Lubec

Last year Peter and I drove the Chevy to the most easterly point in the State of Maine.  In fact, it is the most easterly point in United States and that picturesque town is called Lubec.  This truly unique place borders our Canadian friends to the north and with a short ride over the bridge, you are in Campobello, New Brunswick.  To make the ride to Lubec, you have to be one of those people who appreciate what stunning natural beauty can offer.  Some say that this part of the state is isolated from the rest and in some ways there is some truth to that, which is why we went there.

Lubec is not one of those places that is designed as a Maine tourist attraction with t-shirt shops lining both sides of Main Street. This is the real deal. A rugged coastline that artists can spend their whole life trying to seek out to be able to capture on canvas. Fishing boats that still work those waters daily are found tied up in safe harbors and as far as the men and woman who work those boats, they will tell you that it’s a lifestyle that gets into your blood and Lubec is the setting that they are proud to call their home.

In the summer, this small town has become a destination point for artists and musicians.  It’s a dream come true for artists while aspiring musicians learn their craft from some of the best instructors in their field.  If you are looking for night life, you’re in the wrong part of the state because the sidewalks roll up after dark but the magic that this beautiful place has to offer, doesn’t end at sunset. The fact that Lubec is on the coast, those warm summer nights can bring in a fog bank that opens up a whole new visual experience that you cannot find in the heat of the day.  Shafts of light pushing through the fog that are coming from the windows of those picture perfect cottages can create a warm and welcoming glow and at the same time, can make you feel that you are truly isolated from the rest of the world. The haunting sound of a distant lighthouse is an ever present reminder that the ocean, with all its fury, is just outside your door.

The lighthouse at West Quoddy is without question one of the most famous nautical landmarks. You will find this red and white striped tower sitting on the edge of Maine’s majestic rocky coastline as well as in calendars all across the country.  When winter sets in and those nor’easters start churning up the coast,  this tourist attraction becomes a necessity in the lives of mariners.

Traveling throughout New England in search of the ideal shots, I run into small towns that are pretty much designed as movie sets were everything is picture perfect to the point where it is not realistic.  Lubec is very much the iconic coastal Maine town that offers everything that the State of Maine is most proud of and that is pure natural beauty.

The Eyes of a Falcon

If you are interested in capturing wildlife on camera, sometimes there is no need to travel a long distance from home. In fact, if you live in the Boston area, one of the most respected birds of prey can be found just overhead and that is the Peregrine Falcon.

If you have ever been walking through the Boston Common and have witnessed a small bird in flight virtually disappear before your eyes, leaving nothing but a few feathers floating to the ground,  most likely it was due to a falcon.  These incredible birds can drop out of the sky at speeds up to two hundred miles per hour and with pin point accuracy, can  basically take out whatever it wants. 

On a recent shoot at the Prudential Center, standing on top of the roof, I had the rare opportunity to be within ten feet of a pair of these incredible birds.  Moving closer about five feet at a time, my producer and I literally ended up standing right next to them. The female didn’t seem to care that we were there but the male was very much aware of our presence.  I was so close that I could fill the frame with his eye and to see that kind of detail was truly amazing.  I do have to admit while I was taking in this once in a lifetime opportunity, I was thinking about the stories of past photographers and reporters who have been sent to the hospital from falcon attacks.  They are incredibly territorial birds and I was very surprised that they allowed me to share the same space.  After ten minutes, they had enough of me and turned towards the open sky and literally just fell over the side and were gone.

Mexico

I had the opportunity not that long ago to travel down to Mexico for a six day shoot. The snow covered mountains of New England are inviting but I have to say that I would trade it in a heart beat for eighty-degree weather, blue skies and that warm Caribbean Sea and that is exactly what I did.

Our journey started with a morning flight out of Logan Airport, which got us into Cancun by early afternoon. This gave us plenty of time to shoot with the late afternoon sun, which all photographers call, the golden hour.  During this time, everything has that warm tone to it and in my opinion, the best time of the day to shoot.  Due to the fact that Cancun is so popular, after the show aired, a number of people came up to me and told me that they would love to have my job. I guess if you are sitting back watching the show, it just looks like this has been one big party for the duration of the week.  What most people don’t realize is that , we as a crew are working the majority of the time we are there. Some of my friends think I just hang around a pool all day drinking margarita’s which is funny because it is the furthest from the truth. Now don’t get me wrong, we do have fun on these trips but they clearly are not vacations. I kind of look at it as a great way to sample a place to see if I want to go back on my own. Considering that I saw most of it through a viewfinder, it will be a much different experience.

