286 Doherty ln 8/28
N 44• 51.471' W 67• 03.689'
Hooray! My last Maine Island trail paddling day was another spectacular one. From last nights campsite I could hear the reversing falls even a slack tide when I departed, but I didn't go anywhere near them. Still there were all sorts of exciting currents and waves to see. Checked out Eastport. And then found the Airbnb where Warren, W & Dad will meet me later tonight (though I did try the wrong house first). Will explore the area with family tomorrow then back to Gloucester Friday. Thanks Maine Island trail , what an amazing experience

Cat island 8/27
N 44• 53.784' W 67• 07.182'
Getting to Lubec a couple days before my family comes to pick me up, I get to explore Cobscook bay etc. tides are impressive here. Lots of eagles. The wildlife sound I couldn't place the other night is seals

Sunset point RV Park, Lubec 8/26
N 44• 51.102' W 67• 00.243'
I did it! I paddled the whole Bold Coast in one day. Weather/tides/waves all worked out. There were big rocky coast and squirrelly currents. Arrived at sunset point RV Park just at sunset

Cross island 8/25
N 44• 36.933' W 67• 16.816'
Dickinsons reach yurt community was lovely including a yurt library I would have loved to curl up in but I had to watch the tide. Was a bit choppy out there today. Watched some seals hauled out from a safe binoculars distance. Made it to cross, camping next to an old coast guard station, and lots of blueberries

Dickensons reach 8/24
N 44• 38.831' W 67• 25.405'
Oh the guilt and excitement of disturbing a bunch of seals hauled out on a ledge.
Made it to my planned site by lunchtime so put in the distance to get to a site with a yurt privy. Tomorrow I will explore pioneering yurt/simple living site

Stevens Island 8/23
N 44• 29.512' W67• 40.041'
So much easier without the fog. Tides have cycled through so now I'm loading the boat on an outgoing tide and unloading on incoming, just to keep me on my toes.

Bois Bubert Island 8/22
N 44• 20.256' W 68• 03.556'
My reward for making it around Petit Manan point in the fog and going wide around breakers along the point and ledges was seeing two seals jumping where there was a school of fish at the surface

Schoodic 8/21
N 44• 20.258' W 68• 03.551'
Enjoyed day on land exploring Acadia and getting errands done. Off again tomorrow

Schoodic 8/20
Successfully met up with Tom who drove my kayak up Cadillac mt where there were amazing views of where I've come from. Went out for lobster and ice cream. Am now doing laundry and will resupply tomorrow and more exploring Acadia

Seawall campground 8/19
Some blips in the day and some serendipity. Saw two dolphins, an eagle and loons. Slow start waiting out rumbling thunderstorm, then hours waiting out fog on placencia island next to a no camping sign I thought I'd have to ignore, then it lifted and I made it to seawall late and have crashed tom's friends' campsite

Pond island 8/18
N 44• 13.434' W 68• 28.216'
Had to adjust my plan again when fog hadn't lifted by noon but this way I got to see Lazygut Thrumcaps (though tide was too high to stop for lunch) and cross Eggemogin reach (fog had cleared by time I got there) both names are among my favorites.
This campsite is deet worthy

Russ Island 8/17
Stayed here as a base camp planning a day trip to isle au haut, but fog got thick on my way there. Paddled and poked around Wreck Island for 2+ hrs hoping it would lift, but I made the cautious choice to head back because even as it was lifting it could have come back in (which it did) and I would have been stuck out there. I'll have to make another trip for isle au haut. Made trip to kayak outfitter/campground for some recharge, resupply and takeout instead.
Tonight fog is so thick, it's completely still sometimes between mosquito buzzing

Russ Island 8/16
N 44• 09.084' W 68• 38.489'
Waited on some light rain this morning and fog dispersed just as I got on the water. Now too foggy for sunset but low tide fog has it's own beauty. Plus less motor boat noise in an otherwise busy reach

Butter Island, nubble site
N 44• 13.600' W 68• 46.905'
Beautiful conditions for crossing to Vinylhaven this morning. Rewarded myself with an ice cream in North Haven. Watching sunset from the overlook at the top of the island over a meadow-came here before and this is why I wanted to be sure to come back

Monroe Island 8/14
N 44• 04.520' W 69• 02.570'
Osprey with a fish
Stopped in tenants harbor for a little resupply just as my cheese was running out

Mosquito Head 8/13
N 43• 56.039' W 69• 12.983'
Am curious to know more about lobstering- is a lobster boat out before sunrise up to no good or just insomniac? Admiring lobster buoy art. Also admiring porches on all the cottages etc along the coast.
So far, campsite hadn't lived up to it's name but I have the deet on.
After a week, I've made enough of a dent in my food that it's slightly easier to fit everything in the boat

That was yesterday's update which failed to send the first time

Hog island, muscongus bay
N 43• 57.774' W 69• 25.429'
Bald eagle- fitting on an Audubon Island.
Tides, weather and winds continue to be favorable- made it through the Gut at slack, and around Pemequid Pt with relatively calm seas

Fort Island
N 43• 53.391' W 69• 35.030'
Getting into the routines of setting up camp, loading the boat on an outgoing tide, remembering the feel of navigating, of gauging motor boats' paths and their wake.
Pleased to have a large campsite (guide warned well used by groups) with privy to myself. Stopped at marina in Boothbay for water bottles

Little Ram Island
N 43• 52.061' W 69• 40.979'
Ben&molly accompanied me along the Morse by canoe then I blasted through the surf and my Nalgene bottles were swept off my deck. Gave the mouth of the Kennebec a wide berth with messy breakers all around. Paddled up the Sheepscot for a sweet Island all to myself, with ripe huckleberries

Fun day playing, eating and drying out today- off again tomorrow

Morse River Estuary
N43• 44.725' W69• 49.048
Crashed the neighbors vacation and what joy to have hugs and raspberries and beach and kayak adventures together. Surf arrival was wild, but got through it with help enough to brave the surf again to head up the Morse together

Hermit island campground
N 43• 43.258' W 69• 51.158'
Socked in by fog this morning, took it easy and it lifted by the time I was loading my boat. Made it to campground ahead of tstorms. Seals and I watching many fish jumping outside small point harbor. Hot shower and snack bar dinner and ice cream after frustrating landing and schlep

Whaleboat Island
N 43• 45.661' W70• 02.923'
Perfect start to my journey, sendoff by Warren, beautiful weather, Island all to myself, afternoon swim was cold

Maine Island Trail trip planning

I almost have everything together to depart on the Maine Island Trail tomorrow, a trip I've been looking forward to for years. This trip is along the coast of Maine, where the Maine Island Trail Association puts together a guidebook of islands (and some mainland spots) where boaters and launch, stop and camp. I'll try to post my location and a highlight via text each day to this blog. Maybe I'll even have cell coverage (and battery) to share some photos along the way.

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