Summer Gathering

This post is a copy of the email that I sent to everyone on Saturday, August 17.

Hello,

 Summer isn’t over yet!  It’s been a hectic one for me.  I wanted to get together with the class a few times, but scheduling hasn’t been in the cards.  My apologies.  The occasional times that I could plan ahead, the long term forecast didn’t cooperate.  This coming week, however, looks great.

So here’s the plan.  This Wednesday, the 21^st, I’m hoping to get some of you to go with me to the Morse Mountain Trail and Seawall Beach in Phippsburg.  It’s a nice two mile hike to the beach.   I thought we could meet at the school at 8am.  We could carpool from there.  The early meeting and carpooling is necessary because the parking lot at the trail head fills up.  I have a new vehicle and could take four (including an adult).  I don’t have a bus, or enough eyes in my head for that matter, for everyone to drop off their kid at the school and have me take them to the beach.  Parents, family members and friends are invited, (and needed).  This isn’t a school sanctioned event.  HBS just seems like a good place to meet, get organized and leave cars. 

Morse Mountain is owned by Bates College and is not a regular beach like Popham or Reid State.  It has no bathroom facilities.  No dogs are allowed.  Here is a list of other rules from the Bates website:

 

ENTER ON FOOT ONLY. The only vehicles allowed are those of researchers, residents, staff, or services.

ACCESS IS DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS ONLY. When the parking lot is full, access is suspended.

NO DOGS (or other domestic pets) ARE ALLOWED IN ANY SEASON.

FIRES AND CAMPING ARE NOT ALLOWED.

PROTECT THE PIPING PLOVERS AND LEAST TERNS, which nest and raise young on the beach sand.  If nesting birds are disturbed, they may abandon their eggs or chicks.  Please stay on the road or hard beach surface, away from marked nesting areas, and away from any birds showing protective behavior.

PLEASE DO NOT GO PAST THE RED POLE ON THE BEACH. The pole is at the dune edge, about a half-mile west (to the right) of the beach entrance.

PROTECT YEARS OF FRAGILE GROWTH. Do not climb on the rocks and ledges, or go into the back beach or dunes.

RESPECT ONGOING RESEARCH. Please don’t disturb markers, plants, or animals.

DO NOT BRING: Beach umbrellas, cabanas, radios and similar appliances, balls, kites, or bicycles.

PLEASE CARRY OUT EVERYTHING THAT YOU CARRY IN!

Here are the driving directions if you want to meet us there:

Take Route 1 north to Bath.  As you approach Bath, exit Route 1 onto Route 209 South (High Street) towards Phippsburg/Small Point/Sebasco/Popham Beach.

There is a ramp on the right, just after an Exxon station and before you get to the bridge or the Bath Iron Works crane.  Turn right onto High Street at the end of the ramp.

Follow Route 209 South for 11.6 miles.  Where Route 209 turns sharply left to Popham Beach, continue straight ahead on Route 216 for .4 of a mile.

You will see NO PARKING signs on both sides of the road as you approach the entrance to Morse Mountain.  Turn left on Morse Mountain Road.

Drive about 350 feet to the entrance of the parking lot on the left.  In the summer, there is a gatekeeper and booth at this lot.  When the lot is full, no more vehicles are permitted to enter until parked vehicles leave.  Vehicles may not park on Morse Mountain Road or on Route 216.

A two-mile hike leads through woodlands, salt marshes, up 180-foot Morse Mountain to an overlook, and on to Seawall Beach.

 

I’d love to hear from people to see if they can make it.  Also please let me know if you’d rather that I use a different email in the future as well, (or add one).  I used the emails from the school contact list and not from the sheets that you filled out for summer contact.  Sorry.  I know those are around here somewhere.  My number is 207 841 2599.  You can call or text your rsvp to me if you wish.  I’m fine with having some kids come without chaperones, but I can’t handle take too many, so please let me know if that is the case.

I was thinking that we could pack lunches, but without bathroom facilities, we would probably need to head out shortly after lunch.  We'll have to use the school bathrooms before we leave.  I would think that we would start hiking out around noon or 12:30, which would put us back in Brunswick around 1:00 to 1:30.  I hope this sounds good to people.  Let me know if you have any questions or if I am forgetting something.

Thanks.  I’m excited to see everyone.

Mr. Shea