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A few days in kayaking Heavens; Vinal- and North Haven-Aug, 2020


gyork

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Skip report-go straight to slideshow:  https://photos.app.goo.gl/ofmcUBSgGyyWunD29

 

Because I have never paddled there, I had the harebrained and overly-ambitious idea of CCWing  inner Penobscot Bay. (Probably not) because of the virus, I had no takers for this trip, despite all the invites. As John aptly replied “Frankly, paddling around the edges of Penobscot Bay is not all that interesting.“ Nonetheless, I was able to convince my oldest son to join me for this sea safari that was to require multiple “ on the go“ changes to the original itinerary.

 

Sunday, Aug 23-OH Harbor to:

         Monroe~1/2M; Sun Nite

         Monroe to Calderwood~11.4M; Mon Nite

         Calderwood to Ram (Castine)~14.4M; Tues Nite

         Ram I to Searsport Shores, via Castine~8.3M; Wed Nite

         Searsport Shores to Warren SP, via Belfast~13.2M; Th Nite

         Warren I to OH Harbor~15.5M; Fr Nite   Total~62.8M

 

Islesboro tides:

Aug 23 Sun 1459H  0846L

Mon 1554H  0938L

Tues 1654H  1034L

Wed 1759H  1137L

Th 1905H  1244L

Fri 0751H  1350L

 

Freshly over our fog–shortened, last-day paddle from the Lobster Buoy weekend, we took advantage of the extra hours to scoot over to nearby Owls Head Harbor to prepare for our trip.

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Our first night was to be spent on southern Monroe Island, a short, 1/2M mile paddle to the beach, where we were welcomed to a supreme campsite. After setting up camp, we hiked along the very well-maintained trails to the northern tip of the island, idling for some time at the apex of a beautiful meadow, with panoramic views of Owls Head light, Penobscot Bay, and schooner Ladona. IMG_1218.thumb.jpeg.0fa80a4c5d9d5250f7ad8cc0eb4309fb.jpeg

 

The following morning we were socked in by dense fog, and all hopes for an early morning 4.2M crossing to N. Heaven were dashed.

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As we lingered on the island, the fog slowly lifted, and by 11:30, sunny skies and flat seas were reason enough to make the 4.2M transit, so we did, without incident, stopping briefly at Crabtree Point for our requisite two-days-old Amato‘s sandwiches, with a glorious view southward to Vinalheaven.

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Another three-mile slog to North Heaven village, exploring the sleepy town, and stopping at the ferry terminal office to determine escape possibilities via ferry, should we be stranded by weather.

 

By degrees, we made our way to Calderwood Island, another MCHT island, which would be our home for the next few days.

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We had originally planned to take off for Ram Island in Castine, but the forecast for afternoon thunder showers put a crimp in the plans, and we spent the glorious next day exploring as far as Butter Island and the Barred Island chain- a grand day out, returning just in time to crawl into our tents to avoid the sudden, violent thunderstorm upon us, lightning and booming thunder just off shore of our campsite.

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The following morning, we were up early to explore NE Vinalheaven’s Seal Bay,

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including MITA islands Little Hens (STILL can’t find access to the southernmost, tiny, high-sided islet) and Hay, the latter visited seven years ago with Rob.

Later that same year, Prudence and I paddled under the tiny bridge connecting Calderwood neck with the main island at HT, without difficulty. Now, at mid-tide we encountered a dried–out passage,

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and quickly portaged the two boats through the 100-yard rocky and sucking-mud terrain to access the sparsely populated Seal Cove, with its many hindrances to navigation, accounting for it’s magical setting.

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We paddled through the area where the ebbing current split, the waters flowing south and north away from one another.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We awoke early (4 AM) on our final day,

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to ensure that our passage from North Heaven to Owls Head would be uneventful, if the forecast of light winds held-and it did, capping off a spectacular trip, Father and Son, hopefully the first of many more.

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Reflections:

– Be prepared with contingent plans. Dense fog is a major part of the weather system here at this time of year, and navigating a > 4 mile crossing in fog is not for the timid.

– I would recommend any trip to the Heavens include a ferry. Kayaks by themselves are not allowed on the ferry-they must be car-topped. There is public parking in VinalHeaven, a short distance from the ferry terminal, and NorthHeaven has several spots open to the public, just left off the ferry. I would recommend contacting a local church or business for permission for parking if the latter trip is considered. Don’t forget your bike!

-Of course, John is correct. Island hopping/exploring/hiking beats long, open crossing paddling any day!

-Please consider a membership in the 2 organizations that make trips like this possible-Maine Coast Heritage Trust (MCHT) and Maine Island Trail Association (MITA).

Edited by gyork
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