Downeast Maine Revisited

 Jonesboro

Note: click an image to see large.  Photo credit George have * after comment.

After a stressful 12 hour drive in pouring rain, wondering what I have let myself in for, we arrive at our motel in Jonesboro a short drive from Machias where there are restaurants and stores.  Checking weather forecast we learn it is looking great for the duration of our trip which is a great relief.  After a nice meal of Haddock at the Bluebird restaurant in Machias we are off to bed.    Tuesday we are up at 7 and the rain is over, it is a bit overcast but is supposed to improve as the day goes on.  So after breakfast of blueberry muffins and yogurt we decide that today we will try the put-in near Helen's restaurant in Machias for a paddle down the Machias river leading to the sea.

Machias

Machias River

We arrive at the put-in with the tide about 3 hours before low tide and we wonder if we will be able to get out here if we are back at low tide.  I ask a local for his opinion and he thinks it will be okay but probably landing on the mud.  What is visible seems to be mostly gravel which should be okay, mud can be real treacherous!  Today I am trying out George's old drysuit to see if I like it, see below.

Drysuits *

Machias put-in

As we paddle out into the middle of the river we notice the paddles are hitting bottom and are concerned we could run aground offshore as the tide drops.  Luckily a GPS app on George's phone he uses to navigate mimics the hydrographic chart and indicates the position of the deepest part of the channel which we now follow.  As the tide drops large mudflats extend out from the shore which we are careful to avoid.  

Machiasport ramp

Machias River bridge*

At a point just short of where the river becomes open sea is Machiasport where there is a concrete ramp and we decide this is likely our best option for a lunch stop.

George at lunch

After lunch we paddle a few kilometers south into open sea before turning around and heading back to Machias.  The tide has turned but we we retrace our route keeping to the deepest part of the channel.  The day has turned very pleasant and bodes well for the rest of our trip.  After getting our gear packed away and a shower and change we are off to Helen's for a seafood dinner.  Tonight I decide to try wrestling with a lobster, when in Rome....

Andrea gives me a tutorial*

 
Howdy there*                    

A great start to our Maine kayaking trip!

Jonesport

Day 2 and the weather is lovely, sunny and warm with light winds so we are off to Sawyer  Square in Jonesport an area we paddled before on a previous trip.  I decide to eschew the drysuit in favour of my dry top and pants which are much easier to get into and out of.

Jonesport

Sawyer Sqr. Jonesport

Jonesport

We use the boardwalk to load up as trucks frequently come and go on the ramp to load up lobster traps etc.  We head SE around the tip of Pig island roughly between Great Wass island and Harbor Head island in the hope we may find fish farms that were present here in 2019 which attracted a number of seals hoping for a free meal.    I check with the binoculars but unfortunately they appear to have moved to another location.  Plenty of lobster boats around and as they pass in a hurry they set up a good sized wave.

Lobster boat

From time to time a seal pops up it's head very briefly making it difficult to get an image but finally one surfaces close to George and I am ready with the camera.

A curious seal

Getting hungry we look for a safe place to land, preferably the beach we used back in 2019 over on Harbor Head island.  I think it is in a cove where the name Sealand appears on the map but on paddling closer it all looks rather different no doubt due to the current state of the tide.  So we abandon that and try for the next inlet a little to the north and find a gravel beach safe to land on.

Harbor Head island

Me at lunch*

This beach is similar to one used in 2019 with good gravel and no mud so firm underfoot.   Tide is still dropping and by the time lunch is over the kayaks are now about 20' further from waters edge.   We decide to continue north rounding Harbor Head island heading east, then around Sequin island before heading back in the direction of Jonesport.  Turning a bit NW we head toward Kelley Point on the mainland and as we draw close a Bald eagle flies across our path and I watch as it lands in a tree on shore.   I leave George to head in to try for a photo.

Bald eagle

With my point and shoot camera I am limited to 4x zoom but with cropping on editing I get something recognisable.  Happy to have seen at least one eagle we continue on our way to Jonesport.  Up ahead we can see the bridge from mainland leading to top of Beals island.

Beals island bridge

Not long now before Sawyer Square ramp appears and we are done for today's paddling,  all that remains is shower, change and back to Helen's restaurant for tonight's seafood surprise.

