I could still see the ferry as I arrived, panting, at the wooden dock. The boat was about 50 feet to sea and its wake nearly touched the narrow platform where I stood, straddling my bike and contemplating whether to dive into the water and swim after it.

It was a Thursday. I was on Chebeague, the largest island in Casco Bay. And I had just missed the 6:45 p.m. ferry, the last one back to Portland that day.

This was not meant to be a story about getting stranded on Chebeague. This was supposed to be a story about the things to do and see on one of Casco Bay’s most unspoiled large islands. But that’s not what I was thinking as I pedaled away from the dock, back into the lush greenery of Chebeague. (Actually, what I was thinking was, “How cold is it going to be tonight?” And, “Could I possibly sleep in the field I had passed about a mile back?”)

This was supposed to be a story about where to shop and eat on Chebeague, and what trails to walk and what beaches to go to. These places do exist. And before being stranded I had seen them. Island Riches, for example. A store composed of a very small outbuilding stuffed to the gills with trinkets and crafts, located a hundred yards from the ferry dock and owned by Florence Rich. And Doughty’s Island Market, a small grocer that sells coffee and pastries as well as general provisions. These were the sort of places that were meant to take up major inches in the account of my time on Chebeague. Not how I got soaked and froze as I slept in a field.

I took a turn in the road and slowed my bike to a crawl. Ahead of me in the street was what, at first, looked like road kill. As I got closer I realized it was actually two fox kits lounging beside their burrow, which seemed to run underneath the road.

The boys – I thought they were boys, but I’m not sure why I assumed this – were curious and timid in turns. At 50 feet away I got off my bike, took out my camera and crept toward them. Every few steps I took, the kits would dive into the burrow, quickly poking their heads out, then, as if gaining confidence, they would crawl out again. The closer I got, the lower I got to the ground, until I was about 15 feet away. The kits never left. They let me take several pictures and then I got up and went back to my bike. As I rode past them, they continued eyeing me curiously.

I rode across the island on North Road until it merged with South, and shortly after turned onto the unpaved Moulton Beach Road, riding to its end. I dismounted and walked onto Hamilton Beach, one of several beaches on the island. The sun was still in the sky, but from behind me it cast yellow, sideways rays across the beach and sea. The beach was empty. I sat and watched the Atlantic churn. I thought that perhaps missing the ferry would turn out to be a good thing. Certainly, so far, the day on this green, quiet, friendly island had been just what a visitor would order up.

Enjoying ‘their place’

Chebeague is the largest island in Casco Bay, at about four miles long and about a mile wide. Though it’s only a 15-minute ferry ride from Yarmouth’s Cousins Island terminal, it’s 10 miles and an hour and 20 minutes from Portland. But whether a short ferry ride or long, the island feels remote. At least as far as some Casco Bay islands go.

Chebeague is not as developed as Peaks Island, for example, and its population in the summer months doesn’t swell to the same extent. There are businesses on Chebeague, of course. There’s Doughty’s, The Niblic, the Clam Shack and the Chebeague Island Inn, sure. But there’s no downtown. (Ha!) There are no trendy shops waiting for you just steps from the ferry landing.

Chebeague is a town within Cumberland County, seceding from the town of Cumberland in 2007. Its year-round population is about 400, in contrast to roughly 1,600 in the summer. To put this into perspective, the Peaks Island population explodes from 800 year-rounders to more than 6,000 in the summer.

Chebeague has a school, library, health center and town offices. It provides services, albeit with the help of the county. Unlike nearby Cousins Island — or so residents told me — Chebeague residents have never seriously contemplated “hooking up,” via bridge, with the mainland.

What I’m saying is that Chebeague is unique. Because of its size and its distance from Portland, it possesses nature in abundance: The fox kits, the thick woods, the open meadows, the natural springs (for which it got its Native American name), the empty beach.

And beyond this, it possesses community in abundance. About an hour after arriving on Chebeague, I wrote in my notebook: “Visiting Chebeague. This is really their place.”

I think it can be easy in our state, particularly in summertime, to think that everyone is a visitor. Anyone who’s walked around Portland’s Old Port in July has probably experienced this feeling. But Chebeague is different. It’s remote and independent enough to remind you that it is a true town, a community that exists even after the tourists leave.

