Winter Harbor, ME to Bois Bubert I., 9.18

[gyork]

Skip report; go to slideshow: here

 

It was great to have Joe and Yong along for this short, overnight trip to Bois Bubert Island, which included two “danger“ areas, according to the MITA guidebook. We would have to arrange a spot for overnight parking in Winter Harbor, and that was easy-peasy, thanks to the generosity of Susie, owner of Chase’s Restaurant, very near the launch ramp. We rendezvoused at the Schoodic Woods Campground, a relatively new campground within the Acadia Park system,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

complete with hiking trails, bike paths, and shuttle bus access, the latter of which I took advantage of to hike Schoodic Mountain, before the boys arrived around suppertime. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We drove the short distance to the launch on Friday morning, unloaded and packed our boats, and parked the cars. The high-tide launch at 9 AM was a bonus feature, we would later find out upon our return. We meandered down the western side of Schoodic Peninsula, with views of Mark I. Lighthouse (abandoned) and Cadillac Moutain.

This was the shoulder season for Acadia, and we saw only a few people snapping pictures of our trio rounding sometimes-dangerous Schoodic point. As the photos will tell, it was a very benign day with calm seas and sunny skies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We poked our noses into Bunkers Harbor and found a small cobble beach for lunch, then paddled across the bay to Cranberry Point. On the chart, the Sally Islands look like an interesting small chain, so we decided to weave through the archipelago. About midway, a voice surprised us from behind. A gentleman in a sea kayak with Greenland paddle introduced himself as the owner of the small contemporary home on one of the islands. We chatted about different adventures amongst the four of us, his more notable than ours, including far-off paddles to Labrador, Newfoundland, and swimming from Green Island light, at the end of Petit Manan, a distance of at least 2 miles. Jack’s architectural/engineering background allowed him to build his own home and outbuildings on his private island. We would take him up on his offer to visit on our return trip the next day, to see and learn more about his island paradise.

 

We approached Petit Manan Bar with not a little trepidation, never having been there before. The short crossing was uneventful and we worked our way up towards Bois Bubert, the tide and following wind giving us a push to our campsite.

 

We spread out our tents on the few grassy level spots we could find and enjoyed supper shortly thereafter.

The mossies were not a little thick, and we hastened to our tents for slumber, shortly after sundown. Of course I had to check my boat at high tide (10 PM), never ever really sure that my boat would not get carried away again.

 

The next day’s forecast called for a northerly 9-11 knot breeze but my companions were nonplussed; Plan B was to catch the 11:35 West Bus Service in Milbridge. The day was delightful and we could see the impending blue sky delineated from the cloudy skies above by a straight line.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We detoured to Jack’s island Paradise for a near-complete (dripping drysuits surely not welcome indoors) tour, which included a separate “tiny house” guesthouse, a zip line, outdoor climbing wall to daughter’s bedroom, and a combination outhouse/movie theater? I won’t begin to describe it. We continued to retrace our previous day’s route, enjoying blue skies and calm seas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We would face the last leg of the trip as a slog against wind and tide, back to Winter Harbor where we reached a stopping point 100 yards from the ramp.

 

We retrieved our cars and made haste to Hadley’s Point Campground to set up tents and freshen up before the annual Saturday night potluck festivities of the MDI retreat.

 

Link to our track (day #1):  here

Edited May 20, 2020 by gyork