Dinner at Helen's*

Winter Harbor

Our third day we take a break from kayaking and decide we will spend the day with the girls visiting our old stomping ground Winter Harbor where we used to stay for several years and have done a fair amount of kayaking on previous trips.

We visit the main street with its 5 to a dollar store and some souvenir type stores for the girls to shop.   A few changes since we last visited, the Fishermans Inn a nice restaurant we used to patronise has gone.  One of the first places we ever ate Chases restaurant is still there and that is where we have a nice lunch.  Then we drive out Schoodic Peninsular part of Acadia National Park to Schoodic Point to take a few photos.

Linda and I *

George *

Andrea *

Schoodic Point *

Bucks Harbor

Bucks Harbor to Hog Island

Today is our last day so we are off to Bucks Harbor for our last paddle in Maine.  We have paddled here before on a previous trip and we arrive with the tide still high and find a spot at the end of a row of fishermens trucks and trailers to unload.

Bucks Harbor

George getting ready to launch

There are many boats at anchor in the harbor area sheltered by the surrounding islands so we paddle to the right past Bar island then Yellow Head before skirting the shore of Bare island as we check out some of the beach areas as possible landing sites.

Checking landings

On a previous visit we had paddled to Hog island in search of some very unique petroglyphs which are to be found there, unfortunately we were never able to find them as it is a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack.  We think we may as well go back there today for one more try and at least there is a good gravel beach where we can have lunch.   So pulling away from Bare island we set course for Hog island.

Hog island in the distance

No sign of any seals today but I get a brief glimpse of two dorsal finned backs as they break the surface and disappear, I'm guessing they could be dolphins as that seems to be a typical maneuver.   Weather has been great and waves are at a minimum which is especially helpful out here where we are at some distance from shore.  I would love to find the petroglyphs as they are unlike the ones we have in Bon Echo which are painted, these are carved in Bas relief and according to someone my wife talked to are to be found on a ledge somewhere on the south shore of the island.  That is pretty much where I have looked previously so I don't hold much hope on finding but I will have another gander today.

Beach at Hog Island *

While George sits to have his lunch I go for a walk (clamber) over the south shore which is basically just a jumble of rock so rather strenuous.  No more luck than last visit, one would need detailed instructions or better yet a map location in order to find them.  So back to the beach to have my lunch now.   Lunch over we set course for Round island.

Heading for Round island

From Round island we aim for the gap between Mountain Head and Bare island leading to Bucks Harbor.   As we pass Bare island I suddenly recall that on our first visit here we looked seaward at low tide and realised you couldn't get out of Bucks Harbor this way as there was almost a wall running from Bar island over to Small Point and sure enough when I look with the binoculars there it is as the tide is now out.    So reversing a bit we now turn and follow the seaward shore of Bar island to retrace our outbound course from Bucks Harbor.

The gap between Bar island & Yellow Head

So all that remains now is to paddle in and load up the gear and boats although now our landing is much further from the car but there is a ramp so we use that and bring the car down to the boats avoiding a long carry.

Bucks Harbor at low tide

Then, you guessed it, it is off to Helen's for our last seafood dinner in Machias and then bed for a good nights sleep before the long drive home tomorrow which should be a lot pleasanter than the one coming down as the weather is again expected to be perfect!

The last supper, Amen!

Happy paddling!

from

KayakJock

Maine Kayaking Machias Bay & Jonesport

Machias Bay

Note: For larger view click on any image!

Bucks Harbor - Hog Island
14 km

First week of September and we are back in Maine; the wife and I with another couple.  George and I will get some kayaking while Andrea and my wife Linda do some beachcombing.   Been to this area before for hiking but never done any kayaking, so we are looking forward to some exploring.   Did considerable research online with Google maps prior to our visit as the main thing here (no pun intended) for us landlubbers used to kayaking inland waters, is to determine safe places to put-in and take out; at home you know you can always get out where you put-in but in tidal waters that is not a given!  My research also determined that this area is rich in petroglyph sites created at least some 400 years ago by the Passamaquoddy tribe native to both Maine and our own New Brunswick and one of the most unique sites is Hog Island which I thought would be an ideal destination for a paddle.