Perhaps this is because Chebeague has been a genuine and distinct community for almost 200 years. Farmers and fishermen settled the island by 1730. In the 19th century Chebeague was a major port for stone sloops that brought granite to destinations along the eastern seaboard. Into the 1900s, Chebeague, like other Maine islands, became a destination for rusticators and other summer visitors. In 2002, islanders began exploring secession from Cumberland, the town they had been a part of for 184 years. After votes in the Legislature, the secession initiative was approved in 2006 and the island became in independent town a year later. Fishing remains the primary industry on the island.

Interestingly, the people who live on Chebeague are friendly and warm without betraying their independence or their sense of community, which can be difficult for residents of a small, island community beset by visitors during the summer months. Florence Rich at Island Riches is an example. Rich, who could have retired by now, has been greeting island visitors for nearly a decade from her small shop. “We make a lot of what we sell and a lot of what we don’t,” she told me. This joking platitude was a common characteristic of Rich’s, and for some reason in my mind illustrative of the town itself.

At Doughty’s Island Market, where I stopped for coffee and directions to the Chebeague Island Inn, the people were helpful and welcoming. I had interrupted a conversation between two residents and two employees, but all four stopped chatting and I received several suggestions on the best way to get there. They waved goodbye when I left the store.

In fact, everyone waves on Chebeague. Seriously, everyone waves. At first I thought it was just coincidence. By the third person I passed, I realized it’s actually an island custom. Whether on foot, on bike or in a car, when you pass someone on Chebeague, you wave. After spending nearly 10 hours on the island, I only encountered two people who didn’t wave to me as we crossed paths.

‘The best sunset in Maine’

Back on Hamilton beach, the last ferry now gone, I was pondering my next move. A night in the field wasn’t beckoning. I got up, walked to my bike and rode back down the dirt road. I thought I’d go back to the Chebeague Island Inn. Two hours earlier, I’d been eating local mussels and drinking beer on the deck of the palatial old building. The food had been good, the drinks good and the view good. It was already an old friend; there had to be answers there.

When I told Gerri Prentice about my situation, she asked me to hold on and disappeared for a few minutes. Overhearing our conversation, two of the young women who work as servers at the inn came over and offered sympathy, advice and even suggested ways they themselves could get me back home. Their generosity made me feel grateful, and a little uncomfortable for all they’d have to go through. I was happy when Gerri returned with her son, Casey. The two Prentices co-own and manage the inn.

“We go home on the 9:15 ferry to Yarmouth,” Gerri said. “Hop on with us. Casey lives in Portland and can give you a ride (home). You’ll just have to hang out until we leave for the night.”

I was thankful, and the wait was fine by me. I strolled, and thought about the conversation I’d had with Casey earlier. The Prentices are in the process of renovating the 1920s-era inn. The building has served the same purpose for its entire existence, however only as a seasonal dwelling. It was never weatherized or insulated. The structure is beautiful. The interior is unfinished, giving the appearance of a rustic cabin. The Prentices are weatherizing and insulating, though they are doing it on the outside walls so that the interior retains its rustic look.

I walked out onto the wide porch and took a seat in one of the chairs to watch what the girl at the front desk called “the best sunset in Maine.” The lawn of the inn spread out in front of me, rolling down to the sea.

One day was certainly not enough. There was still golf at The Great Chebeague Golf Club (if only I liked golf), clams at the shack, coffee and sandwiches at The Niblic, bike riding, more beaches and a lot more sunsets on this quiet, unique island. A room at the inn then?

At $235 to $410 a night, sadly not in my budget. As I sat watching the sun set, I was glad the field wasn’t my only other option, and would remember the very warm reception I found on Chebeague.

See for yourself what life is like on this island, one of 14 in Maine still inhabited year-round. And, whatever you do, wave when you see someone go by. You’re on their island, after all.

Island highlights

The Chebeague Island Inn offers fine dining, comfortable and well-decorated rooms, and boasts the prettiest sunset views in Maine. Located at 61 South Road, across the island from the Casco Bay Ferry wharf, but within view of the Chebeague Transportation Co. wharf, the inn is open from May to October. Selected by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the 500 best small hotels in America this year, the inn has 21 rooms. Chef Justin Rowe, who came from Fore Street restaurant in Portland, creates menus that feature locally sourced ingredients (increasingly from the island itself) and changes every two weeks. FMI: http://www.chebeagueislandinn.com/

The Great Chebeague Golf Club is a nine-hole course that enjoys water views from every hole. Located adjacent to the inn at the northern end of the island.

