The Hip Explorer by Kevin

Exploring Maine one step at a time. Photography, stories, and the journey that inspired The Hip Explorer.

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

A foggy day on the Schoodic Peninsula.

Not much of a view out toward the horizon, but I wasn't complaining. The fog had settled into the trees, the water was almost perfectly still in places, and Schoodic had a completely different feel to it.

📍 Schoodic Peninsula, Maine

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

The Hip Explorer: Found in Maine

Glad you came along.

This was one of the things I wanted to show you.

A short stretch of railroad track disappearing into the woods marks the site of Waukeag Station, once part of the Maine Central Railroad.

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

Here’s a pretty good hint about where I ended up today.

Come with me. I’ve got a few things to show you.

📍 Schoodic National Scenic Byway
📅 August 9, 2026

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

Before the harbor got busy.

📍 Belfast Boathouse | Belfast, Maine
📅 August 8, 2026

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

There it is.

📍 Belfast Harbor | Belfast, Maine
📅 August 8, 2026

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

Went looking for fog this morning. Found this instead.

📍 Belfast Harbor | Belfast, Maine
📅 August 8, 2026

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

A little color, a quiet harbor, and another Maine sunrise worth getting up for.

📍 Belfast City Park, Belfast, Maine
📅 August 8, 2026

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

On this evening, Megunticook Lake reflected nearly every color the sky had to offer. The clouds rolled overhead, the sun found one last opening near the horizon, and for a few minutes the lake mirrored it all.

📍 Megunticook Lake | Camden, Maine
📅 June 1, 2025

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

I found myself listening to a place that wasn't making a sound.

📍 Knight Pond | Northport, Maine
📅 August 2, 2026

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

It was one of those warm June evenings that makes you slow your pace.

The salt air, the sound of the harbor, and a full moon rising over the water. An older couple sat quietly down the beach.

For a few minutes, it felt like it was just the moon and me.

📍 Lincolnville Beach

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

I was driving to work like any other morning when the fog over Sanborn Pond caught my eye.

📍 Sanborn Pond | Brooks, Maine
📅 September 11, 2024

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

Every place has a story.

On this morning, Pemaquid Point wasn't just welcoming photographers and early risers. It was getting ready to welcome two people beginning a new chapter together.

There are worse places to say "I do" than a rocky stretch of Maine coastline.

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

I poured a cup of coffee, grabbed my camera, and headed out without much of a plan.

Before I knew it, I was standing at the edge of Knight Pond, watching the fog drift across the water. There wasn't much to hear besides a few birds and the occasional ripple on the surface.

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

I wonder how many mornings have started right here.

Coffee in hand. Someone beside you. Watching the Atlantic wake up one color at a time.

It feels less like a place to visit and more like a place to share.

📍 Pemaquid Point Lighthouse | Bristol, Maine
📅 August 1, 2026

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

Meet me...

Where the granite reaches for the Atlantic.

Where the morning arrives one color at a time.

There's always room for one more.

📍 Pemaquid Point Lighthouse | Bristol, Maine
📅 April 4, 2026

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

If you've got a minute...

Walk with me.

I'd like to show you something.

📍 Rockland Harbor | Rockland, Maine
📅 June 15, 2025

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

Not every sunrise needs to steal the show.

Some simply invite you to slow down.

If you're ever near Port Clyde before dawn, this shoreline is worth meeting before the rest of the world wakes up.

📍 Marshall Point Lighthouse
📅 July 18, 2026

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

Some mornings ask you to slow down.

The sun rose over Sears Island without much fanfare, painting the water with soft light while a lone sailboat waited for the day to begin. Every few steps offered a different perspective, and none of them needed to be rushed.

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

Not every sunrise announces itself.

Some simply arrive, filling the harbor with warm light while the pilings stand quietly waiting for another day on the water.

This one has been sitting in my archives since November 2024.

📍 Belfast Harbor, Belfast, Maine
📅 November 17, 2024

[The Hip Explorer by Kevin @HipExplorer]

I've photographed Big Jim before.

This time I stopped trying to take a picture of him...

...and started looking for a different perspective.

A few steps to the left. A little lower to the ground. One more walk around before heading home.

📍 Penobscot Marine Museum