We were still tired, and wanted another day of relative rest (and Rich needed it due to continued significant sciatic pain). First thing this morning we went over to the hotel lobby so Rich could get a little something to eat with his medication.

This year the hotel is offering an upgraded breakfast, including blueberry muffins, yogurt, fruit, granola bars, and energy bars. We took two blueberry muffins, some yogurt to keep in the fridge for a snack, and some Nutrigrain bars for a hike if we end up hiking at all today. Our initial plan for breakfast was for me to run down to A Slice of Eden Bakery for a breakfast sandwich and a bagel, but I figured that place would be very busy and it would take a while, so at least Rich could eat the muffin in the meantime.

It was a very densely foggy morning, and I ran down to the bakery through a basically dead town. It’s unusual for that to happen, even more so on a Friday. I figured maybe the fog was keeping everyone indoors a bit later than usual.

The bakery, too, was nearly deserted. I walked right in and gave my order immediately—a far cry from our experiences the last two years when the line would be out the door before 7:00am.

There are a few changes to the bakery this year, namely that you give your order at the front counter rather than the back, and that they no longer have the system where you wait outside and they call your name and bring the items to a small table at the side of the bakery. Maybe it just wasn’t as busy overall this year? I’m not sure why. While I was waiting for my food a few other people came in to order, but it wasn’t nearly as busy as in recent years.

I brought the croissant breakfast sandwich with American cheese and spinach, and the salt & pepper bagel with green olive and pimiento cream cheese back to the room, where Rich and I ate on the porch, still surrounded by dense fog. Everything was excellent, and we were still quite hungry after sparse meals over the past few days. (Excluding, of course, the lobster rolls and pizza!)

By the time we left the room to walk to Agamont Park, where we planned to spend most of the day, the fog was beginning to die down, at least at the hotel. By the water it was still very thick with almost no visibility to the bay. After checking out the Black Friar on our way, we found a nice bench where we sat for a while just looking around at the watercraft and the various people wandering by. I had learned this morning from Penny in the hotel lobby that two cruise ships were in port today, one with 5200 people and one with over 2000. So we knew what to expect. Fortunately everyone at the park was pretty quiet and well-behaved, even as it grew much busier into the afternoon.

I spent about an hour walking around the area. I incorporated a check of all the 8413320 tidal stations into my walk (all were present and in good condition). I stopped at the Sunrise Cafe to see if they had printed menus; they didn’t, but the offerings looked the same as in previous years, which was a relief to Rich who has been looking forward to the veggie crepe all year.

I wandered down to the “cruise ship Disneyland” area where the passengers were all indeed being washed up on shore, as it were, and milling around like strangely uncoordinated ants, talking about their plans for the day, getting instruction on how and where to drive the Acadia Gem electric carts, and just generally jamming up the place. My fault, since I knew what I was getting into by going there!

Then I walked back and took along walk along the shoreline below the Shore Path. I had given myself only about an hour, so I didn’t get quite as far as the area where I wanted to search for the remains of the old tea house, but I got close (and could definitely go there again). Saw Pulpit Rock and Balance rock, two old relics that were very popular in the days of the rusticators but not so well known now. At least Balance Rock is still somewhat obvious and accessible, but it’s hard even to spot Pulpit Rock from the Shore Path.

Some ideas that we might want to explore this trip are: looking for any remains of the tea house, looking for the steps on the old Orange and Black path, going to Bear Brook picnic area and looking for the path to Jackson Labs (and old wooden posts from Robin Hood Park) and searching for the Black & White path from this same area.

Checked out the Rock & Art shop while Rich bought a cushioning pad in Cadillac Mountain Sports in case he needs to sit on a boulder or another irregular hard surface. Then we made a quick stop at Hannaford before going back to the room for a bit before dinner at CIAO, which was amazing as always!