Example of Maine petroglyphs

Having determined there is two good locations for put-in at Bucks Harbor we visit the closest at Finn Beach road and decide it is suitable, being low tide it can only get better as the day goes on.

Low tide

High tide

The day started bright and sunny but by the time we reached our put-in it had socked in and was totally overcast with mist on the water which greatly reduced visibility.    My intention had been to travel NE between Bare island and Clamshell Cove but a quick scan with binoculars showed a sandbar effectively closing that route at low tide so walking east to higher ground I checked to make sure the channel south of Bar island was in fact still open.  It was!

Looking ESE below Bar island

Travelling ESE from Finn Beach we round Bar island and turn NE along the eastern shore of Bare island (Green track) then north towards Round island, finally out across Machias Bay towards Hog island where we will lunch and try to find petroglyphs.

Calm & grey (credit George)

Ever present lobster boat

George

As we move out into the bay there is a bit more wind now and the weather is looking very unsettled.  Forecast had first said strong afternoon t-storm, but the hourly was saying nothing of note before 16:00 and the t-storm not likely until evening.  I have VHF and it is now issuing a small craft warning for late afternoon.

I can now see a gravel beach that my research tells me is used by a Machias local canoe/kayak tour operator, this is where we will land.  At low tide most of these islands are inaccessible due to rocky shorelines ususally strewn with seaweed.  The tide here averages around 15'.

Hog Island

Before landing we paddle a bit around the southern shore to see if there are any better landings, there isn't but lots of shallows and with the tide turning it is easy to get pushed onto rocks so it is back to the gravel beach and lunch.

beach Hog island

lunch on Hog island

After lunch I scout around a bit to look for any sign of the petroglyphs but to no avail.  There is no published information as to their exact location to protect them from possible vandalism the like of which I have seen firsthand at Oiseau Rock on the Ottawa River.     As the bay is getting quite choppy and in the distance we see what looks like rain squalls we feel we should head back and perhaps return another day if time and weather permits to have a longer search.  This time we go towards Round island then skim Salt island owned by the Nature Conservancy to return by the route we couldn't do earlier but can now that the tide is about 2 hours short of high.

Round island (right)

Heading back to Bucks Harbor

A good paddle and the weather was fine despite being somewhat gloomy and we are back home safe and looking forward to our seafood dinner in Machias and weather looks good for next two days with plenty of sun so more adventure awaits.

Photo credit George

Day 2: Jonesport - Great Wass Island

Jonesport to Great Wass Island
17 km

Our second day for kayaking and we are launching from the Jonesport public wharf at Sawyers Square on a beautiful sunny day.   Again we are at low tide and plan to travel down the leeward side of Great Wass Island, owned by the Nature Conservancy and a great place for hiking, something I have done many times so today i'll get a different perspective of it from the ocean.

Sawyer Square wharf

These wharves while providing public access are also used by commercial fishermen so we always try to avoid getting in their way as it is their livelyhood at stake.  Usually quiet at low tide and busier at high when they may be unloading the catch for market.   From Sawyer Cove we head SE to go around Pig island, the channel south of Pig being inaccessible at low tide.

Lobster boats

Black Guillemots

There is little wind so water very calm with just a gentle swell as we head south towards Great Wass Preserve and the inlet known as Mud Hole, a sometimes anchorage for sailboats.  We have no destination planned for lunch so are keeping a sharp eye for possible safe landing sites but it is not looking too good.   I know from my hiking experience, the coast trail follows the east shore and it is very rugged and challenging so not a place to try and land a kayak and with low tide it seems everywhere you look is a wall of seaweed strewn rock.  We saw one exception shortly after passing Pig island that we would use as last resort.   There's a house so may be private beach.

Possible landing

This area has several fish farms which I think are new; large enclosures that are enclosed in netting and anchored at sea.  I'm told salmon is the product and on close inspection they are quite alive with fish performing almost acrobatic leaps every few minutes, kinda sad!  As we approached we kept seeing seals pop up, perhaps they are hoping for a free lunch?

