This is an area I never tire of kayaking there being so many bays and islands to explore, and with Mt Desert Island as a backdrop the scenery is without parallel. There are a couple of excellent put-ins that I have used that are within a short drive of the inn we stay at in South Gouldsboro, Bunker Cove wharf is closest and is best as you can park very close to the boat ramp and even at low tide the bottom of the ramp is almost awash. Our first day kayaking and the bay is shrouded in fog so visibility is not great but being familiar with the area and having GPS we plan to head out with a mind to staying reasonably close to shore. We park at Bunker Cove, this is an active fishing wharf so we are careful not to block access to any fishing boats or property not wishing to undermine our welcome for future visits.
Bunker Cove wharf
Weather on the coast is varied and can change fast and fog is something you can count on. On this occasion visibility is probably 100 - 150 m and is not likely static but with GPS we will have no problem finding our way, just have to keep an ear to approaching traffic which might not see us.
Left, lobster boats in the cove.
Right, paddling in fog.
Not a great deal to see once you get away from shore but eerily calm in the fog as we proceed southward toward the passage between Jordan Island and the mainland. Lobster pots are everywhere and the throb of the fishing boats engines is heard intermittently and every once in awhile their ghostly shape comes into view. We look forward to a later rendezvous with some of their tasty catch in one of the fine dining establishments of the area.
By 11:30 we are abeam of Crow Island just off Grindstone Island which is in fact really a peninsular providing shelter to Winter Harbor, our planned destination this trip. Tide is still going out so we think we can park on an exposed sandbar to stop for lunch. Lunch over we head SSE to round Grindstone Point then north to stop at Inner Winter Harbor for a quick pit stop before ending at Henry Cove to view the town of Winter Harbor. This is as far as you can go so turning around we head back to Bunker Cove.
Crow Island
Lunch parking
Town of Winter Harbor
On our return trip we pass our sand bar used for parking at lunch, now it is high and dry and quite inaccessible due to all the exposed rocks, timing is everything in this environment. For variance we decide to go further from shore cutting between the north end of Ironbound Island and Jordan Island thence along it's western shore passing Yellow Island before turning NE back to Bunker Cove. As we approach this channel the fog thickens seemingly snagged on the islands, relying on GPS I steer for the gap and am almost on top of the island before I can see it. Clearing the gap we emerge in the clear the fog being held by the islands but now as we look to the NE Bunker Cove and the mainland are now obscured. Tide is low and fog thick as we arrive back from our 23 kilometer trip feeling we made the most of a foggy day in Maine.
Looking NE
Bar Harbor and Porcupines
This time we have a gorgeous weather day ideal to make the trip to Bar Harbor which is on Mt Desert Island about 9 km across Frenchman Bay. There is a string of islands running roughly east west called the Porcupines and we can stay on their leeward sides if necessary to shelter from wind but it is looking good. Once again we launch from Bunker Cove heading SW between Stave and Jordan islands heading for The Hop at the eastern extremity of the Porcupines
Bunker Cove
Mt Desert Is.
Staying along the north shore of Long Porcupine we paddle SW towards Burnt Porcupine, here the retreating tide has exposed a stony beach where a quick pit stop is made. Clearing the southern tip of Burnt Porcupine we can now see a large cruise ship anchored off Bar Harbor.
SE tip of Burnt Porcupine
Bar Harbor is a major tourist destination situated as it is on Mount Desert Island part of Acadia National Park. It offers all the amenities as well as opportunities for hiking, sailing and cruising for both whale watching and sightseeing, and is port of call for many large cruise ships like the Holland America line's MS Veendam pictured below.
MS Veendam
It is also the terminal for the hover-craft service from Nova Scotia so the harbor area can be quite busy with a variety of craft. Sliding past her bows I'm thinking if she were not at anchor I doubt we would be getting into any kind of argument as to who has the right of way here. We head in towards a horseshoe beach below the promenade in front of the Bar Harbor Inn. I had scouted out possible landing areas when on a previous visit with our wives so even if the tide was in there is a ramp to get us up from the beach.
On arrival we take our
lunches and stroll up the ramp to the promenade to seek out a bench where we
can sit and eat lunch. Here one can enjoy a view of the harbor while basking
in the autumn sunshine. The Margaret Todd, a stately tall ship sits by a
wharf in preparation for another cruise of Frenchman Bay as a whale watching
catamaran makes for open sea with the Porcupines straddled across the bay
beyond like so many green gems. I take a quick walk into town to pick up
a T-shirt I had meant to purchase on my previous visit leaving my friend to
keep an eye on our kayaks. It is now time to make our way back to Bunker
Cove, and as we head out the Margaret Todd is now off our port side under full sail as she takes another load of
tourists around the bay. We are aiming for the southwest tip of Long Porcupine to look at the caves before paddling along it's rugged east side. Then turning northward we will round
Margaret Todd
the northern tip of Stave Island before returning to Bunker Cove having traveled 22 km this trip.
