Downeast, Maine
Kayak
Maine Home
Explore Maine’s unforgettable coastline by day and camp on its
wild and remote islands by night. Our goal with this trip
is to provide a challenging yet safe, educational,
relaxing and fun experience. |
| The term "Downeast" refers to a
sailor's heading. The prevailing maritime winds took the old sailing fleets down wind and
east along the coast. If you look towards Canada from Schoodic Point on the northeastern
edge of Acadia National Park, you'll begin to see Downeast Maine. You see where tourism
ends and one of the last places for real adventure on the east coast of the United States
begins. |
It's a place where narrow peninsulas
finger out into the cold Fundy current.
Tamarack pine, peat bogs, and blueberry barrens replace oak forests. |
The fog is more enduring and impenetrable. The farther east
one paddles, the more sub-arctic the coastal
ecosystems appear. The climate is cool, raw,
and damp all but one or two months each year.
Rare arctic flowers occupy the extreme tips
of islands and peninsulas. Even today, the
settlements along the coast and
occupying islands are few
and far between.
|
Expedition
Summary
This expedition focuses on the Great
Wass Archipelago, a large island group sprawling around Great Wass Island off the small
fishing town of Jonesport, ME.
This bold and textured coastline offers both protected island passages
and bold, cliff-lined coastline. Our journey will take us out of Jonesport into
Western Bay on the west side of Great Wass, then down around the southern end of the
archipelago and into Eastern Bay where we’ll visit some of the most exposed islands
on the Maine coast. |
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We’ll paddle about 10 miles a day, and can expect water temperatures to be down
in the low 50’s. The cold water and exposure to the open sea often means fickle
weather that can range from a blue skies and 80 degree air temps to dense fog, high winds
and cooler air. This variability is part of the character of the downeast coast, and adds
to the adventure possibilities of the region. |
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Day 1:
We’ll meet at Compass Rose headquarters in Whitefield, ME at 7am.
Once everyone has arrived we’ll have a quick orientation meeting over coffee, then
pack our dry bags and load up the van. We hope to depart for Jonesport by 9 am to
arrive by lunch time. Kayak instruction will follow a hearty lunch and boat
packing. Finally, we’ll hit the water and head southwest to Stephen’s Island.
Stephen’s is a small wooded island that provides great access to the furthest reaches
of the Western Bay. After setting up camp, we’ll gather on the rocks for a big dinner
and to watch the sunset. |
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Day 2: Early morning wake up to
beat the afternoon winds. We’ll fuel up with coffee and a fresh breakfast on
the rocks, then jump in the boats to explore further south and check out some of the
other islands in Western Bay. There are plenty of ledges and sandbars to play around
and test our paddling skills. We can also expect to see a few bald eagles and
perhaps a seal or two. This day of exploration will take us over to Sand Island,
essentially just an exposed sandbar, but a great lunch spot with a fantastic 360 degree
view. In addition to warming up to the boats we’ll spend some time talking
about navigation and sea conditions, as we are likely to experience the extreme fog that
often drapes the Downeast coast. Navigating the fog can be intimidating at first,
but our guides are highly experienced and happy to let you in on all of their secrets. |
| Day 3: Today we’ll wake
up early once again and break camp as breakfast is cooking. We’ll be heading
around the south end of Great Wass and can expect more exposed sea conditions and a longer
day of paddling. The dramatic coastline we’ll see is worth the long day on the
water. As is our destination, Little Water Island. Little Water is basically a
meadow perched on top of a large granite ledge. Camping there is like staying on a
balcony over the sea. |
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Day 4: This morning we’ll
leave camp set up on Little Water and head up into Eastern Bay. We’ll check out
the Mistake Island Lighthouse, and head north around Steelhead Harbor Island. The
geology in this region is dramatic, and we’ll paddle along some coastline that is
truly sub-arctic, with tundra-like meadows fingering out along cliff-lined coast dotted
with scrub pine. While cruising in and out of island passages we’ll keep our
eyes peeled for the diverse bird life that populates the region, including terns, eiders,
and razorbills. |
| Day 5: Our last day on the water,
we’ll break camp and fuel up before heading north along Great Wass and Beal’s
Islands towards Jonesport. While paddling back towards the mainland we’ll have
the opportunity to check out the local fishing harbors. These small, hard working
island communities are some of the few remaining true fishing villages left in New England.
Finally, we’ll take out back in Jonesport around noon, where we’ll have a quick
lunch before heading back to CRE and hot showers |
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| Expedition Grade: Intermediate 4 nights/5 Days (island camping) |
Dates:
August 6th - August 10th , Group Size: Min 4/ Max 12
Cost: $750 per participant
Price includes: Professional
Maine Guide
One and two person expedition kayaks, Kayaking equipment (PFDs,
paddles, etc),
All meals during trip, Group camping equipment (tents, utensils, etc),
Transportation to/from Jonesport area from CRE Headquarters in Whitefield
Items of personal nature; sleeping bag, sleeping pad, clothing
Meeting Time: 7 am at CRE Headquarters in Whitefield,
ME
Price does not include: Transportation to CRE |