Adventure 16: Outdoor and Travel Outfitters - Since 1963

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Downeast Maine’s Dramatic Coastal Islands

Kayaking in Maine with H2Outfitters

Highlights

  • An abundance of islands easily accessible just offshore of Jonesport and within very close proximity of each other
  • Large tide ranges (12’-15’) present two different pictures of the same landscape
  • Lots of wildlife to be seen including an abundance of bald eagles, guillemots, cormorants, seals and more
  • Great navigational opportunities for those wishing to practice their chart reading and compass skills
  • A large island complex that could be circumnavigated, depending upon the weather, or explored on its protected shoreline for days.

Full Description

This 5-day sea kayaking adventure explores the historically and naturally diverse island archipelago off Jonesport, Maine.

Rugged, remote and simply beautiful. Open stretches of sea, majestic headlands, rustic fishing villages, and undeveloped shoreline are just some of the reasons why we like this area. Experience large tides, currents, and the possibility of navigating through the fog as we explore the island archipelago just offshore of the Jonesport area. Keep your eyes peeled for the curious harbor and gray seals oftentimes basking on nearby rock ledges or ever-so-cautiously following from behind.

Bald eagles, osprey, great blue herons, and a variety of seabirds are plentiful in this area so keep your camera at the ready. If you're looking for a quiet, off-the-beaten track place to explore, this trip is sure to fill the bill. We recommend this trip to intermediate paddlers looking for the most remote section of the Maine Coast, an area that demands respect with its large tides and often foggy conditions. The trip begins and ends from the Henry Point campground in Jonesport.

Includes:

  • 16’-17’ sea kayak with Sprayskirt, paddle, PFD, and westuit
  • Meals as noted on itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
  • Campground fee on arrival night
  • All cooking gear – stove, pots, etc.
  • Safety equipment, Group first aid, and repair kit
  • Registered Maine Guide

Excludes:

  • Transportation to start and end of trip
  • Parking fees
  • Camping equipment (tent, sleeping bag, pad)

Day by Day Itinerary

Day One

From Jonesport, we’ll head west and explore what many would call the entrance to Jonesport harbor and this island archipelago. In this area there are many islands that offer us spectacular views to looking both East towards the island archipelago and west into nearby Pleasant Bay. We’ll camp on a pretty 30-acre wilderness island located just as you enter the Jonesport area and make it our base camp for two nights.

Day Two

Continuing on a day trip west, we’ll paddle out to the Nash Island light and the surrounding grass-covered islands often occupied by a local’s sheep. On the way, we’ll paddle through the Tibbett Narrows with a quick stop on one of the tiny islands in this cluster of islands. The views from this island are incredible both of the surrounding nearby islands and the expansive ocean. We are sure to see bald eagles today and several other species of aquatic birds that tend to flourish in this area.

Day Three

Having spent a couple of days on the western fringes of this area we’ll spend a day or two exploring the large island complex that is the centerpiece of this region. From summer cottages to stately mansions to dense forests, this area has a little something for everyone to appreciate. Watch lobster man haul their traps, sailors capturing the wind in their sails, and seals playing in the rock gardens or basking on the ledges. A true outdoor playground, there is no better way to appreciate everything this area has to offer than from the cockpit of a kayak. Depending upon the weather, we may stay at the mainland campground or on the only island campsite within this complex.

Days Four and Five

Just to 2 miles to the East of Jonesport, lies another interesting bundle of islands situated in such a way as to form approximately a square mile bowl between them all. This area is protected from the large ocean swells by this chain of barrier islands on the southeast side and from any offshore winds by the large u-shaped island to the north and west. The islands in this whole area begin to look more subarctic. Blueberry barrens, larch and tamarack swamps, peat bogs and rare arctic flowers become more common. We’ll camp on the very easterly island in this chain and experience island camping like no other. A small hill on the western end of the island offers stunning panoramic views of the area. Smooth granite cobblestones turned and worn by endless wave action create the landing and launch area on the northerly shore while a huge cove accessed through a narrow opening on the southerly shore creates a punchbowl effect. Having few trees and covered primarily by fragile plants and blueberry barrens, one can see far in any direction. The many rock ledges that surround the island also make for some fun paddling in and out of these small narrow channels. Because we feel this is one of the most spectacular islands that we camp on we will plan to spend two nights here, exploring the nearby islands by day and enjoying the wonderful views at night. An early start on our last day we’ll give us time to paddle back across the bay to Jonesport, taking advantage of the calm morning seas.

About The Operator:

H2Outfitters

Headquarters:

Orr's Island, Maine

Established:

January 1982

H2Outfitters is recognized as the East Coast’s original sea kayak outfitter and as “One of the World’s Best Adventure Travel Companies” by National Geographic Adventure magazine.Established in 1982 the company has had many “firsts” in the areas of kayak instruction, safety, leadership as well as trips and outfitting.The company’s principals, Cathy Piffath and Jeff Cooper, are recognized as leaders in their field.Of particular note, Cathy has been recognized as one of the “finest technical paddlers in the country” and has been featured in such magazines as Shape, Paddler, Self, Downeast, and Yankee among others.Her partner, and H2Outfitters’ Director of Fun, Jeff Cooper was described by Men’s Journal as “arguably the finest kayak instructor on the East Coast…” and has himself been a topic of discussion in publications ranging from the Financial Times to National Geographic Adventure magazine.

Cathy & Jeff have been prominent figures nationally in the kayak instructional arena with the American Canoe Association and the British Canoe Union.They served as the first ACA instructor trainer educators on the East Coast and wrote the first national curriculum for sea kayaking in the early 90s. H2Outfitters has been an innovator in outdoor education as well as its marketing within the industry here and abroad. Consequently, H2O’s reputation for excellence is recognized around the globe.

The company’s International Adventures for a Lifetime trip program has been recognized nationally as offering some of the most unique and exciting excursions in adventure travel.Combining cultural and historic perspectives with the hands-on aspect of sea kayaking, H2Outfitters has taken the Seven Seas and made them accessible in a fun and educational manner to people of all ages.Japan’s Inland Sea, the Amalfi Coast of Italy, Iceland’s West Fjords, and Italy’s Tuscan Island Archipelago are but a few of the trip’s they offer to adventurous travelers.The company has worked closely with travel writers and authors worldwide in the development of their trips; Tony Perrottet, Dario Castagno, Steve Jermanok, and Isamu Tatsuno to name a few.

Some H2Outfitters’ Highlights

  • -Pioneers of sea kayak instruction in the US
  • -Principals recognized as the best and finest in their field
  • -Cutting edge programming, distinctive adventures
  • -Company takes the interactive “getting off the bus” approach to international travel

 

H2Outfitters’ Mission Statement:

At H2Outfitters, we firmly believe that skills development is the best insurance for all kayaking activities. It provides a foundation on which to build a secure paddling future for a relatively small investments. Your ability to paddle, and paddle well, allows you to make intelligent decisions that range from buying a boat and judging its characteristics, to selecting the river or ocean trip that suits your needs. Instruction is not hype, doesn’t need a sales pitch, and is, in fact, and investment in your futures. Take it seriously because it ensures Serious Fun!

This mission statement still holds as true today as it did when we established it in 1982.

H2Outfitters is committed to high-quality kayaking instruction. Our instructors are selected not only for their kayaking skills, but also for  their  teaching skills and group management ability. Our staff is dedicated to making sure you have Serious Fun!