Mt. Desert Island

 Our annual Maine family vacation was a bit up and down, but mostly up.

I am not going to lie. The best part was having my kayak available for daily paddles. I took it out just about every morning. The paddling was not challenging, but it was scenic and relaxing. The only thing I missed this year was a porpoise spotting.

We took a trip out to the Cranberry Islands. I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the plan, but it turned out to be very pleasant. Little Cranberry was the highlight of the trip. The museum was really good. The ship building shed was amazing. The have kids building sea worthy dories and canoes. We took a very nice walk along the beach and stopped at an art gallery. Big Cranberry was nice as well, but there was not as much to do or see.

Other highlights included biking on the carriage trails, eating at Jordan Pond House, hiking with Heather, and chillaxing at camp.

The low light was a midweek down pour. The clouds dropped like 5 inches of rain on us in one soggy day. The tents leaked a little and there was just not much to do, but stay inside and try to stay dry. We did take one adventure in the rain. We took the Island Explorer to South West Harbor and walked to Beal’s Lobster Pier. It was wet, but the food was worth it.

The other highlight was lots of yummy pastries and ice cream!

Mt. Desert Camping

 We just did our annual (except for COVID 20202) Mt. Desert Island camping trip. It is a great way to end the summer. The campground we go to, Mt. Desert Island Campground, is great and I, personally, think we have one of the best sites in the place. We have a huge site that is right across from the docks. We can get to the water in one minute and don't have to put up with all of the foot traffic on the path running from the road to the dock.

For me one of the best parts of the trip is that I get to kayak just about everyday. I get up before everyone else and spend about an hour kayaking around the top of Sommes Sound. It is not very exciting kayaking since it is very sheltered, but it is relaxing. I get to practice some boat control, generally chill out, and occasionally see some cool wild life. This year I saw seals, a loon, a bald eagle, and several harbor porpoises. The porpoises were the coolest because they are hard to spot and sleeker than the other swimmers. This time they were so close I could touch them with my paddle. (I did not even try.)

We also did some nice hikes: Acadia Mt. Flying Mt. Mt. Gorham.

I think we nearly broke the friends we brought with us. We did the hardest hikes early on....

The Stars over Sand Beach was disappointing this year because it was too cloudy to see anything. The rangers did an outstanding job keeping the crowd interested even without the stars of the show....

We accidentally got a nice long ride on the carriage trails. We originally planned a nice flat and short ride over to Jordan Pond that was maybe six miles round trip. The first mis-step was that I misread the map and though there was parking where there was not, so we had to change our starting point. Still the ride looked pretty flat and still about 6 miles. The second mis-step was not clearly reading the topo lines on the map.... Our friend's kid had a one speed BMX trick bike that was not made for climbing and there was climbing...

After popovers at Jordan Pond house, we decided that some of us would ride back and get the car so that we would not kill the child with the climb back. The third mis-step happened shortly after we headed back for the cars.... We came to a trail junction and realized that we had missed a key turn at the very beginning. We either had to ride three miles back to Jordan Pond house and then another three miles back to the cars or we could keep going another six miles that were mostly downhill and flat to get to the cars... We decided to keep going. It was the right call. The ride back to the cars was very nice and were along parts of the trail system I hadn't seen before. There was some 'splaining to do about how long it took us to get back and some bribing of a less than thrilled child who got dragged along for the extra riding, but it was worth it.

The Ascent also saw plenty of use and earned some of its Monster Truck keep. Because it can seat seven, our friends and us could get everywhere in just one car.

The weather was also as close to perfect as one could hope. The next day was always forecasted to be the worst day of the week. We did get one night of rain... but our eating tent was dry and we slept through most of it anyway.

Freeport Harbor

 This summer we were able to get back into our yearly Freeport camping grove. We had an awesome water front site and great weather.

As typically seems to happen, we are camping over Fathers' Day and my one ask is that I get to go on a paddle for a few hours.

The timing can be tricky because of the tides. At low tide the ocean sits on the other side of an interminable mud flat from all points. At high tide you have to launch off of the rocky cliff. Thankfully, there has always been a day time window to get in and out without too much trouble.

Usually, I take the opportunity to really explore some of the islands in Casco Bay near Freeport. This year, however, I was asked to be more careful since I haven't really done much open water paddling during COVID and solo paddling is extra risky.

So, I meandered up the coast into Freeport Harbor - after doing recon on some strange formations that we had seen from shore. The strange formations turned out to be what looked like fish traps strapped to large pontoons. My only guess is that there are part of some fish farming operation....

Freeport Harbor is nice and full of luxury water craft to maneuver around.

Towards the end of the harbor, the water got shallow. I had forgotten that the tide was going out. Fortunately I never had to use my hands to duck walk trough the shallows, but it was close a few times....

I paddled back along the outer edge of the harbor where there are some big houses and a few very loud dogs. I didn't really mind that the outgoing tide kept me a ways off shore. Loud dogs and overly wealthy people were not on my agenda for the day.

I got back to camp just in time for lunch.

It was a perfect ending to a very relaxing paddle.

