Fort Point State Park is on Cape Jellison in Penobscot Bay. The Penobscot river is part of the largest system of tributaries in Maine. Between the tidal influences of the Gulf of Maine and this river system, the seeming peaceful waters in Penobscot bay are deceiving. The tidal sandbar that protrudes from Fort Point is shaped by these forces—the sign warning of riptides and a prohibition against swimming on the way to the beach is a reminder.Standing on the sandbar at low tide is strangely peaceful—it feels like being on the shore of a lake. But there is also an uneasiness in this exposure, as if a monster lies below the surface waiting to rise and take you away. Click on the images for a larger view.