When I first heard in 2012, that Maine had it's very own fjord Somes Sound; I got out the map to see where it was. I determined there and then this was an area I wanted to paddle, unfortunately it was going to have to wait another year as the few days remaining in our Maine vacation were fully scheduled. Technically speaking Somes is not a true fjord as found in Norway as it lacks the steep sides and is more correctly referred to as a fjard. But heck who cares, fjord fjard it is still a long narrow sheltered arm of the briny surrounded by great scenery and ideal for kayaking, so September of 2013 a friend and I did just that.
When we vacation in Maine we usually stay at an inn on the east side of Frenchman Bay near South Goldsboro where it is very peaceful and our kayaks are safely stored on the property well off road. This is also very convenient to a couple of good put-ins for paddling Frenchman Bay. But as Somes Sound is on the west side of Mount Desert Island which is also on the other side of Frenchman Bay it is not so convenient to get to, requiring a little over an hour's drive to reach Southwest Harbor where we will find a suitable spot to launch from. I had heard that Beals wharf on Clark Point Rd was good, but on arrival we find parking is limited to two hours and as we are looking to make a day of it we drive around to Southwest Harbor only to find that it is private which leaves us with our other alternative, Manset town pier on the south side of the bay. Here we find what we require, a section for all day or overnight parking and it is free. Yeah! Manset pier is reached by Seawall Rd to Ocean House Rd then east about 100-200 m.
George ready to launch at Manset
It is September 4 and the weather is perfect for our paddle as we set off across the bay threading our way through the many boats at anchor, mostly sailboats and small power boats. As we clear the bay and round Clark point near Beals the Sound looms ahead, sandwiched between Norumbegan Mt on Mt Desert Island and Acadia Mt on the west shore.
towards Somes Sound
We do not encounter any traffic and wind is light so wave action is minimal as we pass Norwood Cove a natural harbour on our port side, continuing towards the narrows marking the entrance to the sound. The west shore is more rugged rising quite steeply, the east more gently sloped with many expensive waterfront properties. It is worth noting that most of the shoreline appears to be private so one can't just stop anywhere for a pit stop but hope we will find somewhere where we can go ashore to eat our lunch.
East shore
West shore (courtesy George)
As we progress north up the west shore we notice a small tour boat head in towards shore where it lingers for awhile, intrigued we come about and head for their position to see what we are missing. Worth the effort as here are a couple of very pretty waterfalls, obviously a tourist attraction. I now know from my map that the larger is known as Man O' War Brook Falls and we stop to capture a few images of this picturesque scene before continuing; with an eye to finding a suitable stop for lunch.
Man O' War Brook Falls
A little further on I spot two kayakers in the shadow of AcadiaMt taking a break on some rocks that are almost awash, not a great place to take out if you value your gel coat but theirs are plastic. I ask if they know the area and can suggest a decent place to get ashore for lunch. I'm informed there is a small park with picnic tables on the east shore about 1 !/2 km distance so we thank them and head off. The park was probably not designed for water access the shore being very rocky but we manage to land on some gravel with little problem. I think this park is part of Acadia National Park and is ideal for our purpose with a nice picnic table in the shade and a toilet further up the slope.
Landing
Picnic site
Looking south from picnic site
We don't tarry too long at the picnic site as the tide is going out and we would have to chase the water. We set off heading NW towards Somes Pond at the top of the Sound where we will turn around and return to Manset. This could be an alternate put-in for someone paddling the Sound, particularly if weather was such that the seas around Southwest Harbor got too choppy. There appears to be a wharf off the highway (Main St) near Somes Pond Outlet.This area is great to paddle and the scenery is lovely but as it is almost landlocked it doesn't quite feel like being on the sea, more like the inland waters we are used to at home in contrast to paddling on Frenchman Bay.
Channel to Somes Pond
On reaching Somes Pond we turn around following the west shore southward to begin with until reaching Acadia Mt and we see a two masted schooner come in our direction. As there is little wind she is barely making headway and I veer towards her to get some close ups of this old gal of the sea. It is the Stephen Taber and chatting with her skipper I learn they are out of Rockport on a six day cruise. This beauty was built in 1874 and accommodates about 20 passengers, a great way to experience the Maine coast.
Schooner Stephen Taber built 1874
Wishing our seafaring friends Bon voyage we continue our paddle southward passing the occasional tour boat and just enjoying the scenery and beautiful fall weather as we make our way back to Manset town pier and bring to an end another spectacular paddle.