Relaxing in Maine with a Touch of Grief

This is our third year going to Mt. Desert Island and we still love it. Several of the families we talked to kept saying that every year they want to go somewhere else for vacation, but end up right back at the same campground. I figure why mess with success when it comes to a week of relaxation.
We have plenty of other opportunities for excitement.....
Our first two days were very chill. We got our camp site all set up the first day after a leisurely drive. The second day we hung around the camp site for most of the morning. In the afternoon, we did a really nice hike across from Echo Lake. There were some pretty steep sections, but the views were spectacular. We also started our "Handstands in ME" photo collage on the hike. There is no place where Bug will not try a hand stand.
Monday, our third day, started out nice. We made our usual run up to the Gathering Spot for pastries, coffee, and daddy-daughter chit chat. Then the cat sitter called....
Alex, our cat, had been up and down since the winter, but nobody really knew what was wrong with him. At first we thought it was just asthma and put him on steroids, and he bounced back. Then as summer wore on, he started getting more and more picky about his food and generally just slowing down. He'd do great for a while; then not so great. We were planning on having some more testing done after vacation, but it seems like he had other plans...
The sitter said he looked pretty bad and that he needed to see a vet ASAP. She would take him, but one of us would need to come home and fill out the final paperwork.
After talking it out as a family, we decided that we would leave the camp site set up, all drive home to be with Alex, and them come back the next day. Bug was adamant about wanting to be there for Alex even knowing that he was likely not going to make it. It was a somber drive.
About halfway down, the vet called and confirmed what we already knew. He was in a very bad way; she could probably give him some drugs and stuff to perk him back up, but that would just be a short term fix. We let the vet know that we were on our way and wanted to be there when he passed; she said she would make him comfortable until we got there.
We told Bug what was going to happen when we got to the vets. She was sad, but resolute. She and H spent the rest of the drive making a mural of all the things we loved about Alex.
The vet had a nice room set aside for saying goodbye. There is a little couch where we all sat together and held Alex. He looked comfortable, but definitely weak. When we were ready, the vet gave him the shots and he drifted away.  We all had a good cry. Yes, even me. I reminded Bug, that pets who are truly loved never die.
After we finished at the vet, we went home to put some of Alex's things away. We didn't want to keep it hanging about.
Before anyone could think too much about it, I made the executive decision to drive back to the campground that night. H was skeptical, but didn't up much of a fight. I figured that if we lingered we would never get back. We would sleep in, then we'd be all mopey and drag our butts until it was after lunch, and we'd miss two full days of our vacation. That is not what Alex would have wanted....
It was the right decisions. Bug passed out in the backseat and we go back to the campground before midnight.
We woke up on Tuesday ready for pastries, cold brew coffee, and fun in the sun. After a bit of planning, we decided it would be a biking day: we would catch the shuttle into Bar Harbor, take the bike express to Eagle Lake, ride out to Jordan Pond House, then reverse course. Plan in hand, we packed up our water bottles, threw some snacks in a back pack, hopped on the bikes, and headed up to meet the shuttle into Bar Harbor.
When the bus arrived we started loading the bikes on the racks only to find out that the shuttles cannot accommodate standard 29" MTB tires.... We're not talking fatty tires, just plain old 29" tires.
So, back down to the camp site to make a quick swithcheroo on our toy transport set up. We moved the bike racks off of the trailer and onto the roof of the bus. It was harder than I thought it would be. The bus is super tall and wide. Getting a bike in the middle was quite the trick. An hour latter we were on our way....
At the trailhead, H had me ask for help getting the middle bike down. It is nice to have an extra hand and not risk banging up the bikes.....
Bug and I enjoyed our new wheels on the trail. The added suspension was cushy and I hardly noticed the extra weight. We did make sure we stuck with H up the hills. Last year we just went around Eagle Lake; this year we decided to extend the trip over to Jordan Pond. It was a nice extension. The trail was mostly level and the scenery was nice.
It was easy to tell when you got to Jordan Pond. There was a throng of bike and people milling about taking selfies and chilling.
We made our way over to the actually Jordan Pond House just to see what it was about and ended up staying for some popovers. It really is all that. The popovers are deliciously lite and airy. The jam and butter was a perfect match. The outdoor seating was lovely and our waiter was delightful. It was a perfect little break in the middle of our ride.
The ride back is mostly down hill. Kenzie did have to stop a few times to wait for us. For the most part she did really well. With the new wheels, she can zoom. I empathized with her. My new wheels really wanted to zoom down the trail as well.
We had help getting the bikes back on the car, but not getting them off at the campground. Fortunately, no bikes were hurt (or any buses).
The next day was our annual Mt. Gorham hike to collect blueberries. It is always a nice hike.
We parked at Sand Beach and walked up past Thunder Hole hoping it was thundering. We had no luck on the thunder; all was quite at the hole.
The Gorham trail is easy and we made quick work of it. We did get a few nice hiking handstands to add to our collection. H and Bug worked harder looking for berries than they did hiking. They scoured the summit and got a nice haul. The hike down was also pretty uneventful. The only hard part was trying to convince H to let Bug and I do the Beehive trail.... Maybe next year....
Back at the campground Bug wanted to try paddle boarding, so she and I rented a pair for two hours. At first, Bug was not too into it. I think she was a little scared and a little cold. It did not take too much prodding to get her to try some backbends and handstands on the paddle board. Once she realized that she could manage that, she was all in. She spent more time doing tricks than paddling, but that was OK. I got to paddle and she had fun. What is vacation for if not for having fun.
Thursday was a family kayaking day. After pastries and puttering around, we set off down Sommes Sound. It was a little windy and Kenzie got chilly paddling the sit on top, so we only made it about a mile or so before hauling out for lunch. After some snacks and a quick swim, we headed back to camp. First we went looking for some Ospreys. Bug and I had seen some when we were paddle boarding. Today they alluded us.
On the way back to the docks, Bug saw some of her friends and wanted to stop. So, I stopped with Bug and H continued back. H deserved some down time. Bug and her friends set up a fancy restaurant on the rocks while I practiced my boat control skills and generally goofed off on the water. Then the kids asked for on water entertainment, so I did a bunch of rolls for them.
Thursday night was the Stars over the Beach presentation in the park and we always try to go and see the show. Last year it was cloudy and you could hear the thunder coming in from the mainland. This year the full moon and fog made star gazing less than rewarding. The rangers did their best and told some good stories. Even when the sky does not corporate, laying on the beach listening to good stories with the gentle tide in the background is a nice way to spend an evening.
Our final day was set aside for Diver Ed. As expected it was a fun time on the water. Ed is goofy and educational. Getting to spend a few hour out at sea is a bonus.
Driving home was bittersweet. While we were happy to be heading home, we were sad that vacation was over and that home was going to be empty. It will take a while to get used to not having a giant fuzz ball wandering around the house.

First Paddle of the Year

This is our traditional kick off the summer camping trip in Freeport. We always get nice water sites and mostly just relax.
I had only one real goal for the trip - getting out for a paddle. We brought all of the kayaks, so as many people as wanted to go with me could join in the fun. However, I really just wanted a little time alone on the water....
The weather was not great. It was a little windy, but otherwise clear. Since I was going solo (which is never advisable), H made me promise to stick close to shore. I mostly followed her wishes.
I paddled up the coast into Freeport Harbor and just got my sea legs back underneath me. I spent a lot of time playing with different strokes, different edges, different trim positions. It was nice.
After hugging the coast for a bit, I decided to make a short crossing out to some nearby islands. There was a little chop, but nothing that bothered me. I was mostly just looking to feel like I was ocean paddling. It was nice and recharging.
When I got back, the kids were playing in the mud and getting ready to head over to the beach. I managed to talk Bug and her friend into paddling around the point to the beach with me. It was her friends first time doing a solo paddle. Both girls did great until we landed on the beach. It was low tide, so there was a long slog through the mud to get to the beach proper.
There was no way the girls were getting back in the kayaks. Fortunately one of Bug's other friends, who also had never paddled solo, was willing to trudge through the mud and give paddling a go. He did a great job once we got him to stop slouching and flip the paddled the right way.
It wasn't exciting, but it was a nice way to get back on the water.

Acadia Adventure

Our big summer vacation this year was to Acadia National Park.
It is where H and I got engaged and where H and her family had some of their best vacations. It is also one of the prettiest places on the east coast with a ton of things to do.
It was a trailer trip; we were bringing all three kayaks, all three bikes, every bit of associated gear, all of our camping kit, and a weeks worth of food. It was one of the easiest packing jobs I have ever done. Packing things in the trailer has one simple rule, put the heavy stuff in front of the axel. To accommodate the pumpkin we did have to move the bikes to the roof of the car. We just have not found J-hooks that fit Aries hull, so it takes up more space than it should.

We stayed at Mt. Desert Campground at the top of Somme’s Sound. It is a great spot if you get a good site. We got a giant site right across from the boat docks. It didn’t have and ocean view, but that was fine. It looked like a lot of the ocean view sites were smaller and saw a lot of traffic.
The docks are one best features of the campground. We kept the barge and the pumpkin tied up for quick access to paddling. They are also a great place for the kids to hang out and catch crabs.
For activities we did a lot of things in the National Park. We picked blue berries, hung out a Thunder Hole, hiked Flying Mountain, climbed some rocks, and did a ranger led activity to discover how Sand Beach formed. Bug earned her Junior Ranger badge.
The best program, in my opinion, was the star watching program on Sand Beach. We had a nice clear night and the rangers used laser pointers to show us the different features of the night sky. They also had great stories to go along with each feature.
We spent time on the water as well.I got a few chances to paddle and we did a family paddle. On our last day we took a schooner cruise. Being on a giant schooner was pretty cool. The only wild life we spotted was a big dog that Bug spent the entire trip befriending.
We came back tired, but ready for the work and the start of school.

Seal Sightings

H and I got engaged on Flying Mountain on Somme’s Sound. We paddled up the sound to the beach at the foot of the mountain and hiked to the summit where I proposed.
We planned to recreate the experience with Bug while on vacation. We planned to paddle from the top of the sound to the beach and show her the spot.
Unfortunately H had a Herculean task getting Bug and I to stop crabbing and generally laying about before lunch. By the time we got in the kayaks, it was after 3pm and sunset was around 6pm. That gave us just enough time to make the trip, if we hurried....
As we were leaving, a couple landed and said they had spotted dolphins. We figured if we didn’t accomplish the goal we would get to see some cool wild life....
Once out of the protected harbor at the campground we were in a constant head wind. It was not bad, but it was definitely slowing us down. H decided then and there that we were not going to make the journey all the way down to Flying Mountain. I had a more optimism about our chances, but was just happy to be on the water.
It was not long before we spotted some seals out in the sound. They just kept popping up. Bug was fascinated by them. It was pretty cool.
As we made our way down the sound, the seals stopped following us and Bug started admiring the lobster buoys.
We didn’t make it to Flying Mountain, but we had a relaxing time.
For a while, I stopped paddling and let Bug be the motor. She did a good job. We weren’t speedy, but we did make forward progress. I enjoyed the break and look forward to taking more of them in the future.
Later in the week, we drove over to Flying Mountain and hiked to the summit so Bug could see where we got engaged. Bug also had a great time playing on the beach.

