Maine has 3600 miles of coastline

Did you know that the tiny state of Maine has approximately 3600 miles of coastline? It's an amazing place, full of islands, penninsulas, puffins, whales, light houses, lobster fishermen and quaint New England villages & towns. I first fell in love with the Maine coast in 1995 when I took a vacation to New England and spent two weeks driving around and doing nature & landscape photography. I originally thought that I could drive the coast and see it all in a week, but quickly discovered that I could spend years exploring the Maine coast and still not see it all. I was, however, able to see many of the highlights including a whale watch from Bar Harbor where I saw more whales (both quantity and different species) than I have anywhere else in the world, a sunset sail from Camden on Penobscot Bay and the southern beach towns of Wells, Ogunquit, York and Kittery.

I think it was then that I decided I wanted to someday live in New England. I lived in Maine for 7 years and currently live in the seacoast area of New Hampshire.

When I decided to form my new business SocialBeadia, LLC as a company that plans and hosts bead retreats and bead related travel events, I wanted to create a retreat environment where beaders could gather to learn new beading skills from fabulous instructors/designers, but also have it be a true destination event. We all need to relax, soak in some of the wonderful natural environment that Mother Nature has bestowed upon us and center our souls.

I started to plan two events for our first year and thought where better to center yourself and relax than at the beach. I remembered falling in love with the Maine southern coastal town of Ogunquit where tourists fill the beaches and streets during the high season of summer but where the quiet season brings fewer visitors and a truly peaceful experience. I quickly decided to jump in the car and go explore the area to find a potential facility to host our first retreat. I quickly discovered the Beachmere Inn on the Ocean. The Beachmere Inn has been in business for 78 years and is lovely beyond words. It sits on a point surrounded by rocky coastline directly on the Marginal Way (a 1.25 mile pathway along the coast). Every room has expansive ocean views.

We contracted with the Inn and will host our first retreat there April 21-24, 2016. Come join us along with Nancy Cain, Marjorie Barnes and Cynthia Rutledge. It promises to be a great weekend of relaxation, beading and socialization with both old and newly made friends.

To find out more about our first retreat, visit the retreat page.