A day in the Life: Photographer’s Winter Trip to Maine
Nubble Lighthouse located in York Maine photographed in the winter time.
A Quick Snapshot
February probably wasn’t the -best- time of the year to go, during our typical New England freeze (when I tell you I did NOT dress properly and was freezing my cheeks off).
But sometimes you just get sick of finding reasons to say no to experiences! I took a trip up with my girlfriends and we only needed a few hours to see all the spots listed (and a few more too).
So, here’s my super quick roundup of places we explored in Maine for the day ->
Southern Maine Highlight Reel
Alright, I gotta confess… Tell me why I have lived in New England my entire life and I have probably (in my adult life) went to Maine only a handful of times.
Like… MAINE IS SO BEAUTIFUL!!!
As an eco-lover and avid road-tripper, there’s so much to love about the state:
Acadia National Park (duh)
Ample + Diverse Wildlife Year-round
Stunning Coastlines (often the mountains meet the seas)
Some of the best beaches you’ll ever witness
Nubble Lighthouse, York Maine
One of the world’s most photographed lighthouses!
There are about 50 FREE parking spots on the premise that make this a great spot for tourists to stop in and snap the iconic lighthouse island. I had fun walking on the large rocks that meet the ocean to try and snap pics of the birds in the water and diving for food.
Personally, the lighthouse was definitely shorter/smaller than I expected it to be.
You would not believe how many people were there to snap pics even with the frigid temps. So many people came and went in the 30 minutes we were taking pictures and exploring in.
Female bufflehead duck swimming in the protected waters next to the Nubble Lighthouse in York Maine
Eco Spotlight: Bufflehead Duck
Small (of the our smallest), diving ducks native to North America.
These little guys prefer open, sheltered waters like those of Perkin’s Cove and the waters surrounding Nubble lighthouse from late fall to early spring. Here, they dive for small invertebrates, mollusks, and crustaceans. In the spring/summer, they’ll head north to Canada and Alaska to breed in boreal forests.
The males have a large white patch on their head, so I think this is a female pictured above.
four seagulls hanging out in the intertidal zone on Ogunquit Beach in the winter
Ogunquit Beach, Maine
Consistently voted one of America’s favorite beaches, it’s easy to see why.
In the off-season, tourists and locals alike flock to this haven for shopping, delicious eats, and views sure to stun. We walked around the beach and snapped some pictures of the locals (seagulls LOL). Because it’s the off-season here, we got to see so many dogs enjoying the beach as well.
We saw so many dogs, large shells, and plenty of puffy seagulls.
Fishing boats anchored in Perkins Cove in the winter
Perkin’s Cove, Ogunquit Maine
Known for the Marginal Way trail that connects the cove to Ogunquit Beach. Over a mile of paved trail accessible in warmer months, but in the winter was covered in so much snow. Unfortunately we weren’t dressed for the trek, and the wind coming off the Atlantic was so cold we didn’t dare risk the elements.
With the deep snow, we opted to stay right in the cove parking lot.
Lucky enough to see an Eider (?) hanging out by the dock. Unlucky enough to forget to bring my zoom lens to actually get a good picture of said eider...
Common Eider standing under bridge on the shore of Perkin’s Cove
Eco Spotlight: Maine’s Common Eider
I struggled so long to try and figure out what this bird was! Apparently these birds are typically spotted in flocks, but this dude was just hanging out by himself in Perkin’s Cove (I kinda feel bad for him). You’ll often see them resting during high tides, or diving to pry mussels off the rocks along the coast.
These big boys are year-round Mainers, preferring the rocky coastlines, islands, and bays (specifically in the middle of the coastline). Probably most easily identified by the sloping forehead/bill silhouette, and a distinct green patch on the back of the male’s heads.
Smiling New England photographer posing on Ogunquit Beach and trying not to freeze her cheeks off!
Don’t make the same mistakes I did!!
My top takeaways from this brief trip:
1.Wear a windbreaker, neck gaiter + pack layers
the windchill was INSANE out on the coast here
I have edited the red out of my cheeks, but you could’ve color-matched me to a tomato
notice how I’m not wearing gloves so I’m hiding my hands in my pockets…
2. Pack snacks to eat between locations
most of the restaurants and cafe’s in the area were closed when we visited
this is unfortunate, because my friend was really craving a fresh hot lobster roll
you’ll absolutely want to pack a lunch and bring it up, or grab food in northern MA/NH before crossing into Maine
3. Take more pictures!!
do I really even have to say it?
I got ONE selfie with my friends while we were up here. If you know me, you know that is basically an epic failure.
Honorable Mention
honorable mention: know what wildlife to lookout for beforehand instead of trying to figure it out on the spot!!!
The “big fat black and white pelican looking bird” apparently wasn’t descriptive enough to help provide enough context for identifying a common eider without having a picture to show people.
Don’t be like me! Look up what kind of wildlife you can expect in different areas and what their identifying characteristics are!!
And remember: life is way too short to find so many reasons to say NO. Stop creating obstacles between yourself and your ideal life.