Solo in the Sound

The campground we stayed at while visiting Acadia, Mt. Desert Campground, has docks where one can tie up kayaks. I tied the pumpkin up with plans to get out every morning for a pre-breakfast paddle in the sound. It was a great plan, and I did manage to get out on the first morning.
It was tough getting up early enough to have an hour before breakfast to paddle, and not wake everyone else up. So, we all went down to the dock.
H made me promise not to do anything crazy and to be back in one hour. I had no plans for doing anything crazy and the top of Sommes Sound is pretty protected. The worst I feared was forgetting how long I had been on the water...
I was attentive to the time. My Fenix is good at telling time in addition to always knowing where I am.
It was a lovely, relaxing paddle. I didn't see much beyond a guy standing out on his deck enjoying a quiet cup of coffee. There was almost no wind or swell. I just fell into a smooth rhythm. The pumpkin glided along smoothly following my every desire.
I did do a little bit of maneuverability work. It is hard to paddle an Aries and not do some zigging and zagging. It would make the kayak sad to not be used for its primary purpose in life.
Sadly, and predictably, it was my only morning paddle, but it was a great way to kick off a vacation.

Chasing the Cetus

The family lucked into an open camp site at Winslow Park in Freeport, ME. The Benders had an extra site and offered it up and we couldn't say no. The park is a hidden gem. Our sites were right on the water, spacious, clean, and level. The park is only a few miles, an easy bike ride, from the outlet Mecca. There is also a huge playground for kids.

In the morning, the women took a ride into town to do some shopping. Bug and I explored the park on our bikes for a little and then hung out at the playground.

The afternoon was set aside for PB and I to do some paddling. PB decided to take out KB’s Cetus MV. It would be a perfect chance to see if the Aries could hang with a real sea kayak.

The wind was picking up, but the bay offered plenty of places to hide. We headed NE past Pumpkin Knob and along the east side of Wolfes Neck Woods State Park. The shore line kept the wind to a manageable level. The water was mostly flat and the paddling was relaxing. It didn’t feel like I was working extra hard to keep up with PB, but we were taking it easy.

We crossed over to Bustins Island. Once we left the shelter of the cove the full strength of the wind made itself know. It was blowing hard and the wrong way to help us crossing back to camp. Once behind Bustins it was mice paddling again, but it wouldn’t last long.

It was a two mile crossing from Bustins back to Winslow Park. The one warning Carl had about the Aries was that it didn’t do well with strong beam winds. This wind was quartering, so not completely beamy. All in all the Aries handled well. I would’t say it tracked well, but with proper attention it didn’t weather cock either. The truth is that the Aries is so easy to turn that it was easy to zag when the wind forced a zig. I did drop the skeg for part of the crossing to take the edge off.

In terms of speed, I did OK. PB and the Cetus definitely had an easier time getting across in the wind, but I’m not sure how much easier. I kept up and didn’t feel like I worked extra hard. When asked, PB said he wasn’t taking it particularly easy on me. We weren’t paddling hard, but I was happy with the Aries performance.

Despite the windy return trip, it was a good day on the water. Casco Bay is a pretty place to paddle and a nice place for a relaxing early season paddle.

Big Red Gets Ice Cream

We bring all of our toys with us on vacation. The car is not happy about lugging everything to the far reaches of Maine, but that is the car's raison-de-etre. So, we spent four days in Searsport camping.
On Friday, we biked around Belfast and found a Cool Spot that has great ice cream and coffee.
On Saturday, we wanted to use the kayaks. Bug mostly wanted to hang out and it took us until mid-afternoon to get our acts together. We used ice cream as the lure to get Bug's buy in for the adventure. The paddle to Belfast is along a pretty protected coast with no major crossings. I'd guessed that it was maybe four miles one way, and would take about an hour.
Once we got on the water Bug cheered up. She enjoyed playing with her paddle and looking for birds on the water.
We moved along the coast at a nice pace until Bug had to pee. I didn't think this was a big deal. I suggested that she just climb out of the boat, hang on the side, and do her business. There was no chance of Bug tipping Big Red and she was wearing a PFD. It would be a quick in and out stop. I was overruled and we headed into shore to find a decent place for Bug to get out and pee in shallow water. It took a little doing, but we did find a spot.
Back on the water, Bug and chatted about all sorts of things as we made our way to ice cream. Then we repeated the pee stop.
The last third of the paddle was free of stops and involved the only crossing of the trip. The Passagassawakeag River empties into Belfast Bay. The currents are barely noticeable, but it was enough to stir up some anxiety.
The paddle turned out to be more like six and a bit miles. It took closer to two hours. Our time for ice cream was going to be short. If the return trip took as long, we would just beat sunset.
Once on land, we rushed to the Cool Spot for yummy, and deserved, ice cream. We each got our own version of chocolate decadence. The flavors are lush. It was hard leaving.
After ice cream, the fun stopped. Bug didn't want to get back into the kayak. She refused. It was clear that the return trip was not in the cards, despite our best efforts. Fortunately, we were in a populated area and could call a cab. H returned to the campground and got the car.
The trip was good until it wasn't. H and I learned that you cannot always push a four year old. Bug is usually pretty flexible, but has her limits. Our plan was ambitious for adults.
I'll take a good oneway trip with the family any day. Even if we don't complete the whole mission.

Hermit Island

This is the second year we've gone to Hermit Island for camping. Getting sites is like getting concert tickets. You start calling on the designated day, get a busy tone, and keep dialing until someone answers. It may seem like a lot of work for primitive camping sites, but it is worth it. The sites are nice, the campground is quiet and well maintained, and the beaches are exquisite. The prices are also reasonable.
The first night was rough. The mosquitoes were unbearable. Venturing between the safety of the screen house and the tent cost a pint of blood each way.
Fortunately, things got much better. The first day we spent most of the time biking and hanging out on the beach. In the morning, Bug and I took our bikes out to explore after breakfast. She enjoyed the freedom afforded by the dirt roads and lack of cars. We stopped at the marina for a little while and explored the shore. Bug liked throwing rocks and looking at the hermit crabs. After lunch, we went to the main beach and hung out. Bug spent a lot of time digging in the sand and making castles.
The second day was kayaking. PB and I took out the "real" kayaks for some ocean paddling. We left the barge, which I had taken along despite H's protests, at the beach so H, Bug, KB, and the rest of the group could play.
I was using H's Capella 161 and my scoopy Lendal paddles. It was a different feel from the Q-boat and the mighty stick. The sky was clear blue, the temperature was on the warm side, and the wind was a no show. It took a little while for me to adjust to everything. It wasn't until we stopped for a snack and some water that I started feeling right. That was about the time PB started feeling less that ideal. The heat and lack of wind was not our friend. The serenity of the area and the beauty of the scenery mitigated the heat.
On our way into the beach, we ran into Bug and H paddling the barge. Bug was having a grand time and wanted to keep paddling. We made a quick decision to paddle the kayaks back to the camp sites instead of putting them back on the cars. H and I switched kayaks. It was only fair that she got a chance to paddle her own kayak. Beside, I like hanging out with Bug and some time in a kayak with her is an opportunity I cannot let pass.
The paddle back to the camp sites was short, but fun. Bug wanted to paddle "super fast", so I did my best to accommodate. The barge is heavy, short, and wide. It is not designed for speed, but it can be surprisingly spry when pushed. The scoopy Lendal paddles really helped out; I'm not sure the mighty stick could get the barge to go "sorta fast" never mind "super fast". She was happy to check out the other boats on the water. When we passed the marina, Bug asked me if I remembered the crabs. She had a big smile on her face as she recounted seeing them the day before.
When we got back to the sites, Bug wasn't quite ready to get out of kayak. The cove where the sites were located is protected and had plenty of water, so we decided to explore a little more. We paddled down to the end of the cove and checked out the store. Bug checked out the cars and other tents and asked all sort of questions. She sang "row, row, row your boat." It was one of the funnest times I've had on the water without rocks. On the way back up the cove, she waved at people.
We must have been in the kayak for more than an hour and she loved it. I was thrilled to spend the time with her doing something we both enjoy.

