Casco Bay Camping.....?

[Brad Fournier]

I am going camping in Casco Bay next week, have two days /one night to do it, can anyone recommend a great first trip to do to this area? I checked the "Sea Kayaking the New England coast book" (Tamnsin Venn) and thought about doing the Falmouth Forside out to Jewell or Crow Island for the night. any suggestions/recomendations anyone??

Thanks, Brad

[gyork]

I am going camping in Casco Bay next week, have two days /one night to do it, can anyone recommend a great first trip to do to this area? I checked the "Sea Kayaking the New England coast book" (Tamnsin Venn) and thought about doing the Falmouth Forside out to Jewell or Crow Island for the night. any suggestions/recomendations anyone??

Thanks, Brad

Brad, a group of us did Jewell from Falmouth Foreside this past May. I'd highly recommend, though you will likely to have some crowds this time of year, especially on the weekend.

Gary

[PeterB]

Jewell would be the choice destination, but , yes, it may be crowded (powerboats often anchor there) and Falmouth Foreside might not be a good option as parking is difficult in the summer. Cousins Island or some other location might be better for parking and launching.

[EEL]

I am going camping in Casco Bay next week,... and thought about doing the Falmouth Forside out to Jewell or Crow Island for the night

Unless you are a "the more the merrier" type you will likely find Jewell on an August weekend crowded and rowdy. That said it is a neat place to visit. Maybe stay on Bangs and visit Jewell?

I suspect finding overnight parking at Falmouth would be very hard. Not sure overnight is allowed on Cousins nor would I think prudent. Freeport has a park with overnight parking for kayakers and there is Wolfe's Neck state park. Might want to think about Dolphin Marina on Harpswell, Lands End at the end of Bailey Island, or the lot next to H2O Outfitters at the end of Orrs Island as these lead to some interesting water and islands to make getting to Jewell an interesting trip with the bonus if you time the tide right you will have easy paddling.

If you are paddling much on the coast of Maine often you might find Dorcas Miller's book valuable as it has a great deal of information of use.

Ed Lawson

[jonsprag1]

Unless you are a "the more the merrier" type you will likely find Jewell on an August weekend crowded and rowdy. That said it is a neat place to visit. Maybe stay on Bangs and visit Jewell?

I suspect finding overnight parking at Falmouth would be very hard. Not sure overnight is allowed on Cousins nor would I think prudent. Freeport has a park with overnight parking for kayakers and there is Wolfe's Neck state park. Might want to think about Dolphin Marina on Harpswell, Lands End at the end of Bailey Island, or the lot next to H2O Outfitters at the end of Orrs Island as these lead to some interesting water and islands to make getting to Jewell an interesting trip with the bonus if you time the tide right you will have easy paddling.

If you are paddling much on the coast of Maine often you might find Dorcas Miller's book valuable as it has a great deal of information of use.

Ed Lawson

Also East End Beach in Portland off Eastern Promanade has a large parking lot. You might also consider Little Chebeague as a camping spot

[Roger Turgeon]

Also East End Beach in Portland off Eastern Promanade has a large parking lot. You might also consider Little Chebeague as a camping spot

I have a vacation house in Casco Bay (Orr's Island) and paddle the area all the time. I don't particularly recommend launching from any place in Portland, Falmouth, etc., this time of year, unless you really like competing with commercial shipping traffic and hundreds of private boats of all sizes and speeds.

The park in South Freeport that someone mentioned--Winslow Park--is a beautiful campground, too, if you want to camp on the mainland. From the launch at Winslow, you can reach aout 1/2 of Casco Bay, with quite a few options as to where to go, what type of water to paddle in, etc.

Maybe another 45 minutes up from Portland, the launch site and parking area at H2O Outfitters on Orr's Island is just about ideal. It is at the bridge between Orr's Island and Bailey Island. It is dead center of Casco Bay, allowing you to head for just about any part of the Bay and anything from protected inner bays to open ocean to surf.

Jewel will definitely be crowded for overnight. Some of the islands that have been suggested, like Bangs and Little Chabeague, are privately owned. Technically, camping is not allowed unless you have the owner's permission.

A little-known island suitable for leave-no-trace camping is Whaleboat Island in Middle Bay, which is just off the western shore of the major peninsula of Harpswell. It is owned by a conservation group and campers are welcome. There are two palces suitable for camping, one of which can handle maybe 6 tent sites or so. If you park and launch at Basin Point Marina in Harpswell, the campsite area of Whaleboat is about 1 1/2 to 2 miles paddling. From the H2O site, it is maybe 4 to 4 1/2 miles. From Whaleboat, you have tons of options as to where to paddle for your day trips.

Enjoy. I wish I could join you.

Roger Turgeon

Night Heron--cedar strip

[EEL]

. Some of the islands that have been suggested, like Bangs and Little Chabeague, are privately owned.

The MITA book indicates both are now public and camping allowed this time of year. Not sure when that changed.

Could not agree more regarding launch sites in upper Casco Bay and benefits of paddling there.

Of course I suspect many NSPN paddlers come from more urban environs on and off water so they may not be bothered all that much by lower Casco Bay.

