Kayaking Maine’s Islands
Well, having lived in Maine for 2 and a half years, I finally got tired of the tourists having all the fun. Each summer I watch the cars, trucks, and SUVs from Massachussetts, New Hampshire, and New York going north on the highway, laden with bikes, kayaks, canoes, boats…off to have fun in Vacationland. Now, I’m having fun too. Every weekend is like a vacation for me - in the summer anyway. But I finally decided to find out what all the fuss about kayaking was about.
I’ve had some bad experiences with water. I have a theory that everyone is cursed with an element…earth, air, fire, or water. It’s a popular cocktail hour conversation for me. I am cursed with water. From early childhood memories, to plumbing problems in every apartment I’ve ever lived in, to a disastrous canoe trip in West Virginia — yeah, I’ve been burned. But this year, I’ve decided to start conquering fears and curses, so I signed me and my husband up for a half day LL Bean kayaking trip. We went last Saturday and I loved it! It was a day custom made for novices… 75 degrees, party sunny with a nice breeze, calm waters.
We started out at Bean’s Paddling Center site in Freeport, just past Wolfe’s Neck Woods Park (another great place). It’s a gorgeous site, and well organized, as you’d expect from Beans. They provided all the equipment and went through a quick demonstration of basic paddling strokes. Then we got situated in our tandem kayaks and we were off. My husband got rudder duty and I got brute strength duty. We went across Casco Bay and over to one of the islands to get out and stretch and have a snack. We saw a bald eagle (gorgeous!), osprey, and seals. This really is a gorgeous area. I was sold. I think it’s basically a requirement that if you live in Maine, you own a boat, and as I have no interest in the trouble of a motor boat, I think a kayak might be up my alley.
Anyway, so my point is… <drum roll> at the end of the trip, they gave out a brochure for the Maine Island Trail Association, mita.org that protects and preserves the islands. It encourages safe use, etc. etc. and when you become a member you get a guidebook that describes which islands you can go to, information about currents and tides, and stuff like that. I know I have a long way to go in my kayak education, but I’m excited, and this organization sounds like a great resource. Check it out. Membership starts at $45.