The beaches in Cancun are absolutely beautiful with incredible white sand, which is why it is a major destination for the spring breakers and tourist from all over the world. With endless hotels lining the beach, there is really a place for everyone. Unfortunately, we only had enough time to spend one day in Cancun so we packed up our bags the next morning and headed down the coast to a place called Riviera Maya, which is where we called home for the next five days.

Riviera Maya is one of those places that offer a variety of interesting things to see but so many people make the mistake of checking into their all-inclusive hotel and never leave the grounds. The hotels are stunning and so are the pools and beaches that go along with it but the fact is, you could be anywhere in the Caribbean because it all pretty much looks the same seeing the world from your beach chair. If you really want to experience a destination, no matter where you are, it is key that you venture out and explore because many times, it will be those hidden gems that you come across that will be the highlight of your trip

One of the places we dropped into was an isolated stretch of beach that offered a handful of small huts where you could stay for either a single night or a week. No glitz or glamour here. You will not find a massage table, poolside bar or a high end restaurant. What you get for less than twenty dollars a night is a roof over your head. There is no electricity or running water but instead a chance to experience part of Mexico that most tourist never see. As night falls and the temperature cools, the only light that you will see are the thousands of stars overhead and the amber glow coming from the lanterns inside the huts. With the palm trees swaying in the breeze and the Caribbean Sea only a few feet away, you truly feel like you are on some deserted island.

A shooting location that I will probably always remember from this trip involved crocodiles. We had a guide who took us into an area which were filled with these friendly little creatures that ranged from three to twelve feet long. They were literally all around us and because they were sleeping, we were told that it was safe. Everything was going great until our guide decided to aggravate one of the crocodiles so I can get a shot of how strong their bite was. The problem is that he woke up all of them and within seconds, we looked like a Thanksgiving diner. There truly was a moment of panic that came across not only my face but our entire crew including our guide.   Something about seeing a moving chain saw coming at you that would love nothing more than to swallow both me and the camera is one of those life’s experiences that will not be repeated any time soon. 

So as you are sitting in that beach chair having your drink of choice, listening to the music coming from the pool bar, and being drenched with that warm Caribbean sun, just remember that there is life outside of gates of the hotel and well worth experiencing. 

King Of The Arctic Circle

 

A few years ago , we boarded a plane to Churchill Manitoba. The reason for this trip was to capture what it was like to live in a town that is in the direct path of the migration of the polar bear. Despite their beautiful and somewhat playful appearance, we were reminded a number of times not to forget that they are the worlds largest predator found on land and considered by many to be more dangerous than the grizzly. They are fast and will not think twice about taking out a human and turning it into an entree. We are about to experience life on the edge of the Arctic Circle, a world in which man is the inferior species. What more can a photographer ask for?

As we were checking into our lodge, the tone was set for the week as we were told that a polar bear was spotted about fifty feet from the front door, so please be careful. There seems to be three rules that govern Churchill during this migration time. One is to leave all cars and homes unlocked because if you happen to surprise one of these giants, they will hate that as much as you will and there better be a safe place to run to or the life that you once knew is over. The other rules are always be aware of what is around you and don’t do anything foolish. Unfortunately, there are times when people do make mistakes, which is what happened to a guy who went food shopping and put two steaks in his pockets thinking that he was hiding them, and decided to walk home at night. Needless to say, to a thousand pound bear with a sense of smell of up to a mile away, he now has become a walking Thanksgiving dinner.

There are a few ways to see polar bears in Churchill. There are the tour companies, which take you out on the tundra for a day trip. You can also live in these portable trailers on wheels for a week. If you are one of those people that need a morning run, this is not the place to be because once your feet touch the ground, you better be training to be a marathon runner or you suddenly will become breakfast. There is also the back-up plan, which is visiting the town dump at night. It was highly suggested to us by our tour guides not to do this because it was very dangerous, despite the interesting shots we would get. That was like telling a child not to eat candy so, of course that was exactly where Mary, who by the way is afraid of nothing, our producer, Myles, and myself went. Driving along these winding paths at night through burning piles of trash seemed like we were going through the gates of hell. As we turned a corner, there in front of us gorging on food were three huge bears within a hundred feet of us. We were able to grab a few shots before sanity checked in and then we quickly realized that we were dangerously crossing the line. Thinking back, it probably wasn’t the smartest place to be but we came back with some great shots and a few good stories to tell at a party.

