Roughing It on Muscongus

[EEL]

Gail and I spent last weekend doing a shakedown paddle on Muscongus Bay. The good news was the marine forecast was accurate; the bad news was the marine forecast was accurate. Which meant there was much practice evaluating and timing squall lines, paddling in beam and rear quartering seas, deciding when to go for it and how much to go for. Very few boats out and fewer kayaks. Islands to ourselves. Lots of ospreys and a few seals. So the price of admission was fair, and useful data obtained to fine tune gear and food planning for future trips this year.

Friday night we made a dash from Round Pond to Black with a stop on Thief to wait out a squall trusting the forecast that said nothing would be sustained or all that ugly. On Sat. we wandered about and lunched at PCGS (Port Clyde General Store) before visiting Pleasant Point Gut (very nice) and Friendship on our way back to Black. Forecast for Sunday was a nice morning with a wind shift and building in afternoon, so we headed out to Franklin light. While Eastern Egg beckoned, we headed back to Black by way of Harbor being timid woodland creatures. As we packed up, the wind and whitecaps appeared on schedule making for a interesting run with beam seas to Long island and then a rear quartering to downwind run to Crow. Wind woke us up Sun. night, but a calmer Mon. morning allowed a reasonable headwind slog back to Round Pond in time for a lobster roll lunch at Moscongus Bay Lobster Co. as things got bumpy in the channel.

Ed Lawson

[kate]

Good trip report. I was there on May 2 in much less textured water. Beautiful area for kayaking and camping, at least at this time of year. I hear it becomes lobsterboat-insufferable later.

I launched from a marina at the end of Muscongus Road, across from Hog Island, and paddled ever outward. There were so many pretty islands to stop on. I didn't make it as far as Eastern Egg, stopped at the last island before that one. Even on the very calm day that I was there, afternoon winds picked up and made for 2' chop. That bay is small enough that the chop sloshes around and becomes confused. It was fun paddling. Squalls, I'd guess, would have been a lot less fun.

I saw close to a hundred seals on one big rock island. Hundreds of eider ducks. One other boat - a sailboat which came alongside - the sailor felt obligated to say hi to the only other vessel on the whole bay.

Beautiful place to paddle off-season, isn't it? And only about 3 hours from Boston.

Thanks for sharing the report!

kate

[EEL]

One other boat - a sailboat which came alongside - the sailor felt obligated to say hi to the only other vessel on the whole bay.

Beautiful place to paddle off-season, isn't it?

Yes, to me the shoulder seasons are best. It is interesting isn't it how there is a fellowship among mariners even if one is on 50' sailboat and the other in a kayak? We backed out and held station to allow a lobsterman to have a easy, clear passage through a narrow channel and as he passed he made a point of waving. Everyone seems mellow and friendly this time of year and in the Fall.

Ed Lawson