This June 20th Karl and I headed off to Fenelon Falls where we would begin a six day kayak camping trip on the Trent-Severn waterway. The plan was to each get a six day lockage permit, cost just over $85 for a 17' kayak, which would cover our locking fees for the trip's duration. We arrive at Fenelon Falls mid-afternoon and set up camp, buy passes and then shuttle Karl's vehicle to Gamebridge where we plan to be in two days time. On our return to the Falls we visit one of the nearby restaurants to have a tasty dinner feeling no rush to jump into that camp food just yet! Weather is beautiful and is looking great for the morrow when we will begin our paddle.
Roughing it!
June 21
Fenelon Falls to Kirkfield
We are up around 05:30 and it is looking like another great day. We pack up our gear and seeing as the Tim Horton's appears to be open down the street decide we might as well have breakfast there and save having to do dishes. We are done breakfast by 07:00, load the boats and are on the water by 07:30. It is a beautiful hot day again, and calm water as we head out across Cameron Lake then turn NNW towards the channel that takes us through lock 35, Rosedale, before continuing west across Balsam Lake to yet another channel leading to Mitchell Lake where we stop for lunch at a picnic site beside county road 48.
Fenelon put-in
Balsam Lake
Picnic site Mitchell Lake
Leaving the picnic area around 13:00 we cross the last part of Mitchell then up a narrow dug channel to the Kirkfield lift lock where we plan to camp for the night. They lock us through quickly, all that heavy equipment for just our two kayaks! The lock drops surprisingly fast and it is an odd feeling to be travelling through the air surrounded by 100's of thousands of gallons of water. Kirkfield has no lower dock or wall suitable for unloading a kayak or even exiting a kayak. I had to stand in my kayak, throw a line around a bollard then climb up onto the wall. The hard part is getting the kayak out of the water. By lying on my belly I could just reach the hatches to unload some of the gear to lighten then with help from the lock crew we lifted out.
Kirkfield Lock 36
The lock crew were extremely helpful and offered to be on hand if we required help to launch the following morning. Sean's girlfriend arrived bringing him a supply of chocolate cup cakes (she's definitely a keeper!) which were soon passed around to us as well, and then to top it all off to our surprise we find there is a small seasonal restaurant "Joyce's Place" just across the street from the lock office so an ice cold beverage is our first order. After setting up we head back to "Joyce's" for dinner, great homemade hamburgers! Oh and breakfast was great too! This camping stuff is a breeze!
mammoth lock 36
Day 1
June 22
Kirkfield to Gamebridge
Next morning after a cooked breakfast at Joyce's we load the boats on the lock wall. I decided our best bet was a "Georgian Bay" launch, sliding them off the wall stern first, this at a bit of an angle as the dock is not wide enough to accommodate a 17' kayak. We use my wooden blocks I keep in the cockpit to avoid scraping the hull. We attach stern lines also to make it easier to keep the yak against the wall while we drop in. Great night at this lock and almost a full moon to boot! We are off on our second day heading to lock 41 at Gamebridge where we will stop for the night.
Talbot River to Canal Lake
Today is warm and humid, mostly overcast and we experience a couple of light showers as we cover the roughly 8km of Canal Lake to continue on the Talbot River channel which will take us through five locks, 37-41 which are operated by another mobile crew and are no longer continually manned. We phone the mobile crew when we are about 2km from Bolsover the first lock of the series and alert them to our arrival. We have a short wait for the crew to arrive then are locked through. This crew will now meet us at the next lock after they lock through an up bound vessel.
Bolsover lock 37
After leaving Talbot we bid goodbye to this crew and will now be handled by another crew for the remaining locks. As we approach Portage the tour boat Kawartha Voyageur which we have seen often on the Rideau Canal is exiting the lock, some of its passengers walking the path along the canal to get some exercise.
Kawartha Voyageur
At Gamebridge we defer locking through instead unloading our kayaks on a bit of shore just before the lock wall begins on our starboard side. This to avoid dealing with another high wall and it is close to where we plan to camp. A large family has commandeered several of the picnic tables as this is a family outing. I politely ask if they could clear their stuff from the table next to where we will camp which they were happy to comply with. We get set up and ask the family, who turns out are from the Toronto area but of Bangladesh origin, if they would mind keeping an eye on our gear while we are off doing shuttle number two; this requires retrieving the car from Fenelon and moving one to Couchiching where we plan to be in another two days. While out on our drive we stop by a McDonalds and I get treated to dinner as I mysteriously got a whole year older overnight, ain't this camping great! On our return the Bangladeshi family bring over some cake to share with us so we get our dessert too!
Gamebridge take-out
Gamebridge lock 41
Gamebridge camp 3
Day 2
June 23
Gamebridge to McRae Point
After breakfast we haul boats and gear to the far end (downstream) of the lock where there was a bit of steep rocky shore shallow enough to allow boat loading on the water. Around 09:00 we head down channel for the approx 1.5km to the exit onto Lake Simcoe. Weather forecast was favourable and as we enter the lake it was even better than we had hoped, flat calm with a bit of fog but very hot and humid.
