Tuesday June 24th was a hot day for Washington County and the whole state of Maine. A few weeks prior the Maine Seacoast Mission and DCC had set their schedule for the Mission’s EdGE summer camp field trips to DCC properties. The original plan was to take the campers to explore Vining Lake Community Preserve. With the predicted heat and humidity of the day it was decided a few days out not to cancel but to change locations. The group visited DCC’s Denbow Point Preserve. A property, while not large, that offers a lot, especially on a very hot day such as Tuesday the 24th. While most other people in the state were exposed to some extreme heat, possibly staying inside near their AC or fan, the campers, staff, and I were surprisingly cool and comfortable.
Well… Not THAT surprising. We had moved the destination from the inland Vining Lake to the ocean-protruding Denbow Point for a reason. On days that are projected to be hot, it is always beneficial to find you way closer to the coast. The ambient temperature of the ocean water acts as mediator for temperatures. During the summer, temps will stay cooler near the coast than inland areas, and in the winter when bitter cold is predicted for inland locations you can bank on it being a bit milder in coastal regions. Denbow Point is a sliver that juts out into the Cobscook Bay across from Leighton Point and just south of Reversing Falls. At the end of the point you have ocean surrounding you on all sides but directly behind you. The coastal breeze allowed for a great time, escaping the strong heat while still getting the campers outside. Campers spotted a porcupine perched in a tree, observed and identified multiple crab species, picked shells of various species, and refined their rock skipping skills. All in all the campers spent two-and-a-half hours at the property appreciating the views and having fun outdoors. With the ocean breezes it felt like a nice sixty-five to seventy degree day, not the ninety-plus degrees almost everyone else was experiencing.
If you find yourself wanting to get outside on a day that is projected to be hot, head to one of DCC’s several coastal properties throughout Washington County, and defeat the heat.
By: Matt Kelley – Outreach Director