Calder’s Clam Shack. The name says it all. A shack, a soda machine and local clams cooked to perfection (in addition to items like Greek salad, lobster and crab rolls, and Gifford’s Ice Cream). Open throughout the summer and fall, “the clam shack” is a staple. It’s located at 108 North Road, about halfway up the island, and is open Tuesday through Sunday, from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Fall hours begin Aug 30. Visit www.caldersclamshack.com for fall hours.)

Island Riches, owned by Florence Rich, is bursting with bric-a-brac. It is located at the “Top of the hill from Chandler Wharf,” according to her website. (The street is Casco Bay Landing Road.) She opens the store annually in early June, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Monday and Thursday, although the shop is open on those days too if she happens to be home, she told me.

The Niblic, located off John Small Road in the Chebeague Island Boatyard (midway up the island on its eastern coast), sells Maine-made gifts, clothing, wine and cafe items, including sandwiches and coffee. Probably the trendiest shop on the island, it also displays local art and hosts events and gallery showings. It’s open from Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Biking/walking: The two main streets that traverse the length of the island are North Road and South Road. These are narrow, sometimes rough roads, but since they cross the entire island, they’re both nice for biking. Looking south from either route (North Road is slightly more elevated than South) you’ll get nice views of the ocean.

Beaches: While there are a number of beaches on the island, the town steers visitors to the three town-owned beaches. Secure a map (see below) and then head to:

— Chandler’s Cove Beach, which is not too far from where the Casco Bay Lines ferry docks. Take Chandler Cove Field Road to the water.

— Division Point Beach, which is at the end of Division Point Road, which branches off North Road about two-thirds of the way up the island.

— Sunset Beach, which is accessed by following the path from Sunset Road, which also branches off North Road toward the southern end of the island.

There are no amenities or services at any of the beaches; it’s pack it in and pack it out.

Bugs: Mosquitoes and deer ticks are no strangers to Chebeague Island. Cover up or bring your repellent to ensure you don’t run into problems.

Public rest rooms: There are two on the island: Next to the Historical Society, which is at the northeasterly intersection of North Road and South Road (always available); inside the library/community building on South Road (hours permitting).

Island map: Go to http://www.chebeague.org/ and click on “cheb road map” or find another web map and print out a copy. A map is critical since few roads are marked on the island. Or, when you get to the island, drop by the town office (on North Road near the intersection with South Road) or the Historical Society nearby and pick up a map. Go to http://www.chebeague.org/ for hours.

Getting there

From Portland:

The ferry from Portland runs from the Casco Bay Ferry Lines terminal on Commercial Street to Chandler’s Cove Wharf at the southern end of Chebeague Island. You can bring a bike for an additional fee. One round-trip ticket (it’s the only type you can buy) will cost you around $11; $17.50 if you bring your bike. The ferry generally runs four times a day, and the trip takes about an hour and a quarter. If you’re not subject to motion sickness or if you’re interested in a water tour of Casco Bay, this is a nice option. Along the way, you might stop at some of the other islands along the way. Leaving Portland, at your back is the Old Port and then Munjoy Hill — you get a great view of the Eastern Promenade from the sea. On your port side you’ll see Little and then Great Diamond (between the two you can see Mackworth and the entrance of the Presumpscot River). You’ll also see the thin strip of Clapboard Island and Little Chebeague. Starboard, you’ll pass right by Peaks Island, Long Island, and see Cliff and Hope islands before docking.

From Yarmouth:

The Chebeague Transportation Co. ferry provides service between Cousins Island, which is accessed by bridge from Yarmouth’s mainland, and the Stone Pier on Chebeague Island. The ferry runs more often than the Portland ferry, about 10 times a day between 6:30 a.m. and 10 p.m., and only takes about 15 minutes — sacrificing the views of Casco Bay for a much quicker ride. The vessels are smaller and consequently get tossed around a bit more. They’re also slightly more expensive, at $15 round trip ($18 with a bike). Unless you’re taking your car on the Portland ferry, which is an extra fee, you’ll have to arrange for parking at either location.

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