Banging Around for Labour Day

H, PB, and I wanted to do a camping trip in Maine before the warm weather ended. We tried to get something together last weekend, but the weather and schedules didn't corporate. Since this weekend was a three day end of summer celebration and the forecast was reasonable, we managed to get something together.
It was a small group since a number of people had other plans. It included PB, EB, H, and myself.
Since H already had Friday off from work, she decided that the plan would be to turn our three day weekend into a Friday through Sunday affair. We would miss most of the traffic and still have a day off from work to lounge about the house and clean off our camping gear.
Friday morning didn't start off with a bang. H and I had troubles getting our acts in gear. Everything just took longer than we anticipated. We also had to make an unplanned stop at West Marine to try and order a new battery for my VHF. The connectors on the current battery corroded to the point where one of them just fell off. Even the West Marine stop took forever. It seems that West Marine does not carry spare batteries, or the AA battery pack accessory, for the VHF radios they sell. They can, however, special order them. The very nice kid at the desk took the special order, but was either new or "special" orders are so special they are rarely executed....
Once on the road we made excellent time to the put in at Dolphin Marina in Harpswell, ME. PB and EB were there well ahead of us since they had gotten on the road at the planned time. We didn't hold the show up too long though. H and I made quick work of getting the kayaks loaded.
We had discussed several possible islands for camping including Whaleboat, Bangs, and possibly Jewel. Our first choice was the camp site on the NE tip of Bangs. It has views of both sunrise and sunset, a sandy (for ME) beach for the kayaks and fires, and flat tent spots. All of the options, except for Jewell, were short paddles so we figured that we would go for the first choice and if we got skunked we could easily find another decent spot before dark.
To our delight, our first choice was available. We set up camp and immediately settled into island time. PB set out to collect fire wood. The rest of us sort of wandered about gazing at the scenery and moving towards dinner. Our eventual dinner was quite nice.
Eventually, we got our acts together enough to go on a moonlight paddle. The full moon spread silvery light over the landscape. We hardly needed extra lights. The moonlit island and water was lovely. We saw a heron that sat in place as we paddled by at a very close distance. The landscape was so transformed that we paddled right by our beach the first time.
On the way back, I decided to be cute and paddle backwards. As H chastised me, and I joked about how it doesn't matter that I was paddling backwards since I could see anyway, I backed onto a rock.... Fortunately, the keel strip took the brunt of the contact.
Once back at the campsite we got a fire going. The rest of the evening was spent basking in the glow of fire and friendly conversation.
The only tension was the slow march of water towards the fire. When the water finally snuffed the fire, we headed to our tents.
Saturday broke sunny and fresh. We again spent a good part of the morning meandering around. We eventually decided on an excursion to Admiral Peary's Eagle Island. The island is a Maine Historical Site. The original house has been turned into a museum and the grounds have been preserved for public viewing. The house is well preserved and full of interesting relics. One strange thing is that they make visitors put on plastic booties before entering the house. According to the caretakers, the booties keeps the salt on people's shoes from corroding the floor planks.
After Eagle Island we started over to Whaleboat Island to check out the campsites. The current and the wind were against us on the crossing. At first we didn't really notice how strong the current was working against us. The lobster buoys were sitting straight in the water, so there were no visual clues. Eventually, however, the current took its toll on our strength. We decided to abandon our push to Whaleboat and retreat back to the comfort of camp.
We spent our second night at camp the same way we spent our first. Sitting around a fire. Instead of doing a moonlight paddle, we watched as the tide slowly lifted a grounded sailboat out of its muddy trap. Actually, the real show was the stream of boats that motored out the sailboat, circled it, and returned home.
On our final morning, we did a quick search for the campsites on the opposite side of Bangs Island from ours. We scoured the coast from our kayaks for sign of them. We even checked the shore line by foot for signs, but found very little. There was a nice beach and a number of cairns marking the spot where the camp sites should have been. However, we couldn't find anything that looked like a tent site on the shore and there were no obvious paths into the woods.
After a quick lunch and repacking our kayaks, we decided to head home via Whaleboat island. We really wanted to find the campsites on that island for future trips. This time we were successful. The first set of sites we found are in the woods of the western shore of the island. They have a nice beach and plenty of shelter. We considered, briefly, extending our trip for a day and staying the night here. Sadly, we couldn't muster the energy to unpack the kayaks and reestablish camp.
So we headed back to Dolphin Marina. On the crossing from Whaleboat to South Harpswell, the water can play little tricks on your vision. The passage between the point of South Harpswell and the islands off of it can be hard to judge. I knew roughly where it was and headed straight for it. The rest of the group decided to trust their eyes and took a wider course. We never lost sight of each other, but it was fun watching them paddle out to sea for a while before realizing that I knew what I was doing.
It was a great weekend. As PB mentioned on the paddle home, the islands in Casco Bay are treasures that need to be preserved.

A Jewel of an Island

For the last few weeks we have been talking about doing one last kayak camping trip this year. With the warm weather vanishing, our window was shrinking. At a dinner gathering last weekend, we decided that we would definitely go this weekend.

We decided to return to Winslow Park in Freeport, ME for a launching point. It has a nice ramp, plenty of over night parking, and access to a number of nice camping islands.
When the weekend finally arrived, I was on the fence about actually going. Work has been completely crazy for me lately and I was beginning to feel very overwhelmed with my merciless pile of to-dos. I needed to spend the weekend attempting to catch-up. I needed to spend the weekend decompressing. I didn't want to stop H from enjoying the weekend.....
I decided to go and told myself that I would ignore the shrill little voice keening in my head.
We arrived at the launch before lunch and took our time getting on the water. The weekend was about relaxing...

Once on the water we planned on paddling out to Jewel Island. It is the farthest northern island on the Maine Island Trail and an eight mile paddle from the launch. We planned our route out so that we could bail out and camp on Bangs Island if we wanted.

Fortunately, we committed to paddling out to Jewel Island. The camp sites were great. We found an excellent group site where we ad a fantastic fire. In the morning we took advantage of the pleasant hiking trails to explore the island. Jewel was the site of a WW2 camp and the remains can be seen all over the island. The two best attractions are the fire towers that jut out over the tree line and offer spectacular views of Casco Bay. We also found some neat tunnels to explore, but we couldn't go to far without the flashlights.

After exploring the island we leisurely broke camp and prepared to paddle back to the cars. The return voyage was pleasant.
We had dinner at a lobster shack along the river. The food was fantastic and the deserts were better.

I definitely made the right decision in going. The work pile will isn't going anywhere....

Maine Bunk House Adventure

As winter settled in those many months ago, a group of desperate paddlers starting planning adventures for the following season. One of the adventures was to spend a weekend at the AMC's Knubble Bay hut and do some late Spring paddling on the Maine coast. As winter settled in and started turning into early Spring, the Knubble Bay trip started to take shape. We made reservations for the hut, assembled a list of participants, developed a budget, and organized cooking details. What I thought was going to be a mid-sized group of core RIC/KA paddlers turned into a group of 19 paddlers. By the day of the trip, the group had shrunk to 14.
I do better in smaller groups and I was a little concerned about how I'd do being in a small house with such a large group. I was also nervous about how the sleeping arrangements would work; it is not a large house. Making me even more concerned was the talk of paddling to Hell's Gate, which is a great place to play in strong currents just outside of Bath. In mid-May the water in Maine is still cold, big groups are hard to manage, I hadn't been paddling much, I was unfamiliar with a number of the people on the mailing list, and I was not convinced that I would listen to the little voice in my head in the heat of the moment. Basically, I was being a nervous nelly.
Last week the forecast for the weekend looked abysmal for a paddling weekend in Maine. When we finished packing the car on Thursday night, weather.com and weatherunderground.com both predicted a 90% chance of rain in Bath for Saturday. Friday at lunch the forecast had not changed. H and I were considering just staying home. Fortunately, we decided to take a chance and got in the car.
The drive up was long. We started off by sitting in traffic - and rain - for an hour. We, however, were not the last to arrive. That honor fell to J&BD.
The Knubble Bay hut is relatively new facility. It has solar powered lighting, propane cooking and refrigeration, and two composting toilets. However, there is no running water. The water must be pumped out of the well.
For sleeping there are plenty of bunks on the 2nd floor and two futons on the 1st floor. BH and MO decided to sleep outside. Finding a comfortable place to sleep was not a problem.
Saturday dawned grey and overcast. Fortunately, the breakfast crew prepared plenty of coffee, eggs, fruit, and oatmeal squares to perk up the group before we donned our kayaking gear. It was a drysuit day. Naturally, there was plenty of discussion about exactly how much polypro and fleece to wear under the drysuit. The air was in the 50's and the water was in the 40's, so I choose to wear two long-sleeve polypro shirts on top and a single layer of long johns on bottom. I wanted to make sure I'd have some thermal barrier between me and the drysuit if I took a spill. However, I did not want to be so warm that I soaked the inner layers with sweat.
The plan was to paddle down the coast about 7 miles to Reid State Park. Given the predominantly calm conditions, it was going to be a relaxing paddle. Feelings among the group varied. A few people were hoping for a little more action. They consoled themselves with the knowledge that there are plenty of rocky ledges along the route.
As expected the paddle to the park was uneventful. The overcast sky held back the rain and the steely gray skies highlighted the craggy beauty of this area. The rocky shoreline is flush with evergreens and a growing population of ostentatious houses. People spotted seals, a dolphin, and Ospreys along the way.

