, headquartered on the Shore Road in Bass Harbor, are on the inexpensive side: $12 for adults, $8 for children. Running the show is Kim Strauss, who describes his cruises as being on the mellow side. "They're definitely not cattle cruises," he promises. One cruise goes to Frenchboro on Long Island while a second one "pokes around some of the other islands looking for eagles and seals." Kim is just getting started in the business and seems eager to please.

You can get a round-trip ticket on the ferry to the Cranberry Isles for $8. The Cranberry Cove Boating Co's vessel leaves Southwest Harbor four times daily. Children under 12 pay half; those under three sail free. You can bring your bikes. Call 244-7225.

The Wharf Restaurant features picturesque Alfresco dining with views of the working harbor and mountains beyond. You’ll find traditional Downeast fare including lobsters, crabs, shrimp, clams, scallops and fish as well as unique specials served in a casual "family" atmosphere. Bring your own beer or wine.

A bit more expensive is the Bass Harbor Cruise, which leaves twice daily from the Bass Harbor town wharf. Tickets for the two-hour trips are $14 for adults, $9 for children. On board is an Acadia National Park naturalist as well as a Maine lobsterman, who will demonstrate trap hauling. Call 244-5365 for reservations.

How pervasive is the Internet? Well, when the luddites and anti-technologists feel they have to have websites, weâd say itâs mightily so. But that's the case with Nicols Fox. At her Bass Harbor shop, Rue Cottage Books, she specializes in texts for "luddites, greens and like-minded readers" and is an authority on the luddites, those single-minded folks who at the dawn of the industrial revolution felt morally compelled to demolish weaving machinery. Her business card says she's "reluctantly on the web at ruecottage.com," and she stocks a small but very interesting assortment of books, both new and used.

Big Al’s Pit Stop is billed as a "Convenience Super Store." It even has a Deli Express Hot Line—Just call 244-9750 for Super Fast Service.

Beach Front Cottages provide weekly rentals right on Bass Harbor harbor.

The Pretty Marsh Picnic Area, which is in the national park, provides views over bluffs to Pretty Marsh Harbor and onward to Bartlett and Hardwood Islands. Here there is a stony beach.

On the Pretty Marsh Road, you can see one of the country's finest collections of antique cars at the Seal Cove Auto Museum. The display represents the fruits of a great deal of dedication as well as heaps of old and inherited money. Tickets are $5 for adults, $2 for kids.

In Bernard, check out Nancy Neale Typecraft, Maine's only printing museum and memorabilia shop. Here you'll find one of the country's most extensive collections of wood type. Near the museum is E. & L. Higgins, Inc, Maine's largest antique wicker dealer.

The Indian Point Road leads to the Blagden Conservancy, which is owned by the Nature Conservancy. The area was once home to the Passamaquoddy Indians. Now a nature preserve, trails thru the land offer views of old spruce forest, an old apple orchard, and white spruce along the coast.

BAR HARBOR

One of the first places you come to on the road to Bar Harbor is also one of the best. This is the OCEANARIUM, which features a lobster hatchery, a lobster museum, a marsh walk, and a seal tank. Most often there's a lobsterman on hand to explain the mysteries of his venerable trade. The Oceanariums (there is a second on in Southwest Harbor) are run by David and Audrey Mills, good people who take their roles of teachers seriously.

MDI Workshop Gift Outlet is a unique non-profit marketplace featuring a selection of value-priced Maine outdoor furniture, handmade crafts, gift baskets, and souvenirs beautifully created by adults with disabilities. The workshop was started 23 years ago by a small group of parents who recognized the need to train their children in a career-not only to keep them from being institutionalized, but to enable them to be a part of the community. Take a free workshop tour. All contributions and proceeds benefit people with developmental disabilities. Call 207-288-5252.

The Mt. Desert Island Biological Laboratory in Salisbury Cove conducts a free summer visitors' program. Scientists here are engaged in studying various aspects of cell biology, with an emphasis on rheopharmacology--they've been using sharks and dogfish to study kidney functions. Visitors can check out a touch tank, see the laboratories, and listen to scientists describe their work. The tours begin at 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays mid-June thru August. Call 207-288-3605.



If you're into old tools, check out the Tool Barn in Hulls Cove. There's an amazing assortment.

Whit Austin says that his inn, Covend, has the lowest prices in Bar Harbor for waterfront accommodations. During peak season, he gets $89 a night for his least expensive room; this includes a free continental breakfast. Call 207-288-9504. The prestigious Mobil Travel Guide gives the Bluenose Motor Inn an unusual four stars.

Acadia National Park Visitor Center in Hulls Cove has printed information and a free film that'll introduce you to the park. During the summer, park naturalists conduct daily interpretive programs to help visitors understand the ecological processes at work here. Call 207-288-3338.

The new ferry, The Cat, brought into service in the summer of 1998, is some fast boat, turning what had been a six-hour trip to Nova Scotia into one lasting two-and-a-half hours. The multi-million-dollar vessel will handle 240 vehicles and 900 passengers.