Without question, the worst thing you can do is surprise a bear in the wild. Due to the fact that we were out walking on their land, it was highly suggested that we hire a local sharp shooter to at least give us a fighting chance if we ran into a problem. As we were walking along, I asked our fearless leader with the gun how often he practices shooting and surprisingly his response was hardly ever. My next question was, how many guns do you own, thinking he must have a collection. His response, I’m really not a big fan of guns. So my choice at that point was to let it go and not say anything to the rest of the group or throw everyone in a panic a half a mile from the truck. Considering that he was the only one with a gun, I decided to let it go.

There were a number of highlights on this trip that included seeing a rare black wolf, a snowy owl and, of course, the northern lights. For me, probably the most exciting part of the week was when we went out with a crew to take down a bear that was causing some problems. After tracking this bear for some time, he was shot with a dart, put to sleep long enough to transport him to a safer place and released. During that time, I had a once in a lifetime opportunity to actually reach out and touch the head of a polar bear. It was truly amazing to see this beautiful animal up close that so many people fear. The entire time I was hoping that he wouldn’t wake up with me being the first thing that he sees. It was absolutely incredible and could very well be the highlight of my Chronicle career.

As our plane left the ground to return home, I found it almost impossible to take in all that I had experienced in one week. I also left with the understanding that the polar bear is not only a gorgeous animal but also deserves respect because he truly is the king of the Arctic Circle. 

 

Stories From The Road

Over the next few posts, I will be sharing a few stories with you that will forever be burned into my memory from being on the road with Chronicle. These are the type of stories that keep me doing what I do and that is primarily because it is never boring. 

 

 

Montserrat

 

A couple years back, we went down to the Caribbean to do a show on the island of Montserrat. The attraction of this island, besides it’s beauty, is the volcano. Among the many things to shoot that week, flying over the top of the crater in a chopper to see what an active volcano looks like close up, was on the agenda. Peter thought this was a great idea, which I agreed. The only thing that was not mentioned at the time of this great idea was that Pete had no intention of being in that helicopter. With the side door off and strapped in by a harness, the last thing I saw when leaving the ground was Pete waving with a big grin on his face that I have seen many times before in similar situations. What I saw through the viewfinder as we approached the summit was truly amazing. I felt like I was looking in the eye of a dinosaur. At one point, we went down wind to the smoke coming out of the crater and when that happened, the inside of the cabin filled up with black smoke along with a nauseating smell of sulfur. Even with this additional adrenalin rush, the most interesting part of that flight came after we landed because it was not until then that I found out that the safety harness that was keeping me alive while I was hanging out the side of an open door helicopter was held together with duct tape and literally came apart in my hands while trying to release it.

 

 

Alaska

 

A few years back, I had the opportunity to go to Alaska on a ten-day trip. Considering how much I love the outdoors, this was by far the best shooting experience I have ever had with Chronicle. One of the things we wanted to do was get some aerials around Mount McKinley. Considering how remote most of this state is, the pilots that take people from point A to point B are called Bush Pilots and they get that name because that can and will land in just about anything. We did find a pilot who was willing to take a TV crew up to the mountain as well as land us in a remote area. We wanted to capture those raw and untamed images of literally being isolated within nature’s domain.  I was in the front seat while Mary and our Producer, Clint was in the back. With a map spread out over the dashboard and the plane in a somewhat auto pilot mode; we headed toward the mountain range. At one point while shooting out the side window thinking that if this plane ever crashed, nobody would ever find us, Mary tapped me on the shoulder and pointed toward to the windshield. When I turned around, all I could see was the mountain face directly in front of us. It seemed that this pilot wanted us to know what it would be like to slam into the side of a mountain or at least come close to it.  This was an experience that I could have lived without but at the same time, something I will never forget.

