Ryan and family bring summer to Maine from Florida

Well the title may be a little bit of a stretch of imagination, but I am pleased that the weather turned to summer the week of the Fourth of July that oldest son Ryan and family arrived from Florida for a week. And a great week it was!

The week began with breakfast at the Airport Diner in Manchester. Nana missed her girl Charlotte - and mom Melissa too!  

After they visited friends and other family we all met at the boat in Maine. Ryan was comfortable back at the helm. 

And I decided that it was finally time to let him dock the boat in it's slip when we returned the next day. He was a happy boy. And he even got me by jokingly indicating that he was going to drive over the Indian point ledge - and I fell for it. He was doubly pleased. Ryan - I added this section specifically for your reading pleasure.  

In Boothbay we had all the clan Charlotte, Melissa, Mitchell. Tom, and Joe ready for lunch.

And I have say this is always one of my favorite photo sites for a family photo.

And what else do you do when you arrive in Boothbay - go to the shops of course - right Mitchell?

And then you have to stop at the Ice Cream shop. And put a pin in the map where you are from.

We stayed in Boothbay the night with some staying on the boat and some in the Fisherman's wharf hotel seen on the right. It worked out great!!

The next day we were able to stop for a visit at Burnt Island - seen to right of the photo. It is right off the entrance to Boothbay Harbor and guided ships the last few miles into the harbor.

Captain Ryan ferrying passengers ashore.

The island is small but it never fails to impress me with how beautiful it is. 

The ledges right out into the sea and beg to be explored.

And the loose rocks are an open invitation to make your own monument testifying to your visit - right Charlotte?

What is interesting to think is it will only be a matter of time before a storm knocks down our monument. But we will rebuild next year!!!

And we arrive at the side with the lighthouse - lead on Mitchell!

I have stopped here countless times - and this is first time we were able to get inside the lighthouse. Steve, who actually lived on the island while his father was the lighthouse keeper, was our guide.

And after a day on the water everyone was hungry. We finished the day with a visit to the Taste of Maine. And Ryan and I shared "the world's largest lobster roll!" Yum.

 It was a great time and getting of a room in Boothbay really made it a perfect time on the boat.