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Discovering Maine's Rocky Coast
With Jennifer Ellen Parker
Dead Duck, Eliot Maine
It's that time of year when you can wake up wanting another quilt on your bed so you throw on a sweater for the day but by lunchtime you wish you had worn shorts. Fall weather in Maine is both fickle and unpredictable at best and with school in session and soccer having started getting to the beach becomes an extra special treat. This week we found ourselves sneaking off to one of our most favorite best kept secrets along the rocky coast of Maine, Dead Duck. It is tucked away in Eliot, Me on the sides of the Piscataqua and offers up one of the few places left to bring your children and your dog anytime of the day, anytime of the year without needing a pass or paying a parking meter. We parked our car on the hill near the boat launch and let Meg out of the back of the wagon. The girls took off down the hill towards the trail that led onto the beach. Meg trailed close behind on her leash and nipped at their heals as their feet hit the soft deep sand along the river bank.
Dead Duck offers a long stretch of beach along the mouth of the Piscataqua. If you follow the beach along the river it eventually bends and reveals a very magical site for yourself and your children. There is a tall drop off covered in sand and fallen trees which creates a jungle gym of sorts for dogs and children to explore, play, and imagine. We set our things on the large roots of our favorite fallen tree and got busy doing what we do best there, getting lost in the moment and losing track of time. It's one of the few places where we can let our dog run free and know that she will stick by our side. Once we let go of her leash Meg usually finds a spot on the sand by the steep hill and takes a nap or she follows the girls on their "quest", always staying in sight.
The days are shorter now and so are our stays at Dead Duck. We've been known to return to our magical hideaway even in the middle of winter. We packed up our sweatshirts, snacks, and water bottles. Libby stepped on Meg's dropped leash so we could make our way back to the car. We stopped to admire the setting sun as it fell behind the buildings across the river. The sky was rich in color and smelled very much of fall. School had only been in session for a couple of weeks but the girls already seemed much older and wiser than they did this Summer. I shifted our things in my arms and called to everyone to keep moving so we could get home for dinner and ready for school the next day. Fall has arrived on the rocky coast of Maine and it holds many promises for adventure and fun as it turns the leaves along our coast a magnificent hue of brilliant.
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