spider Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Just got done reading all the threads on Muscongus Bay that the "search" showed up. Some going back to 2006. We are heading up there tommorow stayng at a campground, paddling a 1/2 day and latter on catching one of the tour boats out to see the puffins. This is very "touristy" for us, but often we bite the bullet and do the tourist stuff to learn our way around for future trips on our own. So the question is should we even bother to paddle there?? This is way south for us this time of year. Usually we are up in Quebec where if we see 2 or 3 boats in the course of the day it's a big deal. I know my wife will be totally bummed if we can't paddle, but to read the threads it sounds about as much fun as hiking through a clearcut while they are logging (yes, we have done that). We were thinking of putting in at Broad Cove Marine and scooting over to Hog Island to stretch our legs and poke around..or are we just setting ourselves up for dissapointment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suz Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 Just got done reading all the threads on Muscongus Bay that the "search" showed up. Some going back to 2006. We are heading up there tommorow stayng at a campground, paddling a 1/2 day and latter on catching one of the tour boats out to see the puffins. This is very "touristy" for us, but often we bite the bullet and do the tourist stuff to learn our way around for future trips on our own. So the question is should we even bother to paddle there?? This is way south for us this time of year. Usually we are up in Quebec where if we see 2 or 3 boats in the course of the day it's a big deal. I know my wife will be totally bummed if we can't paddle, but to read the threads it sounds about as much fun as hiking through a clearcut while they are logging (yes, we have done that). We were thinking of putting in at Broad Cove Marine and scooting over to Hog Island to stretch our legs and poke around..or are we just setting ourselves up for dissapointment? I LOVE Muscongus and am surprised you read negatives about it. Not sure if you thought it would be bustling with Lobsterman or something or have too many kayakers. Just camped on a MITA island with 2 others from July 14-17 and we had some 'perfectly Maine 'weather from still water to waves and a bit of wind to pea soup fog and sparkling blue skies. Made it out to Eastern Egg Rock where we saw Puffins from our kayaks. That trip is a bit of a hike and if conditions are dicey, best left to the tourist trip. We saw Osprey, Eagles, Eaglets, Guillemot, Laughing Gulls, Seals and nasty little VOLES at our campsite. Pemaquid Neck has beautiful rock cliffs with lovely sedimentary folded rock formations along with granite boulders. Fabulous area to explore rock play when the swell isn't too big. Muscongus is an ideal place to kayak as it affords both exposed and protected paddling. There is a better place to launch from though. It is from Muscongus Harbor and cost is $5 a day and they have a Portapotty there. They really are kayak friendly at this launch site. Midcoast Kayak has a small outpost located here and here are the directions to the launch from their site: http://www.midcoastkayak.com/directions.html Suz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted July 27, 2009 Share Posted July 27, 2009 We were thinking of putting in at Broad Cove Marine and scooting over to Hog Island to stretch our legs and poke around..or are we just setting ourselves up for dissapointment? I have not been there "in season" so to speak both for tourists and lobstering often, but I do not recall thinking it was all that "busy". If I were to do a day or half day paddle I would be tempted to start in Friendship and wander over to Port Clyde via Pleasant Point Gut for lunch at the general store and return or start at Round Pond in order to have lobster at the dock upon returning. If you are only going to paddle for 1/2 day, you might find launching from Port Clyde and wandering about the islands to the south nice. Going westward and paddling through Pleasant Point Gut along with some islands would be nice too. Parking the car might be a pain. Or perhaps going from Tenant's Harbor and going northward toward Whitehead Light. Broad Cove is a good spot to start and be sure to visit the hulk Cressie to the south. Not sure what an afternoon paddle constitutes, but going to Hog would seem a bit short. Without talking about private MITA islands, you could wander out to Jim's Ledge and then around Crow and back. Some of the MITA islands farther out are reasonable for half a day. I think you can still launch at the end of the road in Friendship across from Garrison Island and that makes for a nice day paddle launch too. Just head south and wander about. Now if you can spend a day paddling, Muscle Ridge or running down the islands out to Franklin Light are things to think about. Going out to the Egg rocks to see the Puffins is a day paddle, but you are getting a bit out there. Sigh, I need to stop writing about these places and get a paddle wet there. Ed Lawson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spider Posted July 27, 2009 Author Share Posted July 27, 2009 Probably because I was reading 4 yrs of info in one sitting. We have had enough life lessons not to go where we are not wanted. Any thing from car break-ins at the landings to runover by wrking boats..hard to separate fact from fiction. Oh and some law about having to have a flag attached 4 ft above your boat etc. I know Maine passed some law about accessing the Ocean last year..or maybe they didn't. Glad to find things look more promising than at 1st a couple of things we did learn further north..never get between a boatwith paying costomers and it's destination whether it be caves or rock formations etc. and on a more humorous note, closer to home and off the water...never get between a tour bus and the nearest bathroom...there are some mighty motivated people getting off of those... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beckt Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 We just paddled the islands of muscongus bay last week - day tripping - paddled out of friendship out to and around Allen Island and back. Nice sandy beachy spot at some ledges off of Davies island (at low tide). Did not see any other kayakers and lobster boats were very few. We were paddling the day of the lobsterman fracas over on Matinicus and saw life flight go overhead. Very nice paddle. I enjoy that area very much... and we are move often than not paddling the waters north (or east). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyork Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 We are heading up there tommorow stayng at a campground, paddling a 1/2 day ..... If you're camping on the western shore, consider Dutch Neck launch (paved ramp, all tides; 44.02.378N 069.22.247W) or Medomack Town Landing (short, steep carry to the shore, ample parking; 43.59.872N 069.24.099W). You should have ample time poking about the northern reaches of the Bay, checking out future campsites. When you have more time, consider taking advantage of your MITA membership and spend multiple days on one of the islands base camping or island hopping in the southern Bay, hoping for the right conditions for a trek to see the puffins. But what you discovered from the archives is mostly true-not a desirable kayaking destination (spread the word!) Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccarlson Posted July 28, 2009 Share Posted July 28, 2009 But what you discovered from the archives is mostly true-not a desirable kayaking destination (spread the word!) Gary Yeah, it sucks... tell your friends ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spider Posted July 28, 2009 Author Share Posted July 28, 2009 thanks , mostly checking things out for some paddling/camping in Sept. Most of August we will be gone north of the border. It's always a bit of a culture shock when we come back. Usually I head for the NFCT, but we would like to start learning our way around coastal Maine. (I had scratched Dutch Neck Public Landing of the list after reading some archival stuff but will reconsider) We have been a member of the MITA for several years but more to suport a good cause than actual paddle time on it. The Route Bleue de la Gaspesie is modeled after it as well so we have a interest in paddling some of that... kinda trying to pick out some of the nicer sections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilsoj2 Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 "Yeah, it sucks... tell your friends ;-)" We just got back from 4 weeks staying in Floods Cove (nee Ames Cove) on Muscongus Bay. Muscongus Bay is what started us paddling. It is fabulous paddling. Besides lobster boats the most common craft are sail boats. There are many launch options and many worthwhile islands. BTW, in addition to the array of wildlife which Suz mentioned are Harbor Porpoises and many Eiders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spider Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 We did have a great time up there. People were very friendly, tourists as well as any local folk we talked to. Made use of as much info from here and any new info from up there. It was much easier to see which boat launche sites were more practical than others to use. At Round Pond 1st thing we did was walk over to the fisherman's Co-op to ask what was the right thing to do etc. No sense wondering what a fisherman might think when you can just ask him. (hmmm...then again he was a handsome fellow, no wonder my wife wanted to ask him) Also the place that Suz recommended was quite nice, very friendly fellow there as well. Excellent luck seeing the puffins on the tour boat and learnrd way more than if we were by ourselves. Great Avifauna in general... even the Audubon fellow was psyched at our good fortune with some of the other species usually found further north. Boat traffic was very light, we launced both days at two differnt locations. Lots of boats and buoys, but not much boat traffic at least while we were on the water. Near as we can reason folks hauling traps must have a busy season with some times busier than others . Earlier on they must be anxious to get all their traps in the water as soon as they can, different tmes when they want to move them in relation to season or water temps. (1st time I learned that lobsters migrate a few years ago I was mighty surprised) So our thinking is that it would be wise for us to learn more about what and when they are hustling straight out and we would have a better chance of not being in the wrong place at the wrong time. So all in all it was a great 1st trip to help sort out what is "fact or fiction" about about paddling up there... and of course the tourist shops were a great help as well, for with out them I might never know that lobstah grow antlers and hop around like bunnies..