Baker Island info

[Dabend]

Hi all, I might be heading out to Baker Island in Bar Harbor in September. Does anyone have any experience approaching this island from Northeast Harbor? I have never paddled in Bar Harbor before and would love to get some first-hand opinions about what I might expect for sea conditions. Obviously, no one can predict what the weather will be when I go, but I am looking for local knowledge about prevailing winds, swells etc. It looks rather exposed.

thanks!

David

[prudenceb]

I paddled out to Baker a couple of years ago from NE Harbor, but it was a pretty calm day. I do remember that the water between Baker and The Cranberries (I think they're the ones, don't have a chart in front of me) can be confused so watch out for that. There's a VERY cool osprey nest off of one of the Cranberries (you can find out which in a guide book) and if you return that way, it's well worth a look.

pru

[PeterB]

David,

Northeast Harbor has a big boat launch area; you have to pay a fee to park your car there. I think that you pay in the police station, which is close by, across the lawn from the parking lot and harbormasters area. Manset is another launch option; You can park there for free and its a good approach to Great Cranberry Island.

Its a pretty straightforward crossing from Northeast Harbor to Sutton Island.

A bar runs between Little Cranberry and Baker island; its exposed at low tide, and waves can break across it, from either direction or both directions at once, depending on tide and wind/swell direction , so great care is required in that area. Perhaps its best to paddle to Baker either at low tide, when the bar is exposed (you'll know where it is) or high tide, when there's less of a chance of wave action over the bar.

The little village on Little Cranberry, where the ferry lands, is a charming place, with a nice little museum. All in all, a great paddling area.

[prudenceb]

There's a free launch area if you turn left (by the Japanese gardens - ?Asticou garden) on Rte 3 before you get into NE Harbor. Keep going on that road, and either just before, or just after, the turn into the National Park/Jordan Pond area there's a free parking lot on the left across the road from a beach from which you can launch to Baker's. At low tide, it's a bit of a walk over the beach.

pru

[EEL]

My $.02. There can be quite a bit of boat traffic in the SW/NE Harbor area. Personally I like using Seal Harbor in this part of MDI, but I like quiet spots with few people. Nice launch site and lots of parking.

If the swell is breaking big over Bunker Ledge as in >15' then you will have a bumpy ride if you get on the outside. My limited experience is it stays pretty mellow inside the islands, but going on the ouside can get interesting when there is a swell up. The area around the bar can get confusing on may levels and deserves some care. The landing site I used was on the N end where the trail begins to visit the lighthouse and dance floor rock. Be sure and visit both. Likewise, don't miss the village of isleford. As Peter says there is much to see there, including a wonderful little general store and minature golf course not to missed. A couple of hours spent wandering around it and Baker wil be rewarding.

FWIW, Sept. is a great time to be there in my experience although the seas can run a bit bigger then depending on storms and such.

Ed Lawson

[JohnHuth]

I agree with PeterB, that launching from NE Harbor might be a better option. It's a shorter paddle and more interesting. If you do it that way, try to get to the eastern side of NE harbor and cross over to Bear, skirt the west side of Bear Island, then do a beeline to the north side of Sutton Island, follow the north shore of Sutton east and then straight toward the western side of Little Cranberry. You can then approach Baker from the Little Cranberry. Yes, you pay at the police station. It's not so much and it's very convenient - just unload you kayak and gear by the water front and park about 100 meters away.

There's a large osprey nest on the NW side of Sutton (last time I checked), if you want to go that way - there's just more boat traffic on that side, and a lot of gawkers at the osprey nest.

The eastern shore of Mt. Desert isn't so bad, but then you then take off to Baker, you can be kind of exposed without much of a line of retreat. There are some rocks to the east of Sutton that uncover at low tide.

The SW shore of Baker can get some big breakers on it when a large swell is coming in.

Actually for interest, the gap between Baker and Little Cranberry is a fascinating little patch when it's covered. A southern swell can completely refract around Baker and you'll get breaking waves from both the east and the west near the gap, plus there are lots of little 'surprise' rocks as you approach the gap. If you do it maybe halfway between high and low, it becomes interesting. I'm attaching a diagram of the wave refraction around Baker (my impression, anyway).

Also, the restaurant on Little Cranberry (Isleford) is great for a beer on the way back.

Either way works, I just think the Cranberries is a more interesting approach and isn't as exposed.

Little Cranberry

Baker

Island

[EEL]

Oh, me bad. I was just saying I like Seal Harbor as a place to start. I agree with John a direct run out from Seal Harbor would be a boring point to point route and not good if things kick up. When I went to Baker from Seal Harbor I wandered west along shore, visited Bear, which has a neat lighthouse, then over/along Sutton before crossing to Little Cranberry. Coming back went by the lighthouse on Little Cranberry (I have a thing about visiting lighthouses) and along easterly shore before heading back directly to Seal Harbor. I think somewhere on this site is a PDF John did showing navigational issues using a trip from NE Harbor to Cranberries which you might want to check out as very informative.

Ed Lawson