Fish farm

George

Having reached Mud Hole and still no sign of a landing and the need for a pit stop becoming ever more pressing we turn north again to try the beach seen earlier.   Still checking with the binoculars and just after passing Green island I think I see a possible at about 3 km distance on Head Harbor island.  Too far to be sure so we strike out to the NE until close enough to make a decision.    This was meant to be!  It is gravel to waters edge and as we approach we first pass two Bald eagles and then seals are popping up around us and this time i'm quick enough to capture an image.

Bald eagles

Seal

Then just before reaching the shore I spot a Golden eagle circling high above, the first I have seen in years!   This is a perfect spot for lunch and the easiest of landings, so jacket off and chair out its time to sit back eat,relax and enjoy the view.  To add to my birding experience we have some shorebirds moving around the beach, a few Lesser Yellowlegs and a small flock of peeps one of which comes and lands just feet from my chair allowing me to get this image of a Least sandpiper.

Head Harbor Island

Least sandpiper

After an enjoyable break for lunch we're heading back across to Pig island and it's southern channel Pig island Gut to take a look round the other side of Great Wass.  Enroute George receives a call from Andrea, they have been tracking us on the phone and can now see us from their location at the NE tip of Great Wass island where they have been beachcombing and having a great lunch at a take-out restaurant.   Once round past Boat Cove and we encounter the wind we missed on the other side.   Quite gusty from the SW so getting very choppy.  One thing I have noticed paddling this coast, anytime another vessel passes us they have always throttled back till safely (ours) passed.  These guys live on the water and know the dangers only too well, something ignored by many a yahoo back home unfortunately.

Getting choppy

So now it's time to return to Jonesport to take-out, head back to the motel for clean up and then a much anticipated date with a lobster to end a perfect day of kayaking in downeast Maine.

End of a Perfect day

Day 3: Machias Bay - Hog Island

Bucks Harbor public access to Hog Is.
13 km

Our third and last day of kayaking and we are going back out to Hog Island to have another look around for the petroglyphs.   This time we opt for the alternate put-in about 1/2 km beyond Finn Beach road just south of BBS Lobster trap on Pettegrow Point road.  We had a look at it after our first paddle and determined this was an easier launch as you can drive a vehicle right down to waters edge at any tide level.   See red track above.

Pettegrow Point road public access

Weather today is again perfect unlike our first paddle to the island.   Again due to tide we take the sutherly route and clearly visible in the distance are the radio masts of a military installation which is now apparently part of NORAD.

between Bar Is. & Bucks Head

We take much the same route as previously passing Round island and land back on the same beach which is a lot more inviting now than last time.

Round Island

Hog Island

On landing we haul the boats up to the high water line to give us some time to do some walking in search of petroglyphs and not have to keep moving them away from the incoming tide.

Hog Is. beach (photo credit George)

We walk north first figuring better do our walking before lunch as we may not be so energetic after.   Someone said they were on the back of the island although back is a relative term, depends which way you come from.   We don't get too far before the going gets rather difficult and would require climbing down some steep rock to areas that will flood as the tide comes up.  There is no signs of any trail left by visitors or anything to guide us to their location, a veritable needle in a haystack.  Retracing our steps we try for the other direction where an abandoned ruined shack  stands above the beach.   Again all looks much the same so we are doomed to failure once again.

Sherpa George

checking south shore

Well it was worth a try and we are having a great paddle and seeing the scenery in all its glory unlike our first run out.    Giving up on our quest it's back to the beach to relax and have our lunch.

Looking SW from Hog Is.

Our lunch perch

We will try a different route home for a little variety, over to Round Island then west along the leeward side of Round and Salt islands before turning SE to get us between Bare island and Clamshell Cove.   Along the way I get to see a Common tern at rest on a buoy and several Bonaparte gulls feeding on the water.

Common tern

Bonaparte gull

To add another variation we take the cut between Bare and Bar islands before a right turn to run back in to the beach for take out.  Our vehicle sits alone in the parking area, everyone else has gone home.

So another Maine kayaking trip draws to a close just time for one more seafood dinner and then we have to pack up and be ready for our long (all day) drive home to Ontario but we have had a great time and lots of great food and we really lucked in with the weather as tomorrow the tail end of the hurricane will bring lots of rain and wind so nobody will be kayaking here for a while.

Our lonely vehicle

Happy Kayaking
from
KayakJock