Let the Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co. be your one-stop boating company. There are four different cruises, all of which are informatively narrated. It’s both fun and educational. The folks here promise you’ll see a whale. If you don’t, the next trip’s on them.

The Episcopal Church, situated on Mt. Desert St., has wonderful Tiffany windows and welcomes visitors. Performing in St. Saviour's Parish House on Tuesday and Wednesday nights this summer is Jackson & Friends, a concert series of comedy, music and new vaudeville. The shows are presented by the wonderfully talented Jackson Gillman, sometimes known as the Stand-up Chameleon. Gillman has been returning to Bar Harbor for many, many years, and couldn't be more welcome.

Bar Harbor Historical Society Museum at Jesup Memorial Library (288-4245) has a large collection of photographs of early hotels, cottages, steamers, and rusticators. There are excellent scrapbooks of the 1947 fire. Open Monday thru Friday 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. June 8 to August 30. Admission is free.
The Natural History Museum at College of the Atlantic, open daily Labor Day to Oct. 10, features children's hands-on exhibits, a 20-foot whale skeleton, and other displays of island life. There is a self-guided nature trail on the college campus and summer field studies. The price certainly is right: general admission, $2.50; seniors, $1.50; kids under 12 - 3, one dollar. 

At 8 p.m. on Wednesdays, College of the Atlantic holds a summer distinguished lecturers' series. Call 288-5015.

The original art deco style has been preserved at Bar Harbor's Criterion Theatre. The unusual balcony configuration has the upper level, called the loge, split into many compartments. Everything is original, including the two projectors, which go back sixty years. The Criterion was built in 1932 by George McKay, a local legend who is said to have gotten his considerable fortune running rum. In the early days, live vaudeville was spotlighted on the Criterion's stage. Shown now is a wide variety, including recent releases, art films, and foreign language films.

At the New-Old Lompoc Cafe, Doug Maffucci brews his own fresh unpasteurized beer and at 4:30 each day conducts a free tour of the brewery. At the cafe, there is a wide variety of free entertainment nightly. (The place is named after the Old Lompoc Hotel in California. That place burned down: thus the New-Old Lompoc.)

Benbow's, which bills itself as "New England's premier coffee roaster," has placed its product in specialty stores thruout New England. You might be interested in taking a free tour of its roasting facility. They're held from 2:30 to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reservations are necessary: Call 2888-5271. Several of Benbow's coffees are available at the Alternative Market on Main Street.

Just about no other place offers so much value for the money as Poor Boy's Gourmet Restaurant on Lower Main Street. Dinner prices begin at $8.95, making it the only place this inexpensive to be featured in leading gourmet guides.

Bark Harbor has much more than a cute name. It is loaded with gifts, jewelry, accessories for cats and dogs, and much more.

Frommer's Dollarwise Guide to New England called THORDHEDGE INN “Bar Harbor's most desirable place to stay.”

In his guide to Maine, Charles Calhoun says that the Porcupine Grill on Cottage Street is among Maine's 12 best restaurants. He applauds its "stylish, low-key decor and sophisticated home-cooking in a town better known for its lobster joints."

We've eaten at Mama DiMatteo's and can recommend the food wholeheartedly. Most everything is made on the premises, and prices are competitive.

The Maine Woods Visitor Center is situated upstairs in the Bowl & Board Store on Main Street. There are exhibits about the history and future of the Maine Woods. Featured is a proposal by a group called "RESTORE: The Maine Woods " to create a 3.2 million acre Maine Woods National Park in northern Maine.

The Leapin’ Lizard Art Gallery got its name in a moment of sheer inspiration. Seems its co-owner Elizabeth Godfroy is often called Lizard by friends, (even though she is a warm, friendly person, not the least bit reptilian). In any event, one day when the gallery was still in the planning stages, somebody asked her what it would be called. "Leapin’ Lizard," she blurted, and the name has stuck. It’s a fun place with works she describes as "elegantly eclectic." It’s the gallery for those of us who find too many galleries pretentious and stuffy.

At Song of the Sea, Edward and Anne Damm show an assortment of unusual musical instruments, including hammered and mountain dulcimers, bodhrans, psalteries, concertinas, pennywhistles, and harps. They build many of these themselves and will provide free demonstrations on any of them. The Damms are the driving force behind the Dulcimer and Folk Harp Festival each July. The event attracts performers and spectators from around the country. Call 207-288-5653 for details

From the pier, you can see Bar Island, which is connected to Bar Harbor by a sand bar when the tide is out. Half of Bar Island is national park and you're free to explore the whole place. Take care not to let the incoming tide strand you there. 

On Monday and Thursday evenings at 8 during July and August, the town band plays at the Village Green. Concerts are free. 

Ms. Thompson of Art by Thompson give a five percent discount to honeymooners. (Or those who say they're honeymooners; Ms. Thompson knows that frequently she's hoodwinked, a situation she accepts with graceful good cheer.

