August 11, Hermon, Maine

   What is this floating down the Souadabscook Stream?

   Is it from this branch above?   Surely this must be an aberration.

   But here's another tree on shore.

 

    And a whole series of tree  along the shore of Hermon Pond.  
    Like it or not, fall is arriving in Maine.

Postcards from Stonington

Friday was an ideal day for sea kayaking in Stonington.  We were down at Old Quarry Ocean Adventures shortly after 8AM, and finished well before the afternoon thunder showers.  

But I really don't have a story from the day, just some lovely pictures.

Crossing between the Coombs near high tide

Little McGathery Erratic, boat for scale

Two boats on a beach

Seaweed floating over a shell beach

Granite marbles on shore, with a head for scale.

Islandscape, with Mark for scale again

Lobster boats heading in between Green and Russ Islands

Stonington at low tide

A classic paddling view

Summary:  Launch 8:40AM from Old Quarry Ocean Adventures.  Fee to launch and park, restrooms, camping, rentals, tours,shower, supplies and more available.  High roughly 9AM.  Out by Grog, Hell's Half Acre, through Coombs, over to Goosberry, along McGlathery, Round, Wreck, Steves, St George to Sands.  By Rock Green and Russ back to Old Quarry.  about 12 miles, two stops, finish at 1:30PM.

Other visits:  Stonington with Schooners in the Harbor
                   Stonington:  The Search for Jem's Island
                   Stonington:  Two Wonderful (with Baffinpaddler)
                   Stonington Maine

Castine: Smith Cove with a side visit to a regatta

Here are four highlights of a late July sea kayaking trip at Castine harbor, Maine.

Not much of Middle Ground was showing

The first highlight was arriving at low tide, which put us ten feet closer to the bottom.  Sea stars, crabs and other under water life was clearly visibly, as was Middle Ground, a high spot in the center of a deep channel.

   Our second highlight was visiting the wreck of the Gardiner G Deering on a foggy morning.  A sister ship, the Carroll A Deering was found off Cape Hadaras in 1921 with its sails set and crew missing. The Ghost Ship of the Outer Banks  tells its tale.

Paddling through the inside, seeing more beams below water

   But the Gardiner G Deering met a more prosaic ending.  Built in 1903 and used in the timber trade, it was simply abandoned in the 1930's when shipping via sailing ships was no longer competitive.  After being abandoned, the double hulled vessel was sometimes as a dwelling until the upper levels were burned on July Fourth in the 1940's. 

Nice detail of the iron bars

   Seventy years later, pieces of the Gardiner Deerings double hull's strong timbers remain, intriguing visitors. 

Mill Pond Island (At some tides), taken from the top of the dam

Our third highlight was the charming tide mill pond at the end of Smith Cove, complete with its own island.

Coming up on it at low tide, I could see the dam exterior was just small rocks.  It looked like a simple do it yourself project: build a dam from nearby rock and have free power provided by tides.  But from the top, seeing the 10-15 foot width, made it apparent that this was no simple task, but represented hundreds of hours stacking rocks, not to mention designing the actual mill mechanisms.  This dam once hosted  a saw mill and a grist mill capable of grinding one hundred bushels a day;  it could operate 16 of 24 hours in the day. However, by the time an of  1868 Hydrographic Survey, it was idle.

The current dam, falls to the right

  "Free power" has long intrigued Mainers.  Winnegance, on the Bath river was site of the most tide mills in Maine.  In this issue of the Tide Mill Times, John Goff talks of growing up along the Kennebec River and discovering its history in tide mills. 

And our fourth highlight:    As we came back to the main channel we noticed many sailboats heading out the Bagaduce River to Penobscot Bay.  I wondered for a moment if they might be reenacting great paintings of the Penobscot Expedition Naval disaster (with a retreating cloud bank filling in for flames) which took place July 24-August 12 1779. 

