Waysides at Schoodic Woods Ranger Station

• Audio Description for "Exploring Schoodic" Wayside

  
  

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  Audio Transcript

  At Schoodic Woods Ranger Station, a wayside exhibit features a panel on the wall.

  The exhibit's title, "Exploring Schoodic, appears over an aerial view of a peninsula with a rugged coastline. The land-mass is partially surrounded by deep blue water.

  An arrow points to a location on the west coast of the Schoodic Peninsula between Frazer Point and Winter Harbor: "You Are Here." A one-way road 6 miles long loops around the tip of the peninsula, traveling along the rocky shore and past tranquil forests. Text notes that the distance around the entire Schoodic Peninsula, through Birch Harbor and Winter Harbor, is 11 miles.

  Symbols show locations of parking lots, restrooms, picnic grounds, hiking trails, and spots where drinking water can be found in the summer months. More information is available at the nearby Schoodic Education and Research Center.

  Text reads: "As the only part of Acadia National Park on the mainland, Schoodic gets fewer visitors than Mount Desert Island, allowing you to enjoy this place away from the crowds." An inset shows a map of the park with the Schoodic Peninsula's Winter Harbor a short ferry-ride from Mount Desert Island's Bar Harbor.

  Text appears with four small photographs arranged in pairs over the image of a frothy wave breaking over rocks:

  A bicyclist rides along a paved road. "Share the road. Watch for cars, buses, bikes, and wildlife. Carry plenty of water and obey the rules of the road. Bicyclists must follow one-way traffic and be prepared to ride the full 11-mile loop."

  A woman and a child of about ten hold a dog on a leash as they stand on dry rocks at a safe distance from the ocean. "Play it safe. The shoreline can be deadly. Rocks and algae are slippery, the water is cold, and the waves can be strong and sudden. Dramatic tide changes can leave you stranded."

  A few students help a researcher conduct a population survey of tidepool creatures. "Get involved. The Schoodic Education and Research Center connects the public to current park research through education, lectures, and citizen science programs."

  A gray-and-white gull perches atop a rock. "Keep it natural. Don't feed gulls or other park wildlife. Human food and garbage is not healthy for animals and can turn them into aggressive pests."

• Narrated Description for "Summit to Sea" Wayside

  
  

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  Audio Transcript

  At Schoodic Woods Ranger Station, a wayside exhibit features a panel on a wall.

  The exhibit, entitled "Summit to Sea," captures the essence of the Schoodic Peninsula in a variety of images -- its rocky landscape, the ocean and its inhabitants, and the decorating of baskets with porcupine quills.

  The exhibit's title appears over a photograph of a tree-covered slope leading down to the ocean. A visitor sits atop a boulder, gazing out at the spectacular view. A note: "On Schoodic Head, the highest point on the peninsula, shady woodlands give way to sweeping coastal vistas."

  A quote from Donald Soctomah, Passamaquoddy, Tribal Historic Preservation Officer: "Walk in respect on this land so in the next thousand years your descendants will enjoy the beauties around you."

  Text reads: "Schoodic - The name may have come from the Micmac word 'eskwodek' meaning 'the end' - a fitting title for this remote part of Acadia. Known as the 'Wabanaki,' the Micmac, Maliseet, Passamaquoddy, and the Penobscot are Maine's four federally recognized Native American tribes. Wabanaki people traveled and camped here for thousands of years and still have strong ties to this land.

  In the 1890s when the National park idea was in its infancy, John Moore, a wealthy businessman and Maine native, envisioned a summer recreation area on Schoodic Point. Donated by his family, this land became part of Acadia National Park in 1929. From summit to sea, past to present, the human story at Schoodic is interwoven with the area's natural splendors."

  A trio of photographs features a bristly porcupine, a round basket decorated with quills set in a geometric pattern, and an artist at work on a basket. "Throughout time, Wabanaki people have created and used objects such as porcupine quill baskets and birch bark canoes. These crafts reflect the beauty of a land that continues to inspire artists today."

  A photo of a tidepool teeming with life appears next to the image of a sea star. Five thick rays stretch out from the core of the pebbly pink animal. The colorful photo shows a cluster of blue mussels next to a few periwinkle snails with whorled shells, tufts of algae, crusty white barnacles, and a clump of rockweed fronds. "Tide pools - only accessible at low tide - are one of the many habitats that nurture Schoodic's rich variety of life. The difference between high and low tide here can reach 8 to 12 feet."

  In another image, patches of rockweed and algae form a slick coating over beach-side rocks. On the sides of a tall rocky stack, barnacles and plant life mark tidal zones in uneven horizontal stripes.

Tags: acadia national park, self-guided tour, self-guided field trips, orientation, interpretive exhibit, wayside, schoodic woods ranger station, maine, schoodic waysides audio tour