Waterfront Home in Bayside, Maine | House for Sale

And the views of Penobscot Bay are spectacular … [slideshow post_id=”563365″] You’re not familiar with the town of Bayside? Well, we’d have to say it’s one of the Maine coast’s hidden treasures. Located three miles south of Belfast and 16 miles north of Camden, Bayside was created in the late 19th century as a Wesleyan summer campground, but stopped “developing” in the early 20th century and froze in time. So, as you can imagine, finding something available on the water there today is practically impossible—unless, of course, you get lucky, as we recently did. It all started with our receiving a letter from Jim and Diane Huning, saying that after owning several small places in the Bayside area over the past 25 years, they’d built their “dream house” there overlooking Penobscot Bay in 2005. They named it “Finisterre,” from a geographic area in Spain that they’d often visited. The name loosely translates as “edge of the world,” which, considering its dramatic setting, seemed appropriate. However, as is the case with so many homeowners we meet in our moseying travels, the Hunings’ grown children and grandchildren are busy with their own lives now. “Time and tides change,” Diane said in her letter, “and now it’s time for us to downsize.” Thus it is that Finisterre is on the market this summer. Price: $886,000—and, for Bayside waterfront property, that’s a bargain. And so thus it was one day this past spring that we found ourselves traveling “down east” on Maine’s Route 1 to Bayside to meet with Jim Huning, recently retired from his position as program officer at the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C. (Diane wouldn’t be there, as she was attending a meeting of the Washington National Opera, with which she’s involved.) We eventually found our way along a winding, narrow road through Bayside and parked in one of four spaces we recognized from photos in the Hunings’ letter. We then proceeded to traverse a short bridge walkway to the top (third) floor of the house, where Jim came out to meet us with a warm “Welcome to Finisterre,” opening the front door for us. We mentioned the price as being “a bargain,” and we’d guess most would agree after entering that door. Immediately one looks out across a huge expanse of room, which includes a spacious living area with fireplace, the kitchen centered on an island surrounded by elegant soapstone counters, a dining area, and many large windows at various wall angles, from which one gazes out across Penobscot Bay. Truly, it’s breathtaking. There’s a screened porch off to one side, accessed through French doors—a lovely deck suitable for outdoor entertaining. Rather than go up to the master bedroom suite, in this house you go down to it. There you have, besides the master bedroom and bath, a guest bedroom and bath (there are 3½ bathrooms in total), a large dressing area, walk-in closets, a laundry room, and two decks (one for guests!). Again, Penobscot Bay is out there through many windows. The bottom floor, used mostly by the Huning children and grandchildren, has a separate bedroom with adjoining living room. Double doors provide access to still another deck, with steps down to the beach. From the beach it’s a short row out to a moored Rhodes 19 daysailor. For sale? Well, maybe. This floor also includes a good-sized workshop where the boiler and other utility operations are controlled. We might add that the entire upper floor as well as the master bedroom has an XM/Sirius radio control unit, and the home (3,042 square feet) has wireless Internet throughout. All in all, this place would still be a spectacular home if it were located somewhere inland. But, oh, those wondrous water views … For details, contact Blair Einstein at Blair Agency Real Estate, 24 Bay St., Northport, ME 04849. 207-338-2257, 207-323-9930 (cell); einstein@toast.net