 

Our last stop on this little excursion was to land in a remote location to get those pristine shots that only show up in calendars. With a few small rocks and a little strip of sand, our pilot thought this was a perfect runway. After a landing that should have knocked the fillings out of most people’s teeth, we came to a stop. It was absolutely beautiful and peaceful and the fact that wild salmon and bears were just at our fingertips, made us realize how lucky we were to be there. As we were packing up to leave, our surroundings quickly had a different meaning when our pilot informed us that the winds had changed and it was impossible to take everyone out at the same time. I am always up for a new experience but this was definitely not a good thing for whoever was going to be left behind. Mary ended up leaving first despite her adventurous outdoor drive to want to stay. Clint and I watched our little red plane slowly disappear in the distance and when that faint sound of the engine turned into complete silence, the reality of our situation became very real. We were standing in the middle of grizzly bear country with the only thing we had to protect ourselves with was a camera and a tripod. I have to say that this was by far the most unusual situation I have ever put myself into, and there have been many over the years. Waiting for that red dot to appear on the horizon was the longest half hour I have ever spent in my life.

 

Costa Rica

If your looking to plan a trip for a warm winter getaway that will offer more than Piña Coladas and white sand beaches, you may want to think about Costa Rica. You can still get beautiful beaches, high-end resorts and all the pampering that you feel that you deserve but it can also come with an added bonus, and that is adventure.

Costa Rica offers the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean and in between both, there is paradise. During our recent trip, we had six days to come back with stories and images that in the end only glazed the surface of what is offered there. The wildlife is amazing. It really is a photographers dream because you always have something to shoot that most people only see in a zoo. There are cloud forests that are home to birds that are seldom seen and only in this small part of the world, they call home. Having said that, the adventure does not always come easily.

Fortunately, we had a driver and a tour guide with us for the duration of our trip. Getting from place to place was not always easy, to say the least. There were times when we had literally a four- hour ride along dirt paths that were etched out of the side of mountains that had pot holes that would rattle the fillings out of most teeth. It always amazed me that we would travel for an hour and see nothing but wilderness and then all of a sudden, a small village would appear with a handful of houses and in a blink of an eye, it was like it never existed. It’s all part of the adventure to get to experience a modern day dinosaur, a volcano.

I have been around volcanoes on other shoots in the past but this one was very different. This is a very active volcano that always seemed to let you know that being dormant was the last thing on its mind. From the red ember glow coming from the craters edge at night to the deep rumble of what sounds like a distant roll of thunder, you quickly realize that you are witnessing something that very few people rarely see. Even though it has become a major tourist attraction for Costa Rica, the destructive power of this volcano is very real and always respected.

If that is not enough to get your heart going, you can always strap yourself onto a cable and fly from tree to tree on a zip line. For anyone that has never witnessed this, it is one big adrenalin rush. Most times, you are hundreds of feet above the treetops and moving at a very high rate of speed. At the time we were shooting this, it was our first full day in Costa Rica, with five more to go. The concept of me holding onto a strap with one hand and a forty thousand dollar camera in the other was not going to happen. It was suggested by the zip line crew that I should go first and then they would send the camera along by itself so I could get the arrival shots of Anthony as he approached the landing spots. As much fun as this may have been, nothing was worth taking the chance of having a H.D. camera dropped two hundred feet into a tree and ending the shoot. The only thing worse than watching your camera get destroyed is the fact that I would have to call Channel 5 to let them know it was my idea.

As much fun as this trip was, it was also an incredible amount of work for all of us. Living out of a suitcase for six days because we were changing hotels every night wears you down. Getting back late and turn it around and checking out by 7:00am daily takes a toll on everyone on the crew. Having said that, Costa Rica was truly a learning experience for me. To see monkeys in their natural environment as well as standing fifty feet away from a crocodile is pretty impressive. All good things had to come to a end so we boarded a plane and left ninety degree weather to head back to Boston, which was sitting at the zero mark. A ninety degree change in temperature in one day quickly makes you realize that reality unfortunately is back

Creating the Shot

Many people have asked me over the years what I am looking for when framing an image within the lens. The simple answer is to be creative and find something that the average eye would not see. What captures my interest is what is inside the big picture, and in many situations, that is what tells the story.

A perfect example would be the Grand Canyon. It is so expansive that at first glance, it seems impossible to capture the pure beauty in front of you. A wide shot will show the vastness of the canyon but will not show detail, which is equally important. You have to almost block out areas and when you do that, you will generally see multiple focal points to build your shots around. If possible, try to use foreground and background as part of your framing, adding another dimension to what could be just an average shot.

Taking a video camera out to capture “real life” can sometimes be a challenge because in some cases, real life is not what people want to see. Many times I am in a position of basically cropping out what surrounds my primary focus as if it was never there, which is where composition comes in. An artist working on canvas can create a world that is picture perfect every time; however, as a videographer, I am forced to work with the reality of what is presented in front of me. Nothing is created and it is always a challenge.

