ANTHONY: ONE MILE SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN OLD ORCHARD BEACH, THE MUCH QUIETER VILLAGE OF OCEAN PARK.
HELENE AND CARTER WHITAKER HAVE BEEN COMING HERE SINCE THEY WERE KIDS.
>> MY GRANDFATHER BUILT A COTTAGE THREE STREETS OVER, NEAR THE OCEAN, WHICHREMAINS TODAY IN THE FAMILY.
>> IT IS CALLED THE MAYFLOWER COTTAGE.
>> ON WINONA AVENUE AND IT IS WITH US STILL AND ALL OUR COUSINS CONTINUE USING IT.
ANTHONY: SUMMER LIFE AT OCEAN PARK IS SIMPLE, AFFORDABLE, AND SAFE, ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO GET INTO TROUBLE AT THE ICONIC SODA FOUNTAIN IN THE CENTER OF TOWN.
>> LIME RICKEY.
ANTHONY: FAMOUS FOR ITS HOMEMADE ICE CREAM AND RASPBERRY LIME RICKEYS.
OCEAN PARK WAS FOUNDED IN THE 1880’S AS A CHAUTAUQUA COMMUNITY, WHICH HAS LONG EMPHASIZED INTELLECTUAL AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH.
THE CHAUTAUQUA INFLUENCE REMAINS TODAY, OFFERING CONCERTS, -- LECTURES, WORKSHOPS, AND WORSHIP SERVICES.
THE WHITAKERS SAY LIFE IS SIMPLE BUT THE CULTURE IS RICH AND SO IS THE MEMORY OF WHEN THEY FELL IN LOVE DOWN BY THE SEA.
>> 1960 ON THE BEACH RIGHT HERE JUST ONE BLOCK BEHIND US.
DID NOT KNOW EACH OTHER.
SHE WAS THREE BLANKETS AWAY FROM ME.
I SAW THIS LOVELY YOUNG WOMAN WITH BLOND HAIR AND A ONE-PIECE BLACK BATHING SUIT AND I COULD HEAR A FRENCH ACCENT.
WHAT ELSE DO YOU NEED?
ANTHONY: THE YOUNG COUPLE ON THE STEPS IN FRONT OF CARTER’S FAMILY COTTAGE, AND TODAY STILL IN LOVE WITH EACH OTHER AND WITH OCEAN PARK.
MEANDERING THROUGH NEARBY SACO AND BIDDEFORD, YOU WILL LIKELY PASS THROUGH THE RACHEL CARSON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, WHICH SPANS MORE THAN 5000 ACRES ON THE SOUTHERN COAST OF MAINE.
STEVE NORIS AND HIS WIFE SUSAN HAVE BEEN VOLUNTEERS FOR SIX YEARS.
THEIR MISSION IS VERY SPECIES-SPECIFIC.
>> WE HAVE TWO BIRDS OF CONCERN, THE LEASE TURN AND TYPING PLOVERS.
THEY DO NEST AND RAISE THEIR YOUNG HERE AND HAVE LOTS OF CHALLENGES, NATURAL AND MAN-MADE, FROM THE OCEAN LEVEL RISE AND WAVES WASHING THEM AWAY TO DOGS AND OTHER PREDATORS ON
THE BEACH.
WE ALSO HAVE YELLOW SPOTTED TURTLES AND NEW ENGLAND CON RABBITS -- CAUGHT IN RABBITS.
ANTHONY: THIS IS ONE OF MORE THAN 500 WILDLIFE REFUGES IN THE COUNTRY AND OFFERS A VARIETY OF TERRAINS, FROM OPEN OCEAN TO FOREST AND MARSH.
ANOTHER PRIORITY FOR THE NORRISES, SETTING UP THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT FOR BEES AND BUTTERFLIES.
>> THE GARDEN IS AN EFFORT WE ARE MAKING TO ATTRACT MORE BIRDS AND BEES AND POLLINATORS BECAUSE THEY ARE NECESSARY TO THE SURVIVAL OF ALL LIFE ON THE PLANET.
ANTHONY: THE REFUGE HAS DOZENS OF VOLUNTEERS LIKE NORRIS, WHO HELPED VISITORS UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF EVERY SPECIES.
>> THIS IS CURTIS CO..
IT HAS BEEN KNOWN BY MANY NAMES, BUT IT IS AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN BY LOCAL PEOPLE AS STINKY BEACH.
THAT IS BECAUSE THE SEAWEED DOES NATURAL ROTTING.
THAT IS GREAT FOR THE BIRDS AND WILDLIFE BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE BUGS THAT LIVE IN THE SEAWEED.
WE ARE RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A THUNDERSTORM, SO HOPEFULLY WE WILL STAY DRY.
ANTHONY: ANOTHER JEWEL STRETCHING BOTH NORTH AND SOUTH OF OLD ORCHARD BEACH, THE EASTERN TRAIL OF SOUTHERN MAINE, A FAVORITE AMONG BIKERS, BIRDERS, AND HIKERS.
THIS PARTICULAR PIECE MEANDERS THROUGH THE SCARBOROUGH MARSH, THE LARGEST IN MAINE.
DIANA NELSON OF THE EASTERN TRAIL ALLIANCE.
>> OUR TRAIL GOES FROM KITTERY DOWN SOUTH UP TO SOUTH PORTLAND.
THAT IS ABOUT 65 TOTAL MILES.
A THIRD OF THAT RIGHT NOW IS OFF-ROAD, SO TRAIL WE SEE HERE NOW.
ANTHONY: BUT NELSON SAYS TWO PIECES OF THE ROUTE TO PORTLAND ARE MISSING, INCLUDING A BRIDGE OVER THE NONESUCH RIVER THAT WASHED AWAY SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO REBUILD THAT MISSING LINK.
>> WE HAVE GOT A LARGE FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN GOING ON TO RAISE ALMOST $4 MILLION, WHICH WOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO TRAVEL FROM DOWNTOWN SACO ALL THE WAY TO SOUTH PORTLAND.
THEN IT IS JUST A QUICK HOP OVER THE BRIDGE AND YOU ARE IN THE OLD PORT OF PORTLAND.
ANTHONY: WITH $4 MILLION RAISED, THERE IS OPTIMISM THE PROJECT WILL BE COMPLETED SOON.
>> WE FEEL EXCITED BECAUSE WE HAVE HAD SO MUCH SUPPORT.
ANTHONY: THE EASTERN TRAIL IS PART OF THE PROPOSED EAST COAST GREENWAY, A PROJECT THAT AIMS TO CONNECT 3000 MILES OF URBAN PATHS FROM CALAIS, MAINE, TO KEY WEST, FLORIDA.
MAINE’S DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION HAS COMMITTED $2 MILLION TO THE PROJECT.
BIDS FOR CONSTRUCTION ARE EXPECTED TO GO OUT IN EARLY 2019 AFTER THE FINAL DESIGN IS COMPLETED.
RIGHT NOW, ABOUT 30% OF THAT TRAIL IS OFF-ROAD.
THE HOPE IS THAT IT WILL ALL BE OFF-ROAD ONCE IT’S DONE.
BIDDEFORD USED TO BE CALLED STINKTOWN.
AND NOW IT’S CHASING THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS.
BIDDEFORD SH