Saturday was a sunny day with gorgeous clouds and warm breezes. Bob and I decided to take our bikes on a ferry to Chebeague Island, a 1 1/2 hour ferry ride each way. We brought a yummy picnic for our time on the water. Biking was exquisite on this 3×1 mile island. It was peaceful, uncrowded, and a place where everyone in vehicles, as well as walkers headed home to and from the beach, wave to you and smile.
We stopped at many glorious beach spots along the way to take photos and simply enjoy. 11 miles later, we were ready to depart, BUT I discovered I LOST my phone. We retraced our route to the last place I remembered taking photos, and then back to the ferry looking everywhere along the roadside. No flattened phone in the road. No dusty phone on the road’s shoulder. No luck.
I had the intuition to stop and talk to a woman walking her dog. Her name is Kel. “I lost my phone.” Before I could say much more, she told me about the ways the islanders communicate via 2 online platforms, took my email address, and said she’d put the word out. She told me that everyone knows everyone on the island.
Because we missed our intended ferry, had to take the 6:30. Got back into Portland at 8pm, and then biked to our car about a mile away. All in all, over 20 miles.
When we got home, I had a email message that the phone was found. Kel went and picked it up where Kate had reported it was, sitting on the step by the Old Clam Shack. OMGosh!!! Kel and I talked on the phone about how to get it back to me. We decided the easiest way was for Kel to give it to one of the deck hands, Kim, to ferry it over on the shorter 15 minute ferry that goes to Yarmouth. So the next morning, we drove to meet that ferry at the suggested time.
In my previous conversation with Kel on the island, I found out she once treated herself to potato donuts from the best donut shop on the mainland, Holy Donuts. So I decided I wanted to do something for all the people who helped me retrieve my phone. I had Holy Donuts ready to give to Kim, the deckhand, for delivering my phone on the ferry. Then I met Propane Pete heading back to Chebeague, who’s lived on the island for many years. We had a nice chat. He kindly agreed to deliver my surprise thank you gift of holy donuts and a musubi (cane wrapped) stone that I made to dear Kel. So I gave Propane Pete some donuts.
So satisfying and fun to meet these lovely people and give back.
Twas an adventure yesterday for sure.
Island people are friendly and helpful, yes they are!
