Welcome to the first entry of the Camden Downtown Business Group’s blog.  While I am a downtown gallery co-owner, for the record, this blog won’t be all about business or overly serious…it’s a blog, and I intend to have a little fun with it!  If you’re reading this, I’m imagining it’s because you’re home, which in my mind is the very specific place of “elsewhere,” and you’re reading either because you want a taste of Maine to remind you of your trip(s) here or you want a hint of what’s awaiting you in our cozy and quaint seaside village.  So welcome!

Now that an introduction is out of the way, I’d also like to make another entry for the record:
My first ocean swim of the season was on July 9th. It’s so tempting to take this opportunity to lament over the late start to summer this year–ALL THAT RAIN!–but, not to jinx us, I believe we’ve turned a corner… I was out at Beauchamp Point for lunch and a little reading, and though I had my suit on, I had no intention of swimming until someone else took the literal plunge–ah, the power of suggestion!  I had to go in!  Beauchamp is one of my favorite spots in the world; I always say, if Beauchamp Point–with its craggy rocks, rolling dirt road, serene woodsiness, views of Rockport Harbor and Indian Head Light–were a desert island and I were stranded there, I would be totally happy (with, of course, those five books and five albums I’ve hypothetically selected over the years to accompany me)!

I actually had a prime opportunity to take my first dunk over the weekend of the Fourth.  During brief respites from the rain storms, my sweetie and I managed to sail all three days of the long weekend, but it just wasn’t swimming weather.  (If you’ve never had the chance to dive off a (preferably slow-moving) sailboat into the ocean, I highly recommend it–to me, the experience screams Maine and refreshing and summer and freedom all at once, which is so apropos for Fourth of July Weekend, and, in fact, that was how I spent the weekend of the Fourth last year…)  Anyway, the first afternoon we barely left Camden Harbor due to a heavy bank of fog rolling back in with the tide–that, by the way, was the very same dense moisture system that sadly obliterated our fireworks–but by Sunday we were full-day cruising up the coast to Lincolnville!  These waters, also known as Penobscot Bay, are reputedly some of the best sailing waters in the world because of the scenery–there’s never a dull moment out there between the enchanting islands, watching the changing topography of the coastline, or looking for seals; I suppose one could argue that being a native makes me biased, but I’d argue that familiarity can also make one more critical.  Whichever the case, our area is truly magnificent.

The weekend of the Fourth is the official kickoff of summer.  Walking around Camden now there’s a palpable energy–the sun is shining and we’re all in full swing.  There’s something unique about living in a town that has the extremes of Camden, Maine; there’s a camaraderie no matter the time of year.  Right now, everyone’s busier; when we see each other at the bank or the local markets, we’re all a bit more frantic.  We’re definitely working longer hours; perhaps we have out of town guests we’re planning a lobster dinner for; or hurrying out for that picnic and hike on our day off; or rushing to catch up with friends sitting on a deck somewhere for a beer.  Or maybe we’re anxiously anticipating that first summer swim in the ocean!

–Elizabeth