Kayaking Frenchman Bay Maine

Ironbound and Jordan Islands

Frenchman Bay

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.

Long Porcupine

Rounding Stave Is.

Bunker Cove to Bar Harbor

Kayaking Somes Sound & Frenchman Bay Maine

    Somes Sound

Somes Sound

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 Acadia Mt 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.

Our track