The “Finestkind” of Time

By Sandra Scott

For the “finestkind” of time in Maine combine a stay at the Cliff House in Ogunquit with a Lobster Cruise on the Finestkind. Of course, chocolate has to be part of the mix.

We arrived at the Cliff House in the afternoon and spent the next couple hours sitting on our balcony enjoying the sea view. When darkness arrived, we moved to the piano lounge where we enjoyed a Godiva Martini made with Godiva liquor, Stolichnaya Vanil and topped with chocolate shavings. A “finestkind” of cocktail.

Then we adjourned to the dining room and while enjoying baked stuffed lobster at “our” corner table with a floodlit view of the rocky shore, we made a casual comment to Jessica, our server. “It is interesting to think that there are enough lobsters in the ocean to meet the demand. We have done a lot of snorkeling and I don’t think we have ever seen a single lobster.”

“See those buoys out there?” she asked. “They indicate the location of lobster traps. Tomorrow you can go out on a lobster boat and learn more about it.”

We finished our dinner with the “finestkind” of dessert—Molten Chocolate Lava Cake, the Cliff House signature dessert. Sitting proudly in a pool of raspberry syrup the chocolate cake erupted with even more intense chocolate.

Taking Jessica’s advice the next morning we headed to Perkin’s Cove just a short drive from the Cliff House and signed on for the Finestkind Lobster Cruise where we received a primer on the lobster business.

Captain Grant explained, “I have 800 traps. My traps are the ones attached to the blue buoys with white dots.” After pulling up a trap containing a couple of lobsters, he measured them, tossed a small one back, and explained how to tell a female lobster from a male lobster. A legal lobster has to be between 3 ¼ inches and 5 inches from eye socket to the beginning of the tail. Thinking of all the lobster meals diners enjoy, I asked, “Do you think the lobster population is declining?”

Grant responded, “Because of good conservation methods, there are actually more lobsters now than when I started in this business decades ago.”

I had one final question. “What does ‘finestkind’ mean?”

“It’is Maine talk for the very best,” he said.

An added benefit of the informational cruise was the beautiful view of the Maine coastline. We agreed, the Finestkind Cruise was the “finestkind.”

We returned to the Cliff House, sat on the deck looking out to sea thinking about all the lobsters out there. We sipped our Godiva Chocolate Martini and headed inside for dinner at “our” table knowing that we would end it with Molten Chocolate Lava Cake. And, maybe, just maybe, another Godiva Chocolate Martini. The Cliff House, the view, the chocolate drinks and desserts, and our lobster-learning cruise were all the “finestkind.”

Visit www.cliffhousemaine.com and www.finestkindcruises.com.

Sandra Scott is a frequent contributor to travel publications and to Copley News Service and has co-authored two books on local history. She lives in Mexico, NY.

Photos courtesy of John Scott and Cliff House.

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