Local knowledge please-Fort Popham and New Harbor

[gyork]

For those who have done a Kennebec trip, is there all-day parking and launching (near-slack ebb) at Fort Popham? Conditions?

Looking to launch from New Harbor.  Google satellite shows a potential launch area west of apparent public launch.  Anyone with details?

Thank you-gary

[EEL]

Gary:

Popham

Day trips or overnight?  Parking is limited and day only at the fort and a bit of a carry, but nice place overall.  Basically, launch area out of the current as I recall.

New Harbor

There is a ramp with limited parking near end of the harbor on the south side that I have used, but suspect not a place for overnight parking.   One option is to park car at Pemaquid State Park where overnight parking can be arranged.  Its a relatively short walk over to New Harbor...maybe a couple of miles at most. 

 

A fun paddle is to start at Pemaquid, go down the Thread of Life to Thrumcap, then over to Pemaquid Point and around point up to New Harbor.  Then walk back to car stopping for snacks/ice cream along the way.   Being a long distance sort, I suspect you could add Damariscove to the route without too much trouble and increase the texture odds.

 

Ed Lawson

[gyork]

Thanks Ed.  (full) Day trips.  At the risk of running late at Popham, is there a gate that closes at night?

I like your trip idea for Pemaquid, though tides are in favor of Muscongus Bay tour.

 

[EEL]

Gary:

I do not recall gate, but have not been there for awhile.  I believe you can park outside of the state park, but you need to ask around about that.

As for Muscongus, I believe Burnt, Allen, Franklin Liight and Pleasant Point Gut are must visits. At times, Porpoises hang out between Caldwell and Hupper Point.  Might be getting late for Puffins.  Seems the Cressey is really going fast from what I have heard.  Unreal that no big schooners were saved. 

If you can pick your date and tide, I believe Muscongus Harbor is a nice place to start.  Friendship is nice too if you start at end of road between mainland and Garrison.

BTW, I always wondered about Muscongus being a reverberating bay, but I became a believer after paddling from Pemaquid Point to New Harbor.

Ed

 

 

[jason]

Gary,

if your doing a trip, depending on when you want to do the trip you could leave your car at my house and I could shuttle you back and forth to the fort.  If your doing a day trip, parking at the fort normally isn't an issue if you arrive by 08:30.

-Jason