Reversing Water Falls
Mahar's Point
Pembroke, ME
September 18th, 1999
Wandering 
the
back roads of Maine is an nature lover's paradise. Nature abounds
with all its rugged landscapes, large, strong and attractive.
Everywhere we turned we were confronted with Maine's stark,
pristine beauty. On the coastline we found the most profound
changes. The ocean and its tremendous tides cause strange and
unusual natural wonders. The reversing salt water falls at
Mahar's Point in West Pembroke was one that we discovered. This
half-mile long set of falls in undoubtedly one of the least known
but most fantastic natural phenomena in the country. Through a
300-yard gap passes most of the tidal flow which alternately
fills and drains both Whiting and Dennys Bays. 
The salt water flows at a 25-knot speed into the bays
over jutting rocks which cause the "falls" effect. As
the tidal current slows, the roar of the water gradually
diminishes until at slack tide the channel is like a mirror and
the sound of birds and the 
wind in the
trees can be heard again. Gradually, the direction of the water
changes and the seaweed is swept in the opposite direction,
ripples appear around the jutting rocks and within ten minutes
the six-hour long roar has begun again. Lying along the rocky
shoreline are hundreds of fossiliferous rocks bearing imprints of
ancient shell forms. The Washington County Development Authority
and the town of Pembroke, 
have build a
two-mile long road and picnicking area into the Falls. We sat on
the banks and wandered the shores as the tide came in and then
went out again as Seals played on and around the rocks in the
falls. I worked my way partway through the thick woods and
partway down the rocky shoreline to get to a distant ship wreck
at the very 
end of one of the inlets. I sat, all
alone, with the sound of nature resounding all around me.
Chipmunks scampered and birds flew. An eagle soared overhead,
while a caterpillar quietly consumed its lunch beside me. The
loneliness of the shipwreck, bleak and abandoned, seemed to
personify this part of Main's rejection of the human invasion.
Although civilization was no more then a half hours hard walk
back, it was like I had left the influence of mankind for a
moment. I sat quietly on a large stump and watched and listened.
This world was in harmony with itself.
NOTE for RV'ers: while the road was passable I wouldn't recommend it for rigs as the last part was a narrow gravel road.
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