When we arrived at the outermost Porcupine Island our captain donned a wet suit and Scuba gear and with a very nice video camera dove to the ocean floor. We watched video aboard the boat as he searched for and interacted with a vast array of sea creatures, many of which he returned to the surface with. He had a 3 inch tall miniature diving buddy on a string named Little Ed who fearlessly investigated and was frequently attacked by the claw bearing bottom dwellers. The whole thing was quite hysterical and the kids really enjoyed the experience.

While cruising to our dive location we encountered a seal, harbor porpoise (not pictured), natural sea arch, and an immature loon.

When everyone was awake and dressed we drove to Bar Harbor where we had a quick breakfast before making our way aboard the Starfish Enterprise. Our 3 hour Park Ranger led tour was fantastic. When the ship’s captain (and diver) enlisted one of his two Newfoundland dogs to demonstrate proper use of a life vest it was obvious we were in for a great adventure.

An early morning departure was needed to catch the tide on our first kayak outing. I was joined by Jeanine in her single and Rory and Maya in a rented tandem. We made a four-mile round trip to the nearest major island. It took the two youngsters some time to synchronize their paddling, but they eventually mastered the skill.

While dinner was being prepared, Jeanine put on some music, and the girls danced with abandon.

Our next destination was Sand Beach where the girls were careful to keep their clothes dry while racing the waves. Although the water temperature was a chilly 57F it was our lack of towels (and an adult willing to follow them) that kept the girls from taking the plunge.

Here is the reverse view from the top of Cadillac Mountain looking back on Sullivan Harbor. We enjoyed lunch here with Sophia and Rose while the boys and Maya elected to remain at the house enjoying croquet and tennis. Funny as I think about it, but with a high enough resolution camera you could find all 7 kids in this frame.

This morning, I was up at 5 am to catch the sunrise and do a little early morning photography. From our backyard, Sullivan Harbor opens up onto Frenchman’s Bay and this view of Cadillac Mountain in the heart of Acadia National Park.

I was rather thirsty after the long drive and decided to see if there was anything interesting in the refrigerator. A couple of live lobsters were not what I was expecting to find. Apparently these were all that remained of the seven purchased by Mark this morning directly from a lobster boat working off of the dock adjacent to ours. You need to know my brother to understand why fresh caught lobster for breakfast is a perfectly reasonable meal?

We are renting an oceanfront home on Sullivan Bay with a stunning view of the mountains of Acadia National Park. With my brother’s family, we number 10 (my sister-in-law, Marie, is in Ireland visiting with her sister, who is battling cancer and could not join us). The place is enormous, and everyone has plenty of room to spread out.

Within an hour of Nico’s liberation from the hospital we were on our way to Maine to join up with the rest of our clan. We made several pit stops along the way and completed the journey in six hours. I took this photo while driving which explains the bow of a kayak in the frame. The sky started out unusually beautiful but eventually turned dark and we spent the last hour driving through a torrential rain storm which ended as quickly as it started when we reached our destination.

This morning Nico was cleared to eat solid food and promptly orders and devours a pathetic excuse for French Toast. It disappeared in record time as did we when he was subsequently released from the hospital. Although he received excellent care while at Emerson his stay felt more akin to a prison sentence and our departure had the feeling of an escape. We were in the car headed for home less than 15 minutes after they removed his IV catheter and we were looking over our shoulders the entire time.

I spent last night at the hospital with Nicolai and had little time today for new photos so I am posting a picture of my niece, Rose, taken in the backyard over the weekend. Nico is recovering nicely and there have been no complications from his surgery thus far. He was visited by all his cousins and siblings today before they departed for Maine with my brother. Jeanine has spent the bulk of the day with him and we are hoping he will be released tomorrow. He is positively starving but his doctor still wants to delay introducing solid foods until the morning. Jeanine prepared a special broth to which I added a few noodles and he was thrilled when this was smuggled into him. He pleaded for more noodles and threatened to walk home from the hospital to get them. We see this as a good sign.

Nicolai was feeling well enough to receive visitors this evening and was joined by Maya, Kyle, and cousins Mario and Rory. My brother Mark is holding down the home front and either Jeanine or I will spend the evening at the hospital with Nico.