Last month we traded Florida’s sandy shores for the rocky terrain of mid-coast Maine to visit with my son and his wife and her family in the charming town of Damariscotta. This picturesque village, tucked along the Damariscotta River, welcomed us with crisp salt air, glittering water, and with all the oysters and lobster rolls I could eat!
The pace of life slowed as we drove our SUV along the quarter mile dirt driveway to our Airbnb. Our newly renovated captain’s house was left unlocked for us and I grinned with glee at the expansive ocean view we would be enjoying for the week. Harry hopped out of the car after the 2000 mile road trip from Florida anxious to mark his territory as Pete began to unload our bags.
Staying on the Mid-Coast
You can find everything from cozy Bed and Breakfasts in Damariscotta village to seaside cottages near Pemaquid Point. Pemaquid Point has a picturesque lighthouse you can climb ( it’s not very tall), check out a museum and walk along the rocks. Traveling with a pup? Many Airbnbs and some inns even allow dogs. Eating outdoors, dogs are welcome as well.
This area is popular among artists and many houses doubled as art studios. After viewing a few local artists’ work online I decided to visit Jan Kilburn’s home studio. The door to a room on the side of her house said, “Come in – I will be right with you”. Cool. I walked in and sure enough I heard a few voices in another room then Jan came out to talk with me. We had a lovely conversation and after I chose the lighthouse print I wanted, her husband took it inside and put a frame on it, just for me.
Damariscotta River
The Damariscotta River is more than a scenic tidal waterway. For over 2,500 years it has been an oyster paradise. Long before Route 1 or the quaint harbor towns, the Indigenous People of the Eastern Abenaki gathered oysters here and left behind enormous shell middens—ancient heaps of discarded shells that still rise up like quiet white cliffs along the riverbanks. Archaeologists consider these middens some of the most significant in North America, a testament to a thriving shellfish culture.
Commercial oyster farming, however, is a more recent chapter. According to the Maine Department of Marine Resources, aquaculture began on the Damariscotta in the 1970s. Cold, nutrient-rich waters, proved ideal for the slow, steady growth of the Eastern oyster. By the 1980s small family farms were seeding the riverbed, and today the Damariscotta produces the majority of Maine’s farmed oysters.
Tasting the River
Locals love to debate favorites, but for me the magic is in the variety of oysters. One afternoon we enjoyed tasting a few samples at The Shuck Station in downtown Damariscotta. Harry was welcome on the outside patio littered in oyster shells. If you come in late September, the annual Pemaquid Oyster Festival turns the entire town into a celebration of these shellfish, with live music, shucking contests, and river cruises.
In an effort to learn more about oysters, I continued my oyster pilgrimage at Glidden Point Oyster Farm, where visitors can shuck their own lunch right at nearby picnic tables. We had a private lesson on how to open oysters with a small knife. There’s something exhilarating about twisting a knife into a tightly sealed shell, feeling it pop open, and tasting a cold, briny bite of the river itself. Across the water, boats from other farms bobbed in the tide. Each farm’s oysters have their own subtle flavor, influenced by currents and salinity.
One evening, we left Harry home and joined a river cruise with oysters and wine tasting. This is the perfect way to learn about the region’s renowned oyster farms while sampling the briny treasures pulled fresh from the water. Our guides provided a few anecdotes about oysters, gave us two each from 5 different farms and paired a wine tasting as well. I brought along a bag to collect my shells for future shell art projects and soon got exposed. When other cruisers saw me collecting shells, they gladly handed me their empty shells too. I went home with the Mother Lode!
Beyond the Oysters
Of course, oysters aren’t the only draw. Damariscotta itself is a postcard of New England charm: clapboard buildings, art galleries, and the century-old Lincoln Theater showing indie films.
From here it’s easy to roam the mid-coast. Ten minutes south lies Pemaquid Point Lighthouse, where waves crash dramatically against ancient granite ledges. The lighthouse keeper’s cottage holds a small museum, and the view, especially at sunrise, is pure Maine poetry. Head a back along the river and you reach sandy Pemaquid Beach, perfect for a picnic and a swim but no dogs allowed.
Lucky for us my daughter-in-law’s family rented a house in nearby Bristol and their house had a private beach with kayaks. We all had a fun time visiting on the waterfront porch, watching a mink peek out from under the bushes, letting the dogs run free on the beach, swim (my son did – too cold for me) and kayak around the coves.
If you’re craving a longer day trip, follow the winding coastline to New Harbor for a cruise to Monhegan Island, a favorite of artists, or west to Boothbay Harbor for whale-watching cruises.
One afternoon we chose to visit Boothbay Harbor’s Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens to see the giant trolls. This amazing garden is over 300 acres along the mid-coast. The gardens are of course filled with beautiful flowers, ponds and arbors. We visited with a one-year-old who loved exploring the creatively designed children’s garden which encompasses two acres of woods, ponds, and theme gardens inspired by well-known children’s books by Maine authors.
My favorite part was the giant trolls. Danish artist Thomas Dambo’s magical, mysterious, and mammoth recycled-wood, 5 troll sculptures are hidden in the natural wooded section of the property. Using a map we found the trolls and took in the conservation message they send. Since Dambo’s work uses recycled materials, it reinforces the value of using what we have to create something new.
Lobster Feasts and Creative Sparks
Evenings meant lobster and oysters, of course. We slurped oysters and dipped the sweet lobster meat into warm butter until we had enough.
For years I’ve loved turning seashells into art, but this trip lit a new fire. Surrounded by these natural treasures, I felt an irresistible pull to build my shell craft business, creating oyster shell trinkets, ornaments, and coastal-inspired décor. The unique shape, texture and history of oyster shells all make a keepsake to remind me of places and people and the feelings they inspired.
A Teaser of What’s to Come
This visit wasn’t just a vacation; it was a spark. I returned home with bags full of carefully cleaned and selected shells and a head full of ideas. Soon, I’ll be sharing my first pieces, handcrafted oyster shell ornaments and coastal creations, each one carrying a bit of Damariscotta’s magic.
Stay tuned as I bring a little of Maine’s rugged coast to life in a new collection of oyster shell art. From river to workshop, this is just the beginning.
Moving Forward
Watching the waves come and go, I reflected on the past and how it all comes full circle. I spent a few summers in Maine when my cousins lived here back in the early 1980s. I even worked at a campground in Maine one summer. Oh the stories we can tell.
Now coming back to this beautiful state 40 years later I have a new appreciation for the natural beauty, making new memories and an understanding that life goes on.
I loved staying in this area of Maine and imagining the past lives of shipbuilders, pioneers sailors whose ships sunk along then coast. Life moves on, yet I keep returning to the water for nourishment and connection.
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