Few small towns boast as many nice parks as Bar Harbor. There is the Village Green on Main St., Agamont Park down by the pier, and Grant Park, an under-utilized resting spot at the end of Albert Meadow Ave. From Grant Park, you can see some of Bar Harbor's fine old homes by following the Shore Path. 

West End Drug has a 22-cent cup of coffee (27 cents if you want cream). The old-fashioned ice cream soda fountain here is one of the friendliest places in town.

Fast food franchises have pretty much avoided MDI. Things slow down too much in the wintertime for this place to be attractive to the McDonald's of the world.. The sole exception is Bar Harbor's Subway Sandwich Shop, which shuts down when the going gets slow.

The Jackson Laboratory, the world's largest center for the study of mammalian genetics, is home to some of the world's foremost genetic researchers. The laboratory also is something of a factory, producing millions of mice used by scientists throughout the world. Many of these mice are unique in that they are genetically destined to have certain traits, including particular diseases.

If you keep going past the lab, you'll get to the Tarn, a shallow, steep-banked mountain pond between Dorr Mountain and Hugenot Head. The far end of the Tarn is a favored habitat for beavers.

The Precipice is MDI's toughest climb. Many of the island's mountains have hiking trails; they are tailored for all levels of energy and ability. Consult a park ranger for a hike you'll find suitable.

We are firm believers in the idea that America's national parks belong to the people, all of the people, even people who can't spare $5 to get in. Consequently, we were unhappy when in the late 80s most parks, including Acadia, began charging user fees. The good news locally is that you can legally avoid paying the fee for entering the Park Loop Road, if you don't mind missing Sand Beach and Thunder Hole. From Route 3, turn left onto the Otter Cliff Road. This road leads to public restroom facilities from which you can get onto the Park Loop Road free of charge.

Abbe Museum, celebrating Maine's Native American heritage, has two locations: the new museum 26 Mount Desert St. in downtown Bar Harbor, open year-round, and the historic, trailside museum at Sieur de Monts Spring, open May-October. At the downtown site there are programs for children and adults including workshops with Native American craftspeople. 207-288-3519.

Blackwoods Campground, one of two national park campgrounds, has inexpensive sites, although reservations are required well in advance. At Blackwoods, there is an amphitheater where free naturalist talks are conducted. 

You'll like the guys at the Otter Creek Inn and Market. The place is noted for its friendliness and the eagerness of staff members to help visitors.

Once thru Otter Creek, you come upon the road to Hunter's Beach. There is a small packing area from which a park trail takes you down to an uncrowded cobblestone beach.

Keep going and you'll reach Seal Harbor, summer home to people in control of some of the country's historic fortunes. Fords, Vanderbilts, Astors, Mellons--people like that. Here and in nearby Northeast Harbor you can see their vast, rambling cottages. You can hobnob with some of them at the Northeast Harbor Golf Course, a strange, but beautiful, semi-secret 15-hole layout that accepts greens fee players.

For lunch hereabouts, we recommend the Lighthouse Inn and Restaurant on Main Street. You can get anything from a simple sandwich to a four-course lobster dinner.

As you leave Seal Harbor, note that on your left is; a public sand beach and on your right a pleasant park. Beyond the park is the Stanley Brook Road, from which you can get onto the park Loop Road without paying a fee.

If you continue thru Seal Harbor, you'll reach Little Long Pond. The Rockefellers own the land around the pond, but they let people use it. Beyond this,you come to the Thuya Gardens and Asticou Terraces, an endowed municipal park containing an English formal garden, a waterfront mountainside trail, and a rare historical book library, Thuya Lodge. A walking trail begins a little farther down the road.

Keep going, and you'll come to Rtes 198/3. Turn right and you'll find the entrance to the formal Azalea Gardens. Down the road is the Brown Mountain Gatehouse, one of two lovely carriage road English Tudor-style gate houses built in 1932 by John D. Rockefeller Jr. (Rockefeller helped local folks weather the Great Depression with work projects, the fruits of which we continue to enjoy. He was the driving force behind MDI's wonderful carriage roads and marvelous stone bridges.)

A left turn will take you into Northeast Harbor. Check out the marina; there are some impressive yachts moored there. The Great Harbor Collection Museum in the Old Town Hall on Main Street has exhibits representing all facets of early Maine coastal life. Donations are suggested. Nearby, there is a nice assortment of shops and galleries. Prices here aren't necessarily cheap, but browsers are tolerated nicely.

Five times a day, Beal and Bunker takes passengers on the mailboat to Little Cranberry Island. Round trip tickets are $4. Here the Islesford Historic Museum is open daily thru Labor Day. Admission is free.

Sargent Drive skirts Somes Sound from Northeast Harbor. The sound constitutes the only natural fjord on the Atlantic coast. At Somes Sound lookout, you'll gaze upon Acadia Mountain. You may see porpoises frolicking in the sound. Further on, the Somes Sound Picnic Area hugs the shore.