Entrance to Lake Simcoe
We set a dog leg course NW up the lake that will keep us no more than about 3km from shore just in case a storm breaks. When we are still about 5km from McRae Point cumulous nimbus can be seen building to the NW. Arriving at McRae Point we find there is no suitable access to the non-electrical sites which are on the closest SE side of the park so paddle around to main boat launch and walk to camp office to inquire which site might be best. We find site 114 (electrical) on NW side is right in front of a boat dock with grassy landing area so we pay the extra for the convenience and paddle around to unload.
Day 3
It was great to have a real shower before starting dinner, then around 5:30p.m. the cloud build up got it's release and we had a brief thunderstorm clearing up around 6 p.m allowing us to have dinner. Being Sunday we had few neighbours and having a landing/launch about 20m in front of our site made our park stay pretty comfortable.
Lake Simcoe and site 114 McRae Point
McRae Point Provincial Park
June 24
McRae Point to Couchiching
Up early for another shower before shoving off about 08:30. Hot and humid but with a light SW breeze which was fine as we headed NW to the narrows leading to Lake Couchiching, then north up the lake arriving at lock 42 Couchiching at around 13:00. We lock through and set up at the lower end as there is a little beach area that makes for easy loading or taking out. Only trouble with this is the 45 stairs to reach the washrooms. After lunch and a bit of a clean up we head out to do the last shuttle, driving first to Gamebridge to retrieve my car then to Port Severn to drop Karl's before returning to Couchiching to have dinner.
Lake Couchiching
Camp 5 Couchiching
Day 4
June 25
Couchiching to Swift Rapids
We depart lock 42 around 08:45 continuing along the channel leading to Sparrow Lake there is quite a strong current in the channel and we have been told they are pushing a lot of water from Simcoe down to Georgian Bay to relieve flooding. Sparrow lake is a bit choppy from a west or WSW wind. At the top of Sparrow Lake we turn west into the Severn River which will take us to Swift Rapids todays destination. I'm a little disappointed as I had hoped this area would be more of a wilderness but while being very pretty it has the detritus of civilization; cottages, water slides, air mattresses and the like. These thin out a bit as you get closer to Swift Rapids and there are many narrow cuts along the river making it quite scenic.
Severn River
Lock 43 Swift Rapids
Most of the land bordering the river appears to be private and shores have deep water and for the most part inaccessible so few places to stop for a lunch break. We press on and arrive at Swift Rapids by about 13:00 unloading at the low wall close to where we will camp. All facilities are "on top" so we defer locking until the morning when we depart. This is one deep lock, one chamber that drops 47' and can lift boats in 8 minutes!
Camp 6
Yellow Iris
Sunset at Swift Rapids
Day 5
Day 6
Swift Rapids to Port Severn
Our last day and once again the weather is gorgeous, we pack the boats and say our goodbyes to our neighbours, two campers and the boat crew parked by the blue line. Andrew opens the lock and we paddle in, water goes through the floor in this lock and we descend quite rapidly, 7 minutes and we drop the 47' and sit facing the massive doors. This lock is all automatic with just Andrew at the controls. The doors open and Andrew wishes us well through the PA system and we paddle off on the last leg of our paddle, next stop Big Chute and the marine railway.
Lock 36 Swift Rapids
lunch stop Big Chute
At Big Chute we decide to stop and have lunch before boarding the marine railway which will carry us over the hump to a lower level downstream. There is a nice boat ramp adjacent to a lovely park area with picnic tables and access to the washrooms at the lock. Karl also found a restaurant where he bought his to take out.
The marine railway comes down for loading
Aboard Big Chute
Severn River
Big Chute is yet another one of the very different experiences this trip has had to offer, also probably the best lunch stop for ease of landing and facilities. Leaving here we continue through the area known as Gloucester Pool on our southward journey to Port Severn where this trip comes to an end.
His master's voice(s)
Gloucester Pool
Day 6
We arrive at Port Severn around 3 p.m. which brings our paddle to a close, we unload all the gear and haul the boats out of the water then load up everything on Karl's vehicle which has racks for two boats. All that remains is to drive back to lock 42 Couchiching to transfer all my equipment to my vehicle before beginning the long drive home.
Port Severn landing
After transferring gear we make a stop near Gamebridge for dinner and to fill up with gas as this seems to be the cheapest for miles around $1.15/l. By the time I get home it is 11:30 p.m and I discover that while we were having great weather on our trip things were not so great at home. A freak very localized storm went through the village with mothball sized hail uprooting some hydro poles and bringing part of our largest Manitoba maple down to dangle across our neighbour's yard. So now the good times are over it is off to work I go! I took a good number of photos on this trip a selection of which appears here, should you like to view the rest please click on the link below.
Left, lobster boats in the cove.