Penobscot Expedition by Dominic Serres

Our view heading out

  But it turns out it was a more festive event, for which many boats and even the sun appeared - the fifteenth Castine Classic Yacht Race, a 19.6 mile race and the first of three day races.  The other two races are the Camden Classic Yacht Race and the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta. Shortly before noon cannon shots began to be fired in the vicinity of the harbor buoy, signalling the start of the event. 

Milling about by the Harbor Buoy (to the left)  Dyces Head is in the background.

Taking off

Several boats in action

Summary:  Launch 9AM from the Castine Town Dock.  Town Facility flush toilets nearby, three hour parking only. (Parking available on lots and side streets in town.)  Low about 9:20 AM, finish about 12:30 PM, down Smith Cove and back, out to Holbrook Island for lunch.
 Castine Kayak operates tours in Castine Harbor.  When we arrived we met a woman who was excited to be heading out on a morning tour.  And when we got back, she was even happier, as she just signed up for a second afternoon tour.   A pretty neat review...

Eagle Lake, Acadia NP, Mount Desert Island

   Acadia National Park is an inspiring place, not just because of its great beauty but because of all the "do-ers" it attracts.  People come to Acadia not to sit and ponder, but to do; to bike, to hike and to paddle.
  Access to Eagle Lake is right off a public road, Route 233.  When we arrived, we could see the upper lot was full and about thirty cars were parked along the street sides.  So we were surprised to discover parking right by the boat launch in the smaller lake side lot.
   Most of the others were bicyclists, looking to loop the lake on grand carriage trails.  Others had longer adventures planned; one group asked us which trail headed to Jordan Pond where they planned to lunch.  (I'm not sure why they asked us, since clearly we weren't headed to Jordan Pond.  But possibly since we were pumping up our paddle boards we were a stationary target. )
   As crowded as the parking area was, you soon find privacy along the carriage trails and on the lake.

  Eagle Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the park, and the water supply for Bar Harbor.   Swimming, wind surfing, wading, and boats over 10hp aren't allowed on the lake.  It's chief draw is the backdrop of mountains.

  There were other boats on the water, a trio of kayaks and a solo kayak already out, a pair who launched behind us.  As we paddled we heard murmurs from the woods, bicyclists communicating with their group.

Taking a break along the shore.  True to Leave no Trace I've chosen a rock with no lichen, and I'm keeping my feet out of the water.  The straw gardening hat was cool but totally unsuited for paddling.  It blocked the forward view, so I wound up bending the brim back.

   The water was clear, and through there are fish in the lake, I didn't spot any.  The bottom seemed blank and nearly sterile.

   Along the east shore we found this rock shelter.  In 1885 a small hotel, the Curran House was built beside the dam on the north side of the lake.  The hotel built a small wharf from which the steamboat Wauwinnet transported guests to wharf on the east side where a railroad climbed Mount Cadillac.   Pictures of the hotel, steamboat and railroad can be found in a History of Bar Harbor Water Company pdf (the Eagle Lake story starts on page 75.)    Those pictures show no stone buildings, so my guess is the rockwork was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) in the 1930's as an enhancement to the carriage trails.

   All in all a lovely, quiet paddle.  

A bicyclist by the dam, where Curran House once stood

  Summary:  Access off Route 233, limited parking in the lots, the roadside seemed quite full as we left.  Pit toilets.  No swimming, no wind surfing.  When we left, we kept the boards inflated, a park ranger came and parked beside us saying not a word, which was delightful because it verified that paddle boards and our parking space were allowable at the park.
   We left our boards inflated so we could check for snakes at the Ellsworth Launch on the Union River.  Midday none were found, which was not really a surprise, they'd be more likely sunning on the rocks on a cooler day or in morning or evening light.  However several eagles were having great success fishing.

