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Editor’s Note: In every issue of Down East – The Magazine of Maine, they publish a column with a photo titled, “Where in Maine.” Then, in a later edition, they publish some of the letters sent from readers who correctly identified the photo. One recent letter from Ellen Martignetti of Boyertown, Pennsylvania caught our attention. Although Down East edited it, the following is the letter that Ellen sent to them that they published:
“Our family of 5 has been coming to West Quoddy State Park every summer for almost 20 years. We have hiked in a variety of weather conditions - thick fog, cold July (yes, July) temperatures, and clear, warm summer days. It has become tradition to pack lunch and hike to Green Point where we rest, refuel and take in the breath-taking view (even in the fog). It recharges my soul. We have learned to always come prepared with layers. Inland, it can be 80 degrees, but when we turn the “corner” onto the isthmus, we enjoy watching the thermometer on the car plummet. Every visit is memorable; however, most memorable for us has been measuring our three children’s height against the red and white stripes of the lighthouse every year with a family photograph. We have been doing this since our twin sons were 2 in 2003. With the pandemic we have missed a few shots and life will certainly take our children other places. It still warms my heart to go back and look over those photographs and remember all those wonderful times visiting Quoddy. I think it’s one of the most beautiful places on earth!”
Naturally, when we read the letter, we wanted to know the backstory and see the photos that the family took over the years at West Quoddy Head Lighthouse. Here, in her words, is Ellen’s story, with a small selection of the many photos that she sent to us.
By Ellen Martignetti
May 31, 2022
It’s a really LONG story as to how we ended up vacationing in Maine every year. However, the short version is that three of our friends purchased three lots at auction of coastal property on Cobscook Bay in Perry, Maine, in the late 90’s. My husband, John, and I bought one of the lots from them (we were married in 1996). We have been traveling to Maine with our three friends as well all these years - we all met through work, but they are like family now. Our group has changed over the years with different family members joining us (parents, nieces/nephews, other friends), but we have been vacationing together since 1994. We actually started out camping in the Allagash before we rented a house to stay in.
For many years we rented a house on Tide Mill Farm from the Bell family in Edmunds and would visit our wooded lots in Perry. We first brought our sons, Bryan and Daniel to Maine as very tiny 3-month-old infants along with our two Labrador retrievers. It’s about a 665-mile drive (which we did in two days when they were small). We were young and dumb, as I like to say. We explored Cobscook Bay over the years, hiking, kayaking, or driving around. We became good friends with the Bell family (Cathy & Terry; Bob & Jane). We would visit areas such as; Eastport, Lubec, Campobello Island, Calais, and Machias, to name a few. It was when Bryan and Daniel were two in 2003 that we first discovered Quoddy Head State Park. It might have been the Bell family that suggested we go there. Some years back, our friends that we vacation with bought a house in Pembroke and we have been staying there most of the time. We have also stayed at the old Coast Guard Station in Lubec twice when our extended family joined us. John and I hope to build on our lot within two years. We just put a road into our lot two years ago. Eventually we would like to retire to Maine.
The family photos sort of evolved out of our yearly visits to the area. It was more to appease me and document our vacation. Since I am the one always taking photographs, I was not in many of them, however, this also documented my presence! I thought it was a nice way to see how our children changed over the years and “marked” their height on the red and white stripes of the lighthouse. As they got older, they would stand on their toes trying to be taller than each other. The ground is slightly sloped at the base of the lighthouse, so it isn’t exactly accurate, but it made for fun family photos - and some grumbling to go with it as they got older!
Our visits to Quoddy are a MUST DO every year. Our vacation never felt complete without a hike in Quoddy Head State Park. We would plan a day trip, pack lunches, say “hello” to the colorful lighthouse - complete with a family photo; visit to the rocky beach just off the parking lot, a hike along the coastal trail, and lunch on the boulders at Green Point. When our children were small, the bog trail was a favorite because it was flat and easy for them to navigate. They loved the boardwalk, learning about the natural peat bog and peeking inside the pitcher plants. We find it both eerie and mystical in the fog! They also love the rocky beach and trying to skip stones across the water. We never grow tired of Quoddy or taking so many photos of the landscape which is why I recognized it right away in Down East Magazine’s “Where in Maine” column. Every view is beautiful and we have been there in all kinds of weather - snow, fog, rain, sun, and heat. If you notice some of us are in fleece and long pants in July, which is why we love Maine. We love its rugged coast and cooler summer weather compared to Pennsylvania’s heat and humidity. We always watch the (outside) temperature gauge in my car drop 10 degrees when we cross into Quoddy. My favorite part is sitting on the rocks at Green Point and watching the water, listening to the wind and waves. I find it meditative and healing. It is a little slice of heaven on earth that restores my soul!
This story appeared in the
Jul/Aug 2022 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
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