public v private (again, but not the same)

[Katherine]

Hello,

How is one able to know which islands are public and which are private? I would like to be able to "x" the private ones on my chart/s.

I think I knew how to figure that out at one time but it seems I have forgotten.

Much thanks,

[NPSheehan]

Hi Katherine, If it's Maine Islands you are curious about then the simple answer is go to the Maine Island Trail Web Site or if you are a member use their Trail Guide book. If not a member you can borrow a book. However you are requested to be a MITA member to use or camp on a MITA designated non public Island. The MITA Trail Guide indicates both

http://guide.mita.org

Hope that helps for Maine anyway.

[Pintail]

<...if you are a member, use their Trail Guide book...>

Of course she is a member! Isn't <everyone> in this club a member of MITA? That's how I understood it. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[prudenceb]

Not everyone is a member - you have to join. You get a break on membership fee, but you still have to sign up and pay.

pru

[Katherine]

Thanks, Neil (I am a member). Such a simple answer... Are there islands that may be public & also non-MITA islands?

[rfolster]

Katherine, the real answer is not very simple. Just because an island is "privately" owned does not mean it is not accessable to kayaers. Islands may be owned by individuals, organizations, corporations, land trusts, and towns, etc. Determining if an island is private requires first finding out who owns it. Then, contact the owner and ask what permissions there are for kayakers. The Main Island Trail Association works with island owners, both private and public, as stewards for responsible island usage. Jewell is one example of a public MITA island (owned by the Bureau of Parks and Lands). The Introduction section the MITA book has a short list of entities that own islands open to the general public, as well as a list of private non-profit organizations who are land owners as well. You may be able to contact them to find out what usage they allow of their islands, with the understanding that you may need to be a member of some other organization to use the islands not listed in the MITA book.

The short answer is that MITA is not the only means of non-public islands. You need to contact the owner of each island to verify the usage of that island. I think that it would be much easier to go through a chart and mark the ones you CAN use as you build your "relationships", as opposed to trying to mark the ones you CAN'T. The "can use" is a much shorter list.

[EEL]

"Are there islands that may be public & also non-MITA islands?"

If by public you mean owned by governmental entity, then yes there are. However that does not mean you can camp on them. Or even visit them for that matter as many on Maine coast are closed for specific periods for nesting, etc.

There are also islands owned by nongovernmental entities which are not MITA islands, but are open for day visits and camping.

Finally, there are privately owned islands which are open for day visits that are not MITA islands and some are open for camping.

For Maine the book Kayaking the Maine Coast by Dorcas Miller is a very good resources on what islands can be visited and when.

Ed Lawson

[NPSheehan]

So the long and short of this question is use the MITA Trail Guide as a reference as this would be your best resource for planning a Maine Island day or overnight adventure.

Have Fun!

Neil

[prudenceb]

And don't forget the Maine Coast Heritage Trust - an organization that Gary York made me aware of. Whaleboat Island in Casco Bay is one of their islands. While you don't need to be a member to camp there, it seems only right that if you do use their resources, that you join the organization. It's another good one that is committed to preserving the same areas that we like to paddle!

pru

[Katherine]

Thanks, everyone!

[NateHanson]

MITA is a good place to start, but there are many other resources that will increase your options. Not all are easy to find, and some are intentionally hard to find, I think.

Maine Coast Heritage Trust is a good resource, as is Island Heritage Trust. There are also properties and islands in my area owned by the Nature Conservancy and the Frenchman Bay Conservancy. Then on top of that there are state owned islands which are not really advertised anywhere, but which are accessible to the public. Towns own some local islands, and allow day use and sometimes camping.

There's no single source of all this info. The bottom line is that it takes a lot of sleuthing. Guide books, word of mouth, local knowledge, internet research, etc.

And I'd agree with the person who said "it's easier to mark the islands you CAN land on". Generally, assume you don't have access rights to any island, until you learn otherwise.