[Suz]

For anyone that has ever thought of camping on the Cuckolds in Boothbay region, DON'T.

Was up there this weekend for a long awaited camping weekend with my husband. We got a late start and launched mid afternoon and as we were only heading 6-7 miles to the Cuckolds, we meandered and poked and went for a lobster roll and finally made it to the Western Cuckold which is in the MITA book and landed on the rocky outcropping which is a small island without any trees. Turns out it was occupied already, by TWO GOATS! They were very lonesome friendly goats and while we wandered around the island looking for what is supposedly two campsites, we found the goat shack and a sealed bucket with their feed in it. Of course we gave them each a scoop. BUT, they were more interested in us than they were in their food. While we were searching for the sites, we were rapidly swarmed by masses of mosquitoes and the goats started trying to nibble my tow belt, my spray skirt and then tried to eat the deck lines on my boat.

We gave up and decided to bail and go over to Eastern Cuckold which is with the light house where you are definitely not supposed to camp. Unfortunately this decision took us about an hour to make and in the meantime we lost lots of water and we had to haul our heavy kayaks back down to the water, paddle over to the other island and then haul them back to the dry rocks about 150 yards up steep kelp covered rocks. Eastern Cuckold ended up being a job site where volunteers are rebuilding the light house area. We ended up camping under the fog horn and praying for a fogless night! Dinner was not served until 8:30 pm.

Instead of having a lovely 2 night stay on an idyllic island, we were joined in the morning by the volunteers - we did offer them breakfast but they had already eaten.

Got back to Boothbay and in that weeks newspaper there was an article written up about goats were brought out to the island to help control the vegetation. It was really quite humorous but will warn you all - don't put the Cuckolds on your list of overnight islands!

Suz

[spider]

Wow quite a story... yikes !

[djlewis]

For anyone that has ever thought of camping on the Cuckolds in Boothbay region, DON'T....
Suz

Oh, don't you follow the Cuckold Blog -- thought everybody did! The goats had a guest post there just last week. They asked everybody to bring yummy deck lines and tow belts.

[bob budd]

Appropriately, your report will see them abandoned by kayakers and an object of scorn.

[Lorrie]

And here I thought the voles on Thief were bad last year! Apparently, you must be a magnet for animals in search of dinner, Suz ;-) Lucky we didn't encounter any on our trip this year!

[scamlin]

Suz:

Checked with the MITA office and Brian Marcaurelle, Program Director, had this to say:

"The goats (and shed) are supposed to be temporary. I'll try to get more information from the Council so that we can update the online guide accordingly. The designated campsites are still being established by the group."

Campsites sound like a work in progress.

Always best to check with the MITA office if in doubt about a new campsite or as Brian suggests, check MITA's new online guide to all 183 sites on the Trail--available to current members. The online guide allows MITA to give up to date information on Trail conditions and changes, something we cannot do in the paper Guide. So check it out before you go out.

MITA appreciates reports such as this: it is an example of MITA members as stewards being the eyes and ears of the Trail.

Scott

[Suz]

Suz:

Checked with the MITA office and Brian Marcaurelle, Program Director, had this to say:

"The goats (and shed) are supposed to be temporary. I'll try to get more information from the Council so that we can update the online guide accordingly. The designated campsites are still being established by the group."

Campsites sound like a work in progress.

Always best to check with the MITA office if in doubt about a new campsite or as Brian suggests, check MITA's new online guide to all 183 sites on the Trail--available to current members. The online guide allows MITA to give up to date information on Trail conditions and changes, something we cannot do in the paper Guide. So check it out before you go out.

MITA appreciates reports such as this: it is an example of MITA members as stewards being the eyes and ears of the Trail.

Scott

The volunteers working on the lighthouse and the newspaper made it seem like the goats were there for the season.

Really though, there was no way that the goats wouldn't have eaten tents, deck lines, sprayskirts and such if we had stayed.

The tent sites were nicely staked out in the one patch of flat area on the island - only problem is that is also a very convenient area for the goats to hang out. That was also where the goats would poop/pee while they are eating the vegetation. I wouldn't have wanted to put my tent there even if the goats just left - seems it will take a season or two before the poop went away.

[rick stoehrer]

all manner of critter are anxious to have you feed them...can't say i blame them.

[JohnHuth]

You mean you didn't bring curry powder and a big pot? I may have to visit Cuckolds and plan on a real feast - turn the tables.

Seriously - it's an unpleasant experience. Sorry to hear about it. I guess one should be careful about camping on the many islands called "Ram" "Sheep" "Goat" etc.

JH

[Suz]

You mean you didn't bring curry powder and a big pot? I may have to visit Cuckolds and plan on a real feast - turn the tables.

Seriously - it's an unpleasant experience. Sorry to hear about it. I guess one should be careful about camping on the many islands called "Ram" "Sheep" "Goat" etc.

JH

No curry powder but did have chili powder. I use that to sprinkle around the tent to keep the voles and mice away.

It really wasn't that unpleasant and if not at the time of day and tide, it wouldn't have been bad at all. In retrospect, I'm glad we were forced to go to the lighthouse as there were no mosquitoes there!

[Pintail]

Ah, Suzanne, darlin'! You do tell a great story, even if (very occasionally) you mix your tenses!

Well, chili should very well do the trick: it is recently being used in some parts of Africa to keep elphants out of crops: a thick, "yucky" paste is painted onto the fences in some areas of Zambia and it seems to work quite well. So I reckon you've got the voles stitched up nicely enough!

Now...about those goats...

[Suz]

Ah, Suzanne, darlin'! You do tell a great story, even if (very occasionally) you mix your tenses!

Well, chili should very well do the trick: it is recently being used in some parts of Africa to keep elphants out of crops: a thick, "yucky" paste is painted onto the fences in some areas of Zambia and it seems to work quite well. So I reckon you've got the voles stitched up nicely enough!

Now...about those goats...

Oh Christopher, I do so miss having you nearby! When am I going to see you again? Your name came up today with Ben Lawrey.
Suz

[JohnHuth]

I was thinking "curried goat", actually - very tasty. I wondered where I could get a goat. Now I know. The Jamaicans say that the testicles taste really good if you fry 'em. I suppose the owners might not take kindly to that, but since I'm assuming they aren't supposed to be on a MITA island, they could just "disappear".

[jason]

I was thinking "curried goat", actually - very tasty. I wondered where I could get a goat. Now I know. The Jamaicans say that the testicles taste really good if you fry 'em. I suppose the owners might not take kindly to that, but since I'm assuming they aren't supposed to be on a MITA island, they could just "disappear".

It sounds like they do in fact belong on the island for now. I think that curried goat wouldn't work with LNT teachings....

[JohnHuth]

It sounds like they do in fact belong on the island for now. I think that curried goat wouldn't work with LNT teachings....

Darn - my mouth was watering. I was thinking of bringing some cilantro too. All these nominal restrictions. sheesh

[EEL]

Campsites sound like a work in progress.

That island is not that inviting in the best of times. If for no other reasons than the Gulls think they own it. The goats were mentioned in a MITA newsletter as I recall. I can imagine they were friendly. When we went by a couple of weeks ago Gail had a nice conversation with them and they seemed to enjoy seeing people.

There are more than a few MITA islands where the campsites are not even works in progress which is, to me, a very good thing. There are some downeast MITA islands that regularly have sheep on them.

Ed Lawson