Nature's Call: Kennebunkport, Maine and The Hidden Pond

“

Those who dwell among the beauties and mysteries of the earth are never alone or weary of life. — Rachel Carson

As a child growing up in rural Jamaica, the outdoors was all I had — yes, a massive playground with lots to do and plenty of ground provisions and tropical fruits to eat. Because we did not have the luxury to travel overseas or to other parts of the island, I can recall the times when I never wanted my summer days to end.

Although our property was not a farm, we lived a farm-like lifestyle. On the property was a large pond with tadpoles that were often used for our mini science experiments, along with other pond settlers like our yard duck, Gertrude. Other farm animals included my pet ewe, Ann, rabbits, guinea pigs, cows, and chicken. Among those we had ground provisions and countless tropical fruit trees — passion fruit, bananas, yams, sugar cane, apples, soursop, star apple, oranges, ackee, coconuts, jackfruits, mangoes, cashews, cocoa, lime, plums, and guavas, among others.

The things we took for granted then are the things we now yearn for within our adult years. Often we wish we could go back to our childhood days and relive those moments. Our trip to Kennebunkport, Maine triggered those beautiful memories for both Gary and I — wishing we could return to those pure and pleasurable moments.

Partially, Maine answered our call. The activities in and around Kennebunkport and the Hidden Pond grounds provided for a great camp lifestyle: bonfire nightly, a visit to the classic Maine clam shack, heading out on a working lobster boat, relaxing in a treetop spa, cruising by former President Bush's compound, riding the trolley through Dock Square, early morning hikes along hidden trails, and bike rides through the historic neighborhoods.

The cottages at The Hidden Pond are earthy, intimate, and a welcoming respite that offer exclusivity without the stuffiness. Our stay at the luxury outpost and exclusive retreat revolved around nature and the outdoors. With elements and themes that evoked natural living, our accommodation was a one-bedroom spacious cottage called Hideaway, decorated with lots of branches and including all the amenities of home and then some. The refrigerator had a container of fresh milk and orange juice that was replenished every morning to accompany our breakfast bag, which was also delivered each morning after 8 am.

As important as trees are to the natural landscape for beautification, shelter, and erosion prevention, so are spas to resorts. And at the Hidden Pond, they understand that the body needs protection and rejuvenation as well, with the introduction of their unconventional tree spa. A trio of mini treatment rooms resembling bird houses is perched 8 feet high on sturdy wooden frames. Each room serves as a treatment room where facials and massages are done and are connected by elevated wooden walkways. These sanctuaries are as quaint and earthy as their surroundings and use 100% organic products from Farmaesthetics.

A 1956 Ford Country Sedan Station Wagon, Bessie, was the ultimate beach ride with a paddle board and beach chairs attached. She seats up to 8 passengers and drives like new. She is an antique, therefore required gentle and special treatment.

Dinners at Earth were simply appetizing. The restaurant is the newest addition to the resort, offering delicious meals, imaginative desserts, and small dishes prepared by James Beard winner and Boston chef Ken Oringer and his team in an open, friendly, communal, and relaxed glamour atmosphere. The menu incorporates locally sourced ingredients as well as produce grown on the farm. Our meals encompassed Kampachi sashimi with Japanese green onions, radishes, hon shimeji mushrooms, and kalamansi aioli; seared foie gras with strawberries, black olive, and long pepper crumble; Toro corn with aioli cotija and Aleppo; grilled skirt steak with potato gratin, beets, and horseradish; and fried chicken with potato salad, watermelon, crispy pickle, and spicy ranch.

We arrived early to avoid the long and crowded shack at lunchtime at the award-winning Maine Clam Shack for a sample of their lobster roll. The traditional roll was overstuffed with cold chunks of sweet lobster meat dressed in light mayonnaise — simply delicious. We had double orders.

Eighty percent of the nation's lobster comes from Maine, with over 60 million pounds of this delicious crustacean being harvested each year. So we reserved a private tour with Captain Bob on a working lobster boat, The Rugosa, a classic New England wooden lobster boat. For an hour and a half, we sailed up the Kennebunk River into the ocean towards Walker's Point.

Maine is the largest blueberry producer in the US, producing up to 99% of its blueberries. We thought it was only fitting to have a pick of our own, so we joined a group of berry pickers and filled our basket with a quart and a half of berries — the right amount to snack on for our trip back to Miami.

In the past, when hotels presented us with their comment cards, we ignored them. However, at THP we had no excuses. And our answer to the prominent question, "Will you visit us again?" — a definite yes. Everything was to our satisfaction, from the foie gras at Earth restaurant to lounging by the bonfire at nights before bed.

I feel privileged to have been able to experience life in the simplest form. The atmosphere at The Hidden Pond is easy to love and dissolve in. And on Kennebunkport it's going back to basics — to what really matters the most: living.

By: Daedrian McNaughton and Gary Sandelier