Ed Lawson

[jonsprag1]

I have a vacation house in Casco Bay (Orr's Island) and paddle the area all the time. I don't particularly recommend launching from any place in Portland, Falmouth, etc., this time of year, unless you really like competing with commercial shipping traffic and hundreds of private boats of all sizes and speeds.

The park in South Freeport that someone mentioned--Winslow Park--is a beautiful campground, too, if you want to camp on the mainland. From the launch at Winslow, you can reach aout 1/2 of Casco Bay, with quite a few options as to where to go, what type of water to paddle in, etc.

Maybe another 45 minutes up from Portland, the launch site and parking area at H2O Outfitters on Orr's Island is just about ideal. It is at the bridge between Orr's Island and Bailey Island. It is dead center of Casco Bay, allowing you to head for just about any part of the Bay and anything from protected inner bays to open ocean to surf.

Jewel will definitely be crowded for overnight. Some of the islands that have been suggested, like Bangs and Little Chabeague, are privately owned. Technically, camping is not allowed unless you have the owner's permission.

A little-known island suitable for leave-no-trace camping is Whaleboat Island in Middle Bay, which is just off the western shore of the major peninsula of Harpswell. It is owned by a conservation group and campers are welcome. There are two palces suitable for camping, one of which can handle maybe 6 tent sites or so. If you park and launch at Basin Point Marina in Harpswell, the campsite area of Whaleboat is about 1 1/2 to 2 miles paddling. From the H2O site, it is maybe 4 to 4 1/2 miles. From Whaleboat, you have tons of options as to where to paddle for your day trips.

Enjoy. I wish I could join you.

Roger Turgeon

Night Heron--cedar strip

Sorry Roger but youre mistaken as to the ownership of both Little Chebeague and Bangs---for as long as I've been around not only are these islands on the Maine Island Trail and open to its members for use, including overnight camping but they are owned by the State of Maine and administered by the Bureau of Public Lands---what this means is that not only can MITA members go there and camp---ANY member of the public can also whether they belong to MITA or not. Both are more easily reached from Portland or Falmouth landing sites. However you are correct about launching from Portland's East End Beach---the marine traffic there is usually quite heavy and if you are not used to it, could be intimidating. Falmouth has less and Winslow Park in South Freeport less still---it probably is a bit longer from there, but not too much.

[KayakDan]

I have a vacation house in Casco Bay (Orr's Island) and paddle the area all the time. I don't particularly recommend launching from any place in Portland, Falmouth, etc., this time of year, unless you really like competing with commercial shipping traffic and hundreds of private boats of all sizes and speeds.

The park in South Freeport that someone mentioned--Winslow Park--is a beautiful campground, too, if you want to camp on the mainland. From the launch at Winslow, you can reach aout 1/2 of Casco Bay, with quite a few options as to where to go, what type of water to paddle in, etc.

Maybe another 45 minutes up from Portland, the launch site and parking area at H2O Outfitters on Orr's Island is just about ideal. It is at the bridge between Orr's Island and Bailey Island. It is dead center of Casco Bay, allowing you to head for just about any part of the Bay and anything from protected inner bays to open ocean to surf.

Jewel will definitely be crowded for overnight. Some of the islands that have been suggested, like Bangs and Little Chabeague, are privately owned. Technically, camping is not allowed unless you have the owner's permission.

A little-known island suitable for leave-no-trace camping is Whaleboat Island in Middle Bay, which is just off the western shore of the major peninsula of Harpswell. It is owned by a conservation group and campers are welcome. There are two palces suitable for camping, one of which can handle maybe 6 tent sites or so. If you park and launch at Basin Point Marina in Harpswell, the campsite area of Whaleboat is about 1 1/2 to 2 miles paddling. From the H2O site, it is maybe 4 to 4 1/2 miles. From Whaleboat, you have tons of options as to where to paddle for your day trips.

Enjoy. I wish I could join you.

Roger Turgeon

Night Heron--cedar strip

Just a note of caution about Whaleboat,my favorite kayak camping island. It is heavily infested with several varieties if ticks,including deer ticks. If you camp there,try the site on the west side of the island,about half way down.The campsite up on the grassy knoll is "tick heaven". Also consider Little Whaleboat,just off the northern end of Whaleboat. Also owned by the Island Institute,as I recall.

Also,if you camp over by the Punchbowl on Jewell,it may be a little more laid back.

[thief]

My wife and i jsut got back froma week at Wolfe's Neck Farm's campground: Recompence....it is located in Freeport on Wolfe Neck (a peninsula just east of Freeport-it also happens to have the LL Bean paddling school on it too)...

second year we have stayed and paddled there.....last year we went out and stayed on Bang's island....FRICKEN LOT OF MOSQUITOS!!!!!!!sickening amount of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we did discover Whaleboat island....it is part of the Maine dept of parks and has one or two sites that you can stay on.....

Whaleboat IS NOT a MITA island....

we joined MITA last year-a good thing....good group!

rob

[EEL]

In addition to ticks and other biting insects which are the bane of summer camping, many of the islands in Casco Bay have infestations of Browntail Moths which can cause serious allergic reactions in some people. Another reason to go before Memorial Day and after Labor Day.

Ed Lawson