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterB Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 We did have a great time up there. People were very friendly, tourists as well as any local folk we talked to. Made use of as much info from here and any new info from up there. It was much easier to see which boat launche sites were more practical than others to use. At Round Pond 1st thing we did was walk over to the fisherman's Co-op to ask what was the right thing to do etc. No sense wondering what a fisherman might think when you can just ask him. (hmmm...then again he was a handsome fellow, no wonder my wife wanted to ask him) Also the place that Suz recommended was quite nice, very friendly fellow there as well. Excellent luck seeing the puffins on the tour boat and learnrd way more than if we were by ourselves. Great Avifauna in general... even the Audubon fellow was psyched at our good fortune with some of the other species usually found further north. Boat traffic was very light, we launced both days at two differnt locations. Lots of boats and buoys, but not much boat traffic at least while we were on the water. Near as we can reason folks hauling traps must have a busy season with some times busier than others . Earlier on they must be anxious to get all their traps in the water as soon as they can, different tmes when they want to move them in relation to season or water temps. (1st time I learned that lobsters migrate a few years ago I was mighty surprised) So our thinking is that it would be wise for us to learn more about what and when they are hustling straight out and we would have a better chance of not being in the wrong place at the wrong time. So all in all it was a great 1st trip to help sort out what is "fact or fiction" about about paddling up there... and of course the tourist shops were a great help as well, for with out them I might never know that lobstah grow antlers and hop around like bunnies..... Great trip info! I'm now curious: what other birds did you see, the ones you described as "usually found further north" ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 what other birds did you see, the ones you described as "usually found further north" ? I hope this is not a harbinger of an early Winter. Ed Lawson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spider Posted July 30, 2009 Author Share Posted July 30, 2009 Ahhh... the surprise visitors were Northern Gannets, there is a large colony Bon Aventure Island Que,and New Foundland. the other surprise was a solitary Razor Bill AuK hanging out with a raft of Puffins, Razor Bills are considered the closest relitive of the now extint Great Auks that once lived in NewFoundland. I wouldn't worry about it being a sign of cold wheather though, it just show how far these birds will wander from their "homes" just a little extra info...Puffins, Gannetts, Razor Bills, and Murres all start their young lives by jumping into the water before they can even fly and start swimming for their lives, as the case maybe for there is a high rate of mortality in such a beggining. (other birds also do the same) Puffins are born underground in burrows..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 I hope this is not a harbinger of an early Winter. Ed Lawson Are you shore it's not a sign of a late start to Summer? -Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djlewis Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 "Yeah, it sucks... tell your friends ;-)" We just got back from 4 weeks staying in Floods Cove (nee Ames Cove) on Muscongus Bay. Muscongus Bay is what started us paddling. It is fabulous paddling. Besides lobster boats the most common craft are sail boats. There are many launch options and many worthwhile islands. BTW, in addition to the array of wildlife which Suz mentioned are Harbor Porpoises and many Eiders. Watch out... this guy is trying to lure you to Muscongus so you will stay away from the other areas of Maine where HE would like to paddle with less competition. In fact, Muscongus is about the worst place you'd want to get a paddle wet. Go anyplace but Musocngus! --David. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EEL Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Watch out... this guy is trying to lure you to Muscongus so you will stay away from the other areas of Maine where HE would like to paddle with less competition. Oh, its more insidious that that. He is luring people from the south into the great Wiscasset parking garage (A/K/A Rte. 1) so they can't even get on the water. Ed Lawson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spider Posted August 4, 2009 Author Share Posted August 4, 2009 Must admit it was nicer up there than I thought from the various things I had read. Still the more I read about how nice we should be to all the working fisher folks...it does leave me wondering how clean the water is up there ? I mean it looks clean and all so I'm assuming it's not as, ummm... less than stella, as some of the places further south and fresh fish there should be well, "fresher" in general ? Reading the MITA handbook "stay well clear......any slow moving vessel that could be towing a trawl or dragging along the bottom" I'm thinking they are not net dragging the bottom in Muscongus Bay as that would raise hell with the lobsters. I know we're trying to practice leave no trace and stay out of everybodys way and don't do this and don't do that. Just wondering if that is one way street or if they are much in the same situation ? I mean they do have emisson laws and what not ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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