As we pulled into Reid State Park, the rain broke through the clouds for a short shower. We ate lunch in the pavilion to stay dry. Once the skies cleared people started wandering around the park. The beach on the ocean side of the park is a classic New England beach. The wooded paths almost made you forget the roads that were just on the other side of the trees.
On the rocks we all spotted what appeared to be a lesson plan on tidal zone biology and a sheet of paper. We all wondered what had happened to the person who who had left this behind. Where they swept out with the tide? Were they in the bathroom? Was this left out intentionally so that people could doodle on the pad and learn from the accompanying laminated chart?
Before we could figure it out, we got distracted by BH paddling up into a small inlet where the water was gushing through a bridge opening. He was looking to play in the raging current. Before long, BH was joined by RB, MO, CC, and RS. I don't think anyone made it into the current, but they sure gave it an old college try.
Seeing people on the water made me a little antsy, so I headed back to beach and suited up for paddling. By the time I was ready to launch, CC and RB had paddled back to the beach. BH had gone missing and they were looking for him. We paddled out the big rocky outcropping he said he was going to explore. No luck. We started paddling over to where MO and RS were last seen. No Luck. As CC and I started around the back of the rocky outcropping one more time, RB found the missing paddlers.
They were checking out the one spot in the area with any action.
On the back side of a large rock there was a nice chasm and at its opening one of the points has a shallow rock sitting a kayak's width off of it. The swells were just big enough to generate some splash and the constricted space made maneuvering tricky. During the summer, with a helmet, it was something I would have jumped into without thought....
MO played in the slot for a while. He is a master boat handler and made it look easy. RB, after putting on his helmet, took Sparkles in for her maiden encounter with the rocks. Some good size waves pushed through while he was in the hole, but RB looked good and Sparkles never seemed to scrape the rocks. Then it was time for another person to jump in.... I was in position, I wanted to play, I knew I could handle the conditions, I wasn't wearing a helmet.... I jumped right in the slot and took a few good sized swells. It was exhilarating.

Then everyone went in for seconds. MO took a huge wave that nearly stranded him on the rock, but he expertly recovered. RB and I also had bigger waves during our second round in the rocks.
I also took the opportunity to take the Q-Boat into the chasm near the rocks. It was getting some crashing swells at the end that looked like fun. Once I had nosed into the chasm and played a little, I needed to get back out. Instead of back paddling out into a crowded area where others were playing in the rocks and nobody could maneuver well, I tried to spin the Q-Boat around and paddle out forward. The Q-Boat is 18' long and the chasm was maybe 18' wide when the water was at its highest. No matter how agile I find the Q-Boat to be, she still needs a certain amount of space to spin around. I didn't really have the space and the water was not flat. Somehow, I made it around and back to the group without any damage to the Q-Boat or my skull.
After we finished playing in the rocks, the group turned back to the lodge. The sun burned through the clouds and the sky turned a brilliant blue. We were totally lucking out in terms of the weather.
The sun was both a blessing and a curse. We were paddling against a slight current and there was no wind. People starting getting a little warm in their drysuits. Some people took breaks to do Eskimo cooling, some made their own wind by paddling at speed, others practiced their rolls. It was, for the most part, a leisurely paddle back.
At the intersection of Sheepscot Bay/Booth Bay and Knubble Bay, we spotted a pod of seals and stopped to check them out. We floated around for a bit and watched them. They swam around and watched us. It was a fun break and allowed people to catch their breath.
Before getting off the water, I took the opportunity to practice my rolls. They felt good. The water is still too cold for me to do more than a few regular sweep rolls. I'm hoping the water will warm-up soon and I can spend more time working on stupid rolling tricks.
For dinner, MO and RB provided us with a hearty meal consisting of a chorizo and pasta dish and a chicken curry dish. The dinner was capped off with H's knock-you-naked-bars.
The evening entertainment consisted of pleasant conversation and various activities. H and I spent some quiet time enjoying the clear night and the view of the bay in the moonlight. RB provided some musical entertainment. People slowly drifted off to sleep worn out and well fed.
On Sunday, most of the group planned a short paddle to Hell's Gate. It was a six mile round trip and they planned to be back by 1pm. H wanted to get home early and told me I could paddle if I wanted. Knowing how "short" paddles with an interesting water feature along the way easily morph, I decided it was best to skip the paddle. The possible fun was not equivalent to the certain guilt.
It was all good though. The Saturday paddle was a perfect early season paddle. And I didn't have to hose our gear out in the dark while dreading work on Monday.

Banging Around

As summer fades into fall, we all start looking for the last big trip. PB suggested a wilderness get away to cap a great season of paddling and camping. The only constraints put on the plan were:

