More and more, we (and many others we know) are using the available public trans options. Available car service will pick you up at your door at any time of the day or night to get you to Portland. We just sent the kids out that way at 3 am. I did the numbers, it was no more than driving, and I got to stay in bed,.... Even flying out of Rockland is a much better deal than many realize. This feature is making life more enjoyable here.

If I expect to hit traffic in mid summer (that's when we make the least passages down the coast on the road), I'll stay on 95 to Belfast area, and then take 17 to home. That amazingly doesn't add more than 15 or so minutes with no traffic. So it's a real plus in high season.

I haven't found the same about wind here (there's TOO much to the south), but agree on the cold water. We do like to swim off the boat so going south to warmer water is something we do regularly. Fog is not nearly as much an issue in this area as I expected.

No place is perfect, that's for sure. Lucky to have so much that is near perfect in this part of the country.