Muscongus Bay

Muscongus Bay, Maine Kayak Maine Home
Muscongus Bay is in the heart of mid-coast Maine,
sandwiched between Monhegan Island and Pemaquid Point,
and within it lays a happy concentration of the beauty
and the history of the Maine Coast.
This special trip is designed as a introduction to the joys & adventure
of sea kayak touring. No previous experience in kayaking or wilderness
camping is needed for this trip, but is helpful.
This is your opportunity to satisfy your curiosity about sea kayak touring
while you are experiencing Maine's spectacular coast.

Muscongus Bay is also central to some of the best sea kayaking in the state.

This trip provides the explorer with scenic landscapes and a variety of wildlife, and is a fascinating area that holds treasures for those interested in kayaking, botany, geology, ornithology, photography, history, and more. The native people, followed by Europeans, sustained life from its rich waters. It is a rare place where land and sea are eternally linked; a place where Mother Nature, with her whimsical hand, carved out spectacular landscapes.

Our goal with this trip is to provide a challenging yet safe, educational, relaxing and fun experience

Expedition Summary

We’ll spend our trip exploring the islands of northwest Muscongus Bay, hopping from site to site, staying on different islands, and exploring the shores of dozens more.
	The campsites are primitive yet comfortable (expect no facilities or electricity). The average day’s paddle will consist of 6-8 miles, but is entirely contingent on the mood and ability of the group. The mid-summer sun is warm, the air temperature is a pleasant 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, and the water averages around 60 to 65.

Day 1: Meet at Compass Rose headquarters at 8am; grab a cup of coffee and pack personal gear into dry bags. A quick introductory meeting to get acquainted and discuss

the plan for the next couple of days before loading the last items into the van and heading 45 minutes to the put-in at Hatchet Cove.
At the put-in we’ll pack boats and get on the water as quickly as possible. We’ll wind our way west through the inner islands of Muscongus Bay to Crow Island, stopping to eat lunch and take photos on the way. Dinner on the smooth granite beach over-looking the cove adjacent to the Audubon Society farmhouse, and a great sunset.

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Day 2: Early morning wake up to beat the afternoon winds, as we’ll plan to paddle out into the middle of the bay today. After a breakfast of fresh fruit, yogurt, and granola, we’ll break camp and head south and east out towards famous Harbor Island. The Davis family, who generously allow public day use on their island, maintain a fantastic trail system through this gem on the Maine coast. A wood that feels truly otherworldly, and is often dotted with “gnome homes” covers Harbor.

The granite ledge shore that surrounds the island offers a few spots for cliff diving for the brave as well. After lunch on Harbor and some time to walk around we’ll head north to either Thief Island or Black Island, depending on availability. Both Thief and Black have great camping and comfortable beaches for relaxing while preparing dinner.

Day 3: Camp will remain set up today. We’ve all been in our boats for a couple days and should be feeling quite comfortable. We’ll take advantage of our base camp to explore out into the further reaches of the bay. Depending on wind and tides we may head out to the east, to explore the islands near Port Clyde.

Day 4: Wake up to a hot breakfast, and perhaps an early morning swim for the hearty. We’ll paddle north and east through more of Muscongus Bay’s inner island passages, passing a few small island lobstering communities. At the mainland we’ll paddle through Friendship Harbor and have a great view of this quintessential Maine town, virtually untouched by the tourism that plagues the rest of the coast. It’s not far to the take-out (same place as the put-in) from Friendship.

By planning to reach Hatchet Cove by noon, we can unload the boats and grab a quick bite before piling into the van for the ride back to Whitefield.

Expedition Grade: Moderate 3 nights/4 Days (island camping)

Dates: July 17th -July 20th August 28th -August 31st September 11th -September 14th
Meeting Time: 8 am at CRE Headquarters in Whitefield, ME
Group Size: Min 4 / Max 10
Cost: $500 per participant
Price includes: Professional Maine Guid
One and two person expedition kayaks
Kayaking equipment (PFDs, paddles, etc)
All meals during trip
Group camping equipment (tents, utensils, etc)
Parking at Old Quarry Campground

Price does not include:
Transportation to Old Quarry
Items of personal nature; sleeping bag, sleeping pad, clothing