 

Oru Kayak Demo

   Mark and I are dedicated members of the kayak of the month club.  It just seems like there are so many good ideas out there.  Like a light kayak you can fold up.
    Just last weekend we loaded our kayaks on the roof and headed two hours south for a gathering which was supposed to happen on a beach accessible by boat only.  However when we arrived it was 68 degrees (F), foggy with a 20 mph wind.  For some reason none of the others (who were arriving via a shuttling skiff arrangement) felt it would be a good beach day.  So an alternative gathering was thrown together, and on the way home, as a consolation prize, we paddled a few miles on a river.  And when we got home we lifted those same 50 pound kayaks back off the car to put them away.

  It was the sort of situation made for an Oru, the origami kayak.  Rather than lifting heavy boats, we could have tossed them in the back.  When there was a change of plans, we wouldn't have had to worry if we'd loosened the straps when the sun came out, or if the boats were filling with rain when a shower passed overhead.

  And as Mark read about the Oru, he found that they were doing a "Pop Up"  demonstration in Portland Maine on Sunday.  So we signed up, via Facebook and planned to attend. 

The boat launch in Portland, viewed from on high where we found parking

   There were the usual signs of disaster on the way down.  When Mark called Portland Paddle (the sponsor) to confirm the event at first he was told it had happened yesterday.  When Mark expressed dismay that Facebook said it was a Sunday event, the voice reconsidered and said she was mistaken, she thought the day was Monday; but had that error corrected, the day was in fact Sunday and the event had not occurred yet.  (I'm still not sure if that reflected her being overworked or over-partied.)  There were rain showers, Mark's computer turned itself on, overheating and using up most of the charge trying to run a fan to cool itself, there was a huge traffic tie-up....  still we got to the Portland Promenade about the same time the Oru rep, Cara, arrived.

   Portland Paddle has a nice set up at East End Beach.  They offer kayak and SUP rentals, lessons and tours and with Fort Gorges just a half mile off shore, some awesome places to explore.  They take kids as young as 7 on tours.  Portland Harbor is one of my favorite places for day trips in Maine - having a kayak rental on site makes it even better.

  Cara put the kayak together, while we all kibitzed about how heavy our kayaks are.

    As Cara put it together she was careful to explain about what changes had been made since the first edition, including new end caps (which are sturdier than those on the model we tested)  We took turns sitting in the Oru, then brought it, and a second boxed Oru kayak to the beach where we took turns testing the boat.  There wasn't a very big group of testers; though the second Oru was unfolded, it wasn't used.

  The questions folks seemed to have are: 
   Is it light?  Yes, it's very light.  Folded up or constructed I could easily move a boat.

Light as a feather

  Is it sturdy?  Time will tell.  The folds are rated for 10,000 folds.  I checked the bottom of one of  the kayaks for scratches and didn't see many, but it would be nice to check it again in a year.  Mark managed to pop the back of the kayak as he got out.  He was using his paddle to brace.  A bracing paddle should be placed over the combing, while his was on the back deck, plus Mark is a bigger guy. I don't have a picture of what happened, because we scrambled to fix it.  It popped back into place, but a channel sealing section was slightly torn.  (This is a piece which snapped off every time the kayak is disassembled, the tear didn't effect seaworthiness, but it would probably need replacement.)

Is it stable?  Definitely, it's stable and it tracks well.

Is it a sea kayak?  No.  It does not claim to be a sea kayak.  It does not have genuine bulkheads.  There are float bags available.  A tester from Portland Paddle rolled the kayak easily, and I'm sure that rescues like a foot hook rescue or re-entry and roll are possible for everyone.   Scramble rescues are practical for average sized paddlers.  But it's only a twelve foot boat and its not designed for open ocean.

Is it a fun paddle?  Yes, it feels like a bigger boat than it is. It's responsive, you can edge it, it moves quickly and obediently through the water.  It tracks very well.  There is a foot brace, a bar positioned by straps.  The seat is basic and flat, but bearable.   There is storage behind the seat and some deck storage.