The advantage of working in a creative media is that there is really no right or wrong because every videographer has their own style. Some people like the idea of having the camera in constant motion zooming in and out of a point of interest. I personally would prefer to frame up a shot that is interesting and have the movement happen within the frame. To me, it gives the viewer a chance to absorb and appreciate what I am trying to show them. An example would be shooting Pete’s chevy. I want a background that sets the scene, but at the same time I want the chevy to be the primary focal point. By keeping a locked down shot, I can have that rugged Maine coastline as a backdrop and still keep the focus on the moving car. If everything was moving, my opinion is that the shot is lost.

A photographer basically stop the hands of time and captures life in a brief moment. What you see is created through a viewfinder and in the end, there is an image that can last a lifetime.

The Last Frontier

People have asked me a number of times what my favorite Chronicle shoot was, or if I had a chance to go back to just one place, what would it be. I have traveled to so many great locations over the years and I generally try not to compare them because each location has its own merit. Having said that, there is one place that has always been at the top of my list, and that is Alaska.

As a videographer, to be asked to shoot what many people feel is the most pristine location in the country, was an incredible opportunity. I also felt a certain amount of pressure to come back with images that would do justice to a landscape that demanded respect. Knowing that I would be pointing my lens at the same dramatic views that thousands of photographers have done before me, and to try to make it look a little different, was the challenge.

Joining me on this shoot was Mary Richardson and Producer Clint Conley. We arrived in Alaska in early fall with a twelve day schedule ahead of us to visually capture what this beautiful countryside had to offer, as well as come back with a few interesting stories.

Landing in Anchorage is like being dropped onto a deserted island. I remember looking out my hotel room the first night and seeing the twinkling of the city lights and then there was a razor edge of darkness. It was a little unsettling and peaceful at the same time knowing that the wilds of Alaska, which is something that I read about since I was a kid, was literally sitting at my doorstep.

The landscape of Alaska is rugged and absolutely gorgeous. Everywhere you turn is another post card or National Geographic cover. Bald eagles flying among mountains that seem to reach up to the heavens and glaciers that were formed thousands of years ago are shots that every outdoor videographer dreams about but rarely sees in person.

One of the many magical times we spent together over the two weeks was when we arrived at Denali National Park. We drove out toward Mount McKinley on a deserted road just before dusk. Stopping only a few miles out, we found ourselves in another world. It was completely silent. In fact, you could literally hear your heartbeat. In the distance, mountains that seemed so awe inspiring during the day, turned purple and gold awaiting a cool Alaskan night. A herd of caribou crossed the road to the left of us as bears wondered out on the tundra in front of us. It doesn’t get any better than this.

We did have the chance to fly with a local pilot/guide who took us up to the peak of Mount McKinley. Seeing the pilot with a map on the dashboard, a ledge wall in front of us, and a snow covered mountain below us, made it very obvious that we were either in serious trouble or in the hands of one of the best pilots in Alaska. He was a true bush pilot and could land just about anywhere, which he proved to us. After shooting in an extremely remote location, the pilot informed us that the winds had changed and he could not take us all out at once. We decided that if someone had to stay behind, it was not going to be Mary. With the pilot saying, I’ll be back, we watched our red plane take off leaving Clint and I out in the middle of nowhere. The only weapon we had to protect ourselves was a camera and a tripod.

Being on the road with Chronicle as you can see is never boring. Whether I am looking up at the northern lights in Alaska or shooting a sunset in Barbados, it is all a life experience that I never take for granted.

Shooting in HD

I can’t tell you how many times people have come up to me just to let me know that they love the fact that Chronicle is in High Definition. Being the first show in Boston to lead the way in this technology, I can say that it has been a challenge but rewarding at the same time. Chronicle has always been a program driven by visuals so it made perfect sense to put the show on the cutting edge from the cameras, editing systems as well as a new Control Room, which is where our show is mixed together live and then delivered to you at home.

The ironic thing is that when we made the commitment to change over to high Definition, most of our viewers did not even own a H.D. television set. In fact, I would say that the majority of our viewers still do not own one but the numbers are growing daily. For those that do, they are getting the best possible image available and as a Videographer, that is the ultimate goal.

