We were all pleased that the water in Somes Sound was marginally warmer that it was at McGlathery. A pancake breakfast geared the students up for a hike to the summit of Acadia Mountain, on the western side of Somes Sound and part of Acadia National Park. After a quick lesson on the history of glaciaitons in North America, the students, Dr. Kistler, Emily, Scottie, Spencer and Drake headed to shore for the hike.

    With an elevation of 681 feet, the views from the trail are usually spectacular. The fog that was hanging over the Sound did restrict visibility to a certain extent but we were still able to see Greening Island in the mouth of Sound. Along the hike, students noted glacial striations on the bedrock that indicate the direction the ice sheet advanced. Once we reached the summit, we took an alternate route down the western side of the mountain which brought us to Echo Lake. Most students took advantage of the opportunity for a fresh water rinse with a dip, or several, in the lake.

   After a bit of relaxing at the lake, we headed back on a fire road to the shore of the Sound. Ty served grilled cheese and soup for lunch which the students enjoyed on deck in a moment of unanticipated sunshine. The vessel then got underway towards Bass Harbor with a detour into the southern end of Valley Cove, which the students enjoyed from the head rig. As is typical for this region, as soon as we passed Southwest Harbor, we were locked in a dungeon of fog. It persisted as we made our way our the Western Way and into the harbor.

    We let go the anchor in Bass Harbor and the students and crew departed for Southwest Harbor via the Island Explorer bus. After a couple hours of free time in town, we returned for a taco dinner complete with strawberry shortcake.

    After dinner, Cap told the students the history of the Tabor Boy and the Tabor’s sail training program. The Tabor Boy is Tabor’s third sail training vessel. She was built 1914 and was originally a dutch pilot schooner in the North Sea, before becoming a sail training vessel for a dutch merchant marine academy and came to the United States after World War II. Shortly thereafter, she was donated to Tabor, where she has been for 55 years.

    With a day full of hiking, swimming, shopping in town and both geologic and Tabor history, the students are nearly silent down below as they settle in to their bunks for the night. Tomorrow we will be headed for Mackerel Cove at Swan’s Island.