• it not be too close to Boston


• it not be too far from RI

Casco Bay in Maine meets both of those conditions if you can launch from some place in Freeport or Portland. It also offers plenty of island camping and spectacular views for a small group.
The group was going to be pretty small. H was going off with non-kayaking friends for a girl's weekend. RB was camping with an old friend as part of a long standing annual tradition. MA had signed up for an AMC kayaking excursion. So it was only going to be PB, CC, BH, and myself. It was a small, but perfectly formed group.
PB picked me up bright and early Saturday morning. We were going to head up early and find a launch before the RI crew arrived. PB had called about overnight parking at Winslow Park in Freeport early in the week and had not received a return call. We figured it would be wise to check it out before trusting our cars there for the weekend.
Winslow park is a nice place to launch kayaks from. It has a nice boat ramp and is sheltered. At this time of year it was largely deserted. There were some crew races going on and we saw one power boat launching. It also has plenty of parking. PB called the state police to ensure the cars would not get towed if we left them. Once we knew that we were all set, we called CC and BH to inform them of their final destination.
By the time BH's battle box pulled into the park, PB and I had figured out how to stuff most of our gear into our kayaks.
The trick to packing the Q-Boat is still a work in progress. The front compartment is spacious and dry, so it has become the default place for clothing, tent, and sleeping bag. The back hatch is cramped and wet, so it is pretty much useless. I stuffed the stove fuel, the tent poles and the water in the rear hatch. I also tried to cram my kitchen supplies in there, but they would not fit. The kitchen ended up in the cockpit.
While CC and BH packed up their kayaks, PB and I rustled up some tasty sandwiches at a near by country store.
After packing and eating, we got on the water around noon. It was a leisurely trip and our planned camp sites was only six miles away. We were not worried about day light and the forecast was clear for the whole day.
The paddle out to Bangs Island was nice. The islands we passed by were sparsely populated. The sun was shining. The temperature was mild. One could hardly ask for more.
It was the first time in many moons that I navigated. Matching shore line features to a chart is not easy even on a clear day. PB had his GPS as a backup, so I felt better.
Once we found Bangs Island, we had to locate the camp sites. After circumnavigating the island we located the southern camp site. It was too small for our four tents. The middle site was big enough for our tents, but it was wet and didn't offer a good view. The northern site was big enough, had a nice rocky beach, and looked out over the expanse of the Bay.
After unpacking our kayaks and setting up the tents, we set about collecting fire wood and getting dinner ready. BH stoked up a major bonfire out of the collected drift wood. PB cooked up an excellent pasta dish with sausage and meatballs. CC & I helped out where we could.
After dinner, we settled in front of the fire to enjoy marshmallows and other tasty treats. We were also treated to thrilling tales of BH's days as a youngster. PB reportedly saw many shooting stars.
During the night, the weather began to shift. The wind picked up and the temperature cooled down.
BH's kayak grew a blue hand over night. This was the second time his kayak ventured to Maine waters and grew a new appendage. It is freaky.
BH treated the group to a breakfast of strong coffee, oatmeal, and fruit. As we ate, the wind died down and the temperature grew comfortable. We decided to take the long way home. We were going to round Whaleboat Island and check out a number of other islands on the way home. Whaleboat Island has some nice camping spots on it and we wanted to scope it out for future expeditions.
A plan decided on, we broke camp and reloaded the kayaks. I'm always surprised that nothing fits in the kayak the same way twice... While we packed, the wind picked up and shifted to the NW - a perfect headwind for our trip home.
We crossed over to the lee side of Whaleboat to check out the camp sites there. As we paddled and explored, the winds stiffened and the sun retreated behind the clouds. Despite being in the lee of a large island we could feel the wind. Rounding the end of the island and turning homeward was going to expose us to the full force of the wind.
Sure enough, we rounded the northern tip of Whaleboat island and were slammed. We slogged for about half mile before stopping for lunch on Little Whaleboat Island. We plotted out a route that was four short crossings between small islands. We could rest in each of the lees. We all also added to our layering. The wind was kicking up two foot chop that soaked us. The wind and lack of sun meant we chilled quickly.
The return paddle was tough, but fun. The wind and chop made for tough going. However, it also kept things interesting. A little work is good for the soul.
By the time we reached Winslow Park, we were all ready to put on dry clothes and eat some warm food. I, however, wanted to attempt rolling the Q-Boat while it was fully loaded. I managed to nail both my onside and my offside once.
Then it was time to dry off, load up, and chow down. We found an excellent Mediterranean place in Freeport. The food was different and definitely good. It capped off an excellent expedition.

Island Paradise

CC made eggs, toast, and home fries to fuel us for the start of our island camping adventure. She had a cool toast maker that sat on the Coleman stove and held the toast in a ring. It toasted one side and then you had to flip the bread to toast the other side. H & I were quite impressed as we had never seen anything like it.
After breakfast, the group set about packing up the kayaks. H & I, and P & L, didn't actually have to break our tents down. H & I brought along our small tent in case we ended up kayak camping. (The Nova 4 would require its own kayak for transport.) So, all we had to do was pack clothes into dry bags, gather water, pack up our food, and stuff our sleeping bags into dry bags. Then we had to pack all of our stuff into the kayaks...
Bubbles had never packed up his Pintail and was keen to see how it went. He did a fantastic job packing his gear into the kayak and the kayak did a fantastic job carrying the load.
H & I were better off than Bubbles in that we had at packed up our kayaks once, but not by much. We had way more stuff to pack this time than the one other time we had packed the kayaks. H's kayak is pretty easy to pack. It isn't very long, but its compartments are normally proportioned. The Q-Boat, on the other hand, has odd proportions. The front compartment is cavernous, but the back compartment is flat, narrow, and long. The skeg box blocks the back third of the rear compartment, making it even smaller. The imbalance in compartment size makes balancing the load in the Q-Boat difficult. We solved the problem by putting the water in my back hatch as well as some of the food and putting clothes in the front hatch.
Once everyone was packed up we headed out to Harbor Island. We got a late start so we paddled straight for the Island and didn't stop for lunch. We arrived to find the island deserted!! All we had to do was find a nice spot to land and pick out the best tent sites. CC, Bubbles, and RB decided to seal land on the rocks. P & L found a sheltered, but rocky beach to land that was just behind the camp sites. H & I decided to paddle farther down the island to the beach near the meadow camp sites. It was sheltered, but we had to carry our stuff up a short incline.
H & I checked out the meadow as a camp site, but held off setting up tent to see what the others were doing. We walked over to the other side of the island to find people setting up tents. We liked the meadow site because it was soft, had nice views, and was on the west facing side of the island. However, we didn't want to be away from everyone else. After surveying the remaining sites near the others, we decided the quite, empty meadow was the perfect place to set up camp.
After getting our tent set up and regrouping with the others for lunch, we spotted a large group approaching our island. They were going to land and camp on the island... Before we knew it, H & I were in a tent city populated by a family of eight people from RI and MA. Fortunately, they were very nice people and nobody snored too loud.
After lunch, we , sans H who was getting a headache, set off for Isle Au Haut. CC thought we'd find a little town with shops, but I knew better. A few years ago, I had spent several days on Isle Au Haut. The only store on the island was tiny and only opened a few hours a week. When, we arrived, dripping wet, the store happened to be open, so we went in to find ice cream and other Isle Au Haut delicacies. As it turns out, the store did have a selection of heirloom cheeses and ice cream. But, we didn't get a chance to buy anything.... We had soaked the floors of the store, gotten in the way of restocking, and generally upset the storekeeper and her workers. They shooed us out and slammed the door behind us. They did say we could come back in fifteen minutes. Feeling the offer insincere, we paddled back to the island.
Back at the island, H was playing Goldilocks with people's tents. She just couldn't find a nice place to nap.
She did get enough rest to cook an excellent mexican dish while the sun set over the meadow. It was quite a feat of culinary skill. She cooked the whole shebang on two camp stoves. As a dinner aperitif, Bubbles passed around some 123 punch (a deadly combination of rum, brown sugar, and limes).
After dinner we retired to rocky side of the island for a camp fire. There we met an odd couple. The woman seemed very nice, but her male companion.... He was in the movie business, but never disclosed exactly what he did in the biz. RB quickly became a groupie and spent the next day talking about the movie guy.
The next day we woke to sun and clear skies. Bubbles cooked up some oatmeal and provided plenty of mix-ins. The group then started talking about forming a plan of action for the day. H & I retired back to meadow for a bit to start packing up some of our gear figuring we'd spend the day meandering our way back to Old Stone Quarry.
When I returned to the rest of the group, an hour or so later, they were sunning on the rocks like a bunch of lizards. The plan seemed to be no plan.
This didn't work so well for H. She was feeling under the weather and wanted to head back. She decided that taking a quick nap would hopefully help her feel better and give the group time to formulate a plan.
When she awoke to eat some lunch and nobody had moved much, she decided that we were heading back regardless of what the group wanted to do. She was not feeling better. In fact, she was beginning to feel worse. After H headed back to our tent site in the now empty meadow, I told the group what our plan was. This kicked things into gear for everyone. They were not going to let H & I paddled back to Old Stone Quarry alone.
We chose a route back to Old Stone Quarry that was direct and offered plenty of chances to rest. It was also different than the paths we had taken the previous days. H was a trooper and paddled the whole way back without much help. We did take the opportunity to practice some towing techniques, and H was an obliging subject. We hooked her up to a double I formation tow. We tried using contact lines to stabilize her kayak. I tried to use just my arms as a contact line, but it didn't work out so well. I couldn't keep the bows of the kayaks close enough. The result was that the kayaks pulled to one side of the tow.
After we unpacked the kayaks and showered, we headed into town for dinner at Fisherman's Friend Restaurant in downtown Stonington. The place had a very extensive menu of seafood. The waitress, who was a touch too perky, had memorized the whole thing as well as all of the options for sides. The food was good, but not great. The prices were moderate. The decor was clean and well lit. I think Stonington could use some more competition in the dining scene.
Exhausted and full we all crashed to rest up for the rest of our adventures. RB was heading straight home. H & I planned to meander our way home. CC & Bubbles were staying another day and then heading to Kennebunkport for an anti-war rally. P & L were planning a multiday trip home.

