DownEast, nature’s bountiful show starts early

In Maine, everything is shaped by nature—even the concept of direction. The state’s DownEast region takes its name not from the mapwise idea of down (in other words, south), but the downwind that blew sailors northward from New York and Boston.

This stretch of Maine’s easternmost territory is defined by natural extremes and superlatives: the sunrises here are the earliest in the continental U.S., and the tides the highest. The largest whirlpool in the Western Hemisphere, Old Sow, is found in the waters here, off the coast of Eastport. Yet National Geographic photographer Pete Muller’s recent excursion in DownEast was punctuated by many moments of complete calm. 

“One of the things that’s most incredible about this place is the interplay between the ecology on land and the ecology in the water,” Muller said. “To have this incredible, vibrant forest ecology right up against this remarkable biodiversity in the ocean is really special.”

Muller took in the first morning light to hit the United States at the West Quoddy Head Light station, a red-and-white striped lighthouse that dates back to the early 1800s. The thick fog filtering the sun’s rays is both awe-inspiring and characteristic of mornings in this part of Maine, Muller said.

The light station sits within the 541-acre Quoddy Head State Park, which has four hiking trails ranging from a short walk to a rocky, steep climb. Every option combines forest and wetlands with coastal views. Visitors to the area can also check out the town of Lubec, gateway to Canada’s Campobello Island and the site of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s summer home, which is open to the public from late May into October.

The sunrise at West Quoddy was a perfect prelude to a kayak voyage along Cobscook Shores, a series of 20 park preserves strung along Cobscook Bay. Miles of hiking, walking, and biking trails, plus picnic sites at each of the 20 parks, guarantee an abundance of ways to enjoy nature here.

Heading to Eastport, which is about three miles north of Lubec by water or 50 minutes by car, Muller visited America’s last traditional stone-ground mustard mill at Raye’s Mustard Mill, a bustling museum and the site of a 125-year-old business operated by fourth-generation owners.

Another popular stop in Eastport, the Tides Institute and Museum of Art, hosts contemporary artists through a residency program, while providing a window into the state’s artistic history—one that includes greats such as Winslow Homer and Andrew Wyeth.

A visit to Maine isn’t complete without a boat tour. One quintessentially Maine option is a voyage on a windjammer, instantly recognizable as the type of historic sailing vessel you often see mounted in bottles. Maine is home to the largest fleet of these traditional tall ships in the Americas, and many of them are available for multiday trips.

Charter boats also head out on whale-watching tours that last a few hours; Muller set out from Eastport with Captain Buck from Eastport Windjammers. “Within minutes of leaving the dock, we were looking at whales,” Muller said, adding that he also saw porpoises, eagles, and tidal whirlpools. It was another example of an only-in-Maine sensory cornucopia. 

“Seeing that much wildlife and that much life in the water such a short distance from the dock is pretty amazing,” Muller said. “There aren’t many places in the world you can do that.”