From a shooting standpoint, capturing images through a H.D. camera has a new set of guidelines and demands. The obvious change is that the 4×3 screen ratio has turned into 16×9. What this offers is a much wider field of view, which can create beautiful panoramic shots. Personally, I love to shoot the outdoor type of shows, which means the more mountains and streams the better. With an H.D. camera, it’s almost like looking through a window because the colors are so vivid and the overall picture quality is incredibly sharp. Focus has now become extremely important as well as lighting indoors. With viewers at home owning 50-60 inch monitors, everything shows up in great detail, which means there is no room for error.

My hope is that we can revisit some of the areas we have profiled in the past, such as Alaska, Iceland and Hawaii just to name a few. I have had the opportunity to shoot in all three and I look forward to the day I return with this camera because they are all incredibly beautiful places. As a Chronicle viewer, I think you will be glad I did.

On The Road

Chronicle has been on the air for twenty-five years and there are many reasons for its success. Two of those reasons involve a 1969 Chevy and a reporter named Peter Mehegan. The “On The Road” series has taken Chronicle viewers on a guided tour of some of the most beautiful places in the State of Maine. Along the way, we have been fortunate enough to meet many interesting people and collect the stories of their lives to share with you, our viewing audience. I have followed the Chevy for years along winding roads that hug the rugged coastline to inland destinations like Moosehead Lake. We have traveled to small towns located just over the Maine / New Hampshire line to as far north as the Canadian border and beyond and have hit just about every small village in between. Having said that, each trip up north is a new experience and I look forward to every one of them.

As the season’s change, Peter points the Chevy northbound on 95 heading for Maine with me following close behind. There are a few traditions however and one of those has been meeting at the Diner on Rte 1 for breakfast. The itinerary for the next four days is spread out on the table next to a cup of coffee along with a well-worn State of Maine DeLorme map book. One thing that Peter prides himself on is the fact that he can find just about any spot in Maine with this book and rarely will ask for directions. After all these years, I can honestly say it’s true. I have followed the Chevy on main roads that turn into dirt roads that turn into logging roads and amazingly enough, we end up in the town we are supposed to be in, and on time.

We shoot these shows four times a year and hopefully hit them at a time where it brings out the best images for that particular season. I would say the trickiest show to schedule is the fall because we try to shoot during peak foliage and anyone from New England knows that planning in advance for the best week is basically impossible. The winter shows can be the most beautiful but they are also the most difficult because we are dealing with temperatures that many times are well below zero. In those conditions, the camera will freeze up as well as the Chevy. I remember a couple years back driving along an isolated road somewhere on the coast in the dead of winter. I was in my warm Explorer watching Peter scraping the ice off the inside of his windshield with one hand and holding the wheel with the other. There was obviously a little flaw in his heating system, which could have been anything from mice that built a nest under the hood, which blocked the heat to the hole we found under the floor mat that was large enough to allow a small dog to get through. The fact that the heater control adjustment was a screwdriver just made it a complete picture. I do have to admit I felt bad knowing that Peter had his hat, coat and gloves on just to stay warm while driving to the next location and at the same time, I had my coat off, listening to music with the temperature inside my truck sitting about seventy-five degrees, but that’s life on the road.

It doesn’t always work in my favor as we sat in my truck outside of a lighthouse up in Lubec waiting for the driving rain and howling winds to subside so I could get the shot I needed. This was one of those ocean storms that churned up the coastline and made shooting outside, lets say, a little unpleasant. Peter was next to me reading his newspaper when I heard a voice saying, “Bob, I really need the shot of this lighthouse”. As I was heading out the door in the driving rain to get my camera, Peter did say that I could use his umbrella if I wanted it. At that point, he went back to reading the paper and I proceeded to get drenched.

The Chevy as you know has had a complete makeover and is absolutely beautiful. The days of Peter being offered money for just the engine so it could be put in a lobster boat are long gone. Also gone are the squeaks and rattles that I have become so accustomed to hearing. What has stayed is a series that is dedicated to taking viewers to places that many people have never been to and in some cases, never heard of. There are those that travel to Freeport to shop at L.L. Bean and feel like they have experienced Maine. Others need to travel further north to the pristine wilderness of the great North Woods but the fact is, it’s all part of the State of Maine. On a recent trip for this TV crew, it was spending an evening at an Inn, which was once a Coast Guard station. With the eerie sound of a distant foghorn, this could have been a scene from a movie but for the people that live there, it is real life and real life is what we try to capture.