Maine Land

After I finished the excellent Greenland comprehensive course (at 5pm), I raced home, grabbed a quick bite to eat, transfered the Q-Boat from H's car to the egg, loaded H's kayak onto the egg, showered, and hit the road for Stonington, ME. I was pooped, so H took the helm of the egg and guided us through the lonely ME night to Old Stone Quarry Campground where the rest of the crew was soundly snoozing to dreams of the glorious kayaking to come.
We arrived just after midnight and set about locating our tent site. The directions: go to the main parking lot and set up your tent in the corner site. In the day light, after we had gotten some sleep, these directions made perfect sense...
We spotted what we thought was our site off to the far side of the parking lot. It had a nice fire pit and an enclosed food area. We were pretty sure that this set up was far too posh, but we rummaged through all of the stuff for clues anyway. Then we crossed the parking lot to where we found three little tent perched on the edge of the road. H spotted a RI Audubon Society mug and decided that this had to be the right place.
Our site located, we pulled out the Taj, an EMS Nova 4 that our kayaking friends gave us as a wedding present. Wisely, we had set it up in our back yard a few days earlier and didn't have to puzzle out the assembly in the dark while sleep deprived. For such a large tent (it has a screened entry room), the Taj is a snap to set-up. Three poles slip into well marked sleeves and the tent is erect. The real difficulty lay in finding a large enough flat spot for its perch. We wound up settling for a gentle slope that put our feet just below our heads. We could fix it in the morning.
After a sound, but cold, slumber, H and I woke to find the rest of the crew mulling about making breakfast. P & L made pancakes, bacon, and coffee on RB's two burner stove. You could hardly call it camping. The food was dinner quality and the setting was outdoor patioesque. It was hard for me to even think about getting into my kayak.
One other twist was sapping my motivation. There were diverse goals to be worked out. H & I, along with P & L, were content to camp at Old Stone Quarry and do day paddles. The sites, while not ideal, were functional, the two burner stove made cooking a snap, and the cars made zipping into town a breeze. In addition, we were not keen on the idea of packing up our kayaks, spending a good part of the day ferreting out a camp site, unpacking our kayaks, and setting up camp. There was also the issue of needing to pack out all of your waste products. (Not to mention that I was being a bit paranoid about not having done proper planning for a wilderness camping trip.)
CC, Bubbles, and RB wanted to do some island camping. It would be an adventure and definitely more picturesque than Old Stone Quarry. It also meant that we could venture farther out into the islands on day paddles.
We decided on a compromise plan. Today, we would just do a day paddle to reconnoiter possible island camping and return to Old Stone Quarry. If we found a good spot to camp, we'd pack up the kayaks tomorrow morning and camp out on the island tomorrow night.
With a rough plan laid out, we carried our kayaks down to the launch and set off to see the islands. The conditions were lovely - almost no wind, plenty of sun, and just a tinge of coolness in the air. It didn't take long for Bubbles to spot a pod of porpoises feeding along our path.
We meandered around the islands with CC playing the role of navigator. She had marked up her chart to indicate which islands had camping possibilities. H also had a chart and did her best to keep track of the group's location.
Before lunch we stopped at one island to investigate the camping sites. CC & Bubbles surveyed the island while RB pulled muscles from the rocky shore. The rest of us just floated around enjoying the views.
For lunch we stopped on a long sand spit extending out from one of the many islands in the harbor. This island was occupied by a couple with a friendly, and hungry, black lab. The dog enjoyed our lunch stop with us. Bubbles made sure the dog didn't starve for food or attention.
After lunch, we headed across Merchant's Row to check out Harbor Island. According to CC's chart it had plenty of camp sites and we could have a fire. We found the island occupied by a few campers that were planning on leaving the next day. It offered plenty of excellent camp sites and great views. We also met a very nice couple from Jamestown who were sailing along the ME coast with their blind dog. They were using the island as a doggy park for the evening.
After seeing Harbor Island, we decided that we would return tomorrow for camping. It was well worth the effort of packing up the kayaks and lugging all of our waste out.
We chose a different, more direct, path back to the campground. We were all getting hungry and there was one more island camp site to check out.
Back at the campground, I decided to try my roll. I figured that I wouldn't get too cold and could just pop on some dry clothes. The water is that cold and I was only wearing a light rash guard... By the time I was back on dry land, had the kayaks safely pulled up above the tide line, and had unpacked the dry clothes, I was starting to feel dangerously cold. My typically addled mind was slipping into full fledged addledome. As quickly as possible, I scooped up dry clothes, ran to the shower room, and soaked in a very warm shower to reheat. It took a while in warm, dry clothes for me to feel completely normal.
For dinner, RB cooked up a spicy shrimp and tomato-sauce dish that he capped with steamed muscles.