Optional equipment for the Oru include float bags, a backpack, and a four piece paddle adjustable in length and angle.  The float bags are a great idea, the backpack could be useful and the paddle seemed well worth the price.  Cara mentions they are thinking of a better paddle and perhaps an add on rudder. (A seat upgrade would be a nice option too - not so much more padding, which a yak pad would offer but a little contouring -  if they're looking for suggestions.)

Cara did a great job, showing us the Oru,  and letting us test it.   She had been in New York, demoing the boat and was scheduled to be at Oru's next East Coast demonstration  in Boston, Tuesday, July 22, 2014.

The Oru was a fun kayak and is very tempting.  If money were no object I'd add it to my collection.  But, as it is, we've already bought paddleboards this year. (we might be more in the Kayak-of-the-Year club)  So we need to assess where and how likely we'd be to use it.  The Oru would be great if we were regularly traveling to quiet waters, say driving south every winter....  Ideal, if we had a sailboat we were taking to exotic locations.  Tempting if we sometimes drove long distances to family gatherings and wanted access to paddling without being too blatant about it.

Also seen at the Promonade were many other kayakers.  There was a long skinny Cheaspeake lurking off shore.  A trio of fast fiberglass paddlers came in from a trip around Peakes Island and up to Little Chebeague.   A traditional paddler who'd been out rolling visited us.  He mentioned Portland was about to get a skin-on-frame store.  (maybe called Dancing Bear??)

East End Beach Portland on a Sunday afternoon is entertaining for the kayak variety alone. 


 

Low Tide at Lamoine

Lamoine State Park is a lovely location, fields and forest beside the sea, the mountains of Mount Desert Island as a backdrop.  Picnicking, camping, swimming and boating are available activities.  My favorite is exploring at low tide. There's so much life available to see.  Crabs, sea stars, urchins, periwinkles, shells in abundance; and a few rarer sightings of anemone and brittle sea stars.  It's an ideal place for cold water snorkeling, and it's fun for paddling, or even just wandering along the water line.

   Now, we've been paddling this spring and summer; mostly on fresh water and mostly in kayaks.  But we haven't done anything particularly photogenic.  So I thought it was time to break from routine- and Lamoine would be a great place for our first salt water paddle board adventure.  We were there fairly early in the morning, so winds were down.

   It took no time to pump up the boards and launch.   Though our long fins mean we need to stay in deeper water than a kayak would, the bottom was easily visible.  Sea star, barnicles and periwinkles dominated on the floor.  But higher up it was jellyfish; moon jellies and lions mane; pulsing and rotating in the water.  Enough jellyfish  so at times it felt like I was paddling through an aquarium exhibit. 

shot from underwater

   There was also this fairly odd creature; which might be a plant or an animal.  It was furled on the rock and looked like thin packing sheets of foam.  When I looked closer it appear to be clear with rows of bubbles within.  (The photo is not as clear as I'd hoped.)   (I'm fortunate that Janet Gagnon from An Ocean Lover in Maine identified this as a tunicate, possibly a didemnum.  Didemnum vexillum is an invasive also known by the unpleasant name, marine vomit.  This particular variant seemed to be whiter and cleaner than other species.  Since I haven't noticed it before, I think it is likely an invasive.
   Ocean Lovers, and Maine Ocean Lovers in particular are missing out if they don't check out Janet's engaging blog.) 

    It was a lovely day, great temperature, not much wind.  We paddled upwind first, the downwind.

    The park is a backdrop for this photo.

    We continued downwind, past the park, admiring the seaside cottages, visiting with a total of six  kayakers out paddling as well.  As it grew closer to lunch we headed back to the park.

   Here our boards, stripped of their fins, are drying in the sun while we're enjoying the view from the shade.

   Summary:  Lamoine State Park   Lots of parking, beach, picnic area, pit toilets, water.  Camping available.  Fee fpor entrance, additional fee to camp.  Launch 9AM, low 10:15AM, finish was 11AM.  Not a lot of miles, but an awful lot of fun.