Kayaking a Fjord

Since H and I were on Mt. Desert Island, the home of the only fjord in the eastern US, I had to kayak in the fjord. Somes Sounds forms a rift that nearly splits the island in half. It is a 4.5 mile long, glacial carved channel that leads from Northeast Harbor to Somesville. It is surrounded by Acadia Mountain on one side and Norumbega Mountain on the other.
The forecast for the day was for a dry and pleasant day with light winds. When we woke up, the tent was flapping, I couldn't keep a match lit long enough to start the stove, and our camp chairs were dancing dervishes. Aside from the breeze, the weather was as predicted. Not one to be daunted by a little inconvenient truth, I convinced H that it wasn't that windy, it was probably less windy on the water, and that the fjord is protected from the wind by all the Mountains around it. Ahh sweet alternate worlds in my head.
Fueled by delusion and an unhealthy need to kayak in a fjord, H and I drove to the Mansett town boat ramp. Once there, we checked with the Harbor Master to see how things in the Sound were shaping up. He told us that other than a little breeze blowing up the sounds, it would be a great day to be on the water. He also left his office shortly after we started unloading the boats...
If the wind wasn't enough of a sign that we shouldn't be kayaking today, I realized, after unloading all of our gear, that I had left my paddle at the campsite. At this point, I'm sure, a reasonable person would have just put the kayaks back on the car and picked one of the other outdoor activities that the Island offers. H, the reasonable one, actually told me to drive back to the campsite and get my paddle. (OK, I didn't really give her much choice... I was just going to use my back-up paddle.)
So while I careened along the windy roads to the camp site, H packed our clothes into the kayaks and vainly battled the double seal on the Q-Boat's Valley hatches. I don't know why Valley had to make there hatches impossible to seal up. I get more water in the darn things because I cannot seal them properly that I ever got in the neoprene covered hatches in my Seaward.
While fetching my paddle, I took advantage of H's absence to prepare a little surprise to spring on her during the paddle.
Once I had my paddle and the hatches on the Q-Boat were beaten into submission, we headed out. H, because she had the chart, took the lead. Her course took us NE to Greening's Island, around Greening's southern tip, down Greening's eastern side, and then across to the entrance to Northeast Harbor. From Northeast Harbor we planned on paddling north along the eastern shore of Somes Sound to the end, and then returning along the western shore.
During the first part of the paddle the wind made its presence felt, but was not making much trouble. It was a steady breeze out of the north with occasional heavy gusts. Because of the relative shelter and the short fetch, the seas were dimpled with small chop. The conditions kept things interesting without ganger, but hinted at impending drudgery.
When we reached Northeast Harbor and turned north to enter the fjord, the winds seemed to have calmed a bit. Of course there was a big point of land sheltering us. One look out into the sound, however, and you could see a number of sail boats deftly tacking into the Sound or dashing out to the open ocean on white cap speckled waters. H was not lulled into blissful enjoyment. In fact I suspect she was torn between enjoying the sun and the kayaking and dreading the imminent slog up the fjord. I was thrilled to be out, energized by the sun and the gentle rocking of the kayak, and inspired by the challenge posed by the wind!! My state of addiction fueled elation didn't help H.
Once we hit the Narrows, the true entrance to the fjord and a reputably nasty place for paddlers, the full force of the wind made itself known. Blowing the entire 4.5 miles, the wind was a steady 15knts. With startling frequency, the wind would serve up a long cold 25knt gust.
Aside from the wind, the conditions were ideal. The sun was shining, the humidity was low, and the temperature was mild. The scenery was breathtaking. The houses on the eastern shore of the fjord are quaint million dollar cottages that are a touch nicer than the ones that line the Bonnett Cliffs. Behind the cottages, Norumbega Mountain rises 852ft out of the sea. On the western shore, Acadia Mountain rises 681ft out the ocean in steep cliffs. The western shore is also home to Flying Mountain which was given its name by the native population who believed it had attempted to fly away from nearby St Sauveur Mountain.
We made it almost as far as Sand Point before needing a break. We found a nice couple, enjoying their summer cottage, who let us land on their beach. They also offered up access to a real live bathroom. It was quite the lunch break.
The nice couple had been out kayaking earlier in the day and mentioned a spring that was just a short way up the fjord. It sounded like an interesting, and reachable, next stop. I was pretty sure that we weren't going to make it to the head of the fjord, but was still not willing to give up the ghost.
Once back on the water, we were initially shocked to find that wind had died down. Then we rounded Sand Point. The wind seemed less vicious than earlier, but it was still making us fight for every inch. I was still thrilled to be out on the water. The Q-Boat was happily skipping along the chop and my stick sliced through the wind like butter. Still, paddling into a head wind is hard work.
After about another 45 minutes and a 1/2 mile, we still could not find the spring. We had passed the northern end of Acadia Mt. and the next possible stop was sill a distance down. So, I asked H if we should turn back. It was not fair putting the burden on her, but I would have kept paddling just to spite the wind and say I did it. Fortunately, H embraced her role as the reasonable member of the team and suggested that we needed to head back.
We crossed the fjord and paddled along the cliffs of Acadia Mountain into Valley Cove. Valley Cove is interesting and has a good bit of history. It is very hard to see into the cove as you are paddling into the fjord, so it makes an ideal place to hide ships. Apparently, the American's took advantage of this during one of the wars with the British. The cove is also lined by steep cliffs for 1/2 of its length. The other 1/2 is a rocky beach that is the head of a number of trails heading up Acadia Mountain and Flying Mountain.
H and I stopped on the beach and decided to hike the 1 mile trial to the top of Flying mountain. The thought of climbing up Acadia Mt. in our paddling shoes was not appealing.
After an easy hike we found ourselves with a clear view of the Cranberry Islands to the east and a large portion of the fjord. It was a spectacular place to spring my surprise on H. I'd like to say I was smooth in my delivery, but I fumbled it a lot before just giving her an engagement ring. In between the crying, she agreed to be my better half and then stowed the ring away for the paddle back to the car.
Returning to the car was a breeze, literally. The wind that had fought us all day pushed us out of the fjord and back to our car. We decided to paddle straight through the Narrows and along the western coast. This trajectory is the straightest line from Valley Cove to the town boat ramp in Mansett.
This was the first time I'd had the Q-Boat in a following sea and it was a learning experience. The waves were tiny little things, but they picked the back of the boat right up and surfed it. The Q-Boat breached immediately. So while H was speeding happily down the waves, I was fighting to keep myself straight. I considered dropping the skeg, but was adamant in my belief that I had to learn how to handle the kayak sans skeg. It took a little experimenting, but I finally figured it out. If I picked an edge to surf the Q-Boat on, it would stay pretty straight. I'm quickly learning that with a hard chine boat, the edges are very important.

Fire me up a Lobster

H and I headed north for a week of communing with nature. Our first stop was the Beal Island camp just outside of Bath, ME. Beal Island is a small island owned by the AMC and is associated with the AMC's Knubble Bay hut. Sandwiched between the Lowers Hell Gate and the Little Hell Gate, the island has wilderness camp sites for 30+, a four stall bif, a fire ring, and tables for a kitchen. At extreme high tides the fire ring and kayak parking can be under water, so there are also places to tie up kayaks.
The weekend started with the drive up on Friday. To break up the doldrums of a long highway drive we made a few stops.
The first stop was a Kittery Trading Post to return the evidence of an ill fated tent quest and acquire a brain box to safeguard my knoggin from being knocked around by rocks. We figured it would take a 1/2 hour. Two, or so, hours later we walked out of there with the brain box, two pairs of matching paddling shoes, a seat for H to use on the beach, and a camp coffee maker. The place is worse than REI for gear heads in a hurry.
The next stop was a rest stop for some healthy food. Popeye's and Cinnabon make for a great lunch. Just don't order naked chicken and expect it in a hurry. I could have eaten twice before H got her naked wings.
We also made a very quick stop at L.L. Bean to pick up a solar powered Nalgene (http://www.sollight.com/products/lightcap.cfm). To ensure a speedy stop, H forbad me to enter the main Bean building. I was only allowed a quick relief trip.
When we finally arrived at the Knubble Bay hut, we had to pack up our boats for the short trip over to the island. I've packed up my Seaward several times, but never the Q-Boat. H was in a similar situation. Fortunately, everything fit in the boats. Oddly the 16' Capella carried more than the 18' Valley. The Valley was close to being submerged and it only had the tent and my clothes for the weekend...
Mike K. was on hand to provide a good lesson in over packing. When we arrived, he was working on packing his stuff into his P&H Quest. When we shipped out, he was still figuring out where everything was going to fit. Rumor has it he had to leave the kitchen sink in his car:)
Saturday started off bright and early with a fantastic breakfast spread: sausages, fruit, and pancakes. After we were fully fueled, the leaders laid out the paddle plans. Due to the size and diversity of the group, we split into three groups: "advanced", "intermediate", and "beginner". There was an attempt to form a breakaway group, but the leaders deftly squelched it. The AMC is very much about group cohesion and plans. It is a little foreign to RICKA paddlers, but the leaders on this trip were very good about not allowing this to make things feel controlled.
H and I set out with the advanced group and figured that if things got too rough we could fall back to the intermediate group. The group was heading down to Reid State Park which is a seven mile trip in pretty sheltered waters. The current and the winds were with us the whole way and we flew. It was almost too easy.
Reid State Park is excellent. It has a rocky beach along the Sheepscott, a long stretch of sandy beach along the Atlantic, and Ice Cream.
We took a quick lunch break on the rocks--the bugs ruled the picnic area--and basked in the sun before setting out for a pleasant return voyage. The tides were supposed to turn and wash us back to the camp where we would be treated to lovely lobster bake.
To make the return trip a little more interesting, the advanced group decided to cross the Sheepscott and check out a lighthouse. It would add a scant few miles to our trip and provide some varied conditions.
The crossing was the first sign that things were not going to go as advertised. There was a fair bit of wind and some chop. Also, there was a contingent of slow paddlers drawing things out. Once across the river, we regrouped and took a brief and undignified bathroom stop.
The return trip was picturesque, but long. Sadly, the tide never turned in our favor. The tides in the area are difficult to predict. The combination of rivers and complicated ocean bottoms make the tides do interesting things.
I'm not a lobster eater, but H reported that the lobster was "to die for". The leaders provide me a delicious piece of tuna as a substitute. Throughout the evening, we had the opportunity to meet and chat with new folks along with catchin' up with some RICKA folks we had not seen in awhile (Barbara, Beverly, Bill R.). The night ended with the usual singing around the campfire, led by Anna who corraled the small few still awake.
On Sunday, we had a breakfast of eggs and bacon and then packed up. The plan was to get all the gear back to Knubble Bay and then do a short paddle.
After getting all of the gear and the canoes back up to the hut, most of the group paddled around the back side of Beal. The paddle provided some great opportunities to test the Q-boat in currents and waves. The Lower Hell Gate was running at a good clip and there was a fair amount of boat traffic. The combination produced some standing waves and fun conditions. For me it was fun, for some of the other paddlers it was a trying experience. They all made it through without a hitch, but there were a few white faces.
The area behind Beal was serene. There were some opsrey nests and several small islands.
We returned through Little Hell Gate on the other side of Beal.
Once back at Knubble Bay, we hauled the kayaks up the stairs, loaded up, and hit the road.
The leaders put on quite a spread and did a fantastic job.