As we paddled through the narrows between rockbound Eastern Ear and the extreme southeastern tip of the island, onshore granite formations became more prominent. Rounding the head and turning west, we were greeted by spectacular, rugged cliffs that extended for a couple of miles to form the island’s southern boundary.
A group of friends and I were circumnavigating Isle au Haut in sea kayaks, and this view was the highpoint of an exceptional day of paddling. As we traversed Head Harbor and the adjoining bay approximately a mile from shore, we observed a fog bank approaching from the west. Almost instantaneously, Western Ear Island was cloaked in soupy haze. Using our deck compasses, we quickly took a bearing for the closest point of land and vigorously paddled toward shore. A wise decision, we all agreed, as we were quickly enveloped in thick fog with virtually zero visibility. Carefully following a northerly course, we persevered until reaching the marginal safety of the rocky coastline.
Recognizing the sound of lobster boats hauling traps in the area, we hugged the shore to avoid collisions. Staying close together and just a few feet from the cliffs in gentle swells, we paddled westerly to Western Head then southwesterly to Western Ear. Our maritime charts indicated a navigable channel between the Ear and the Head, but attempts to find it were futile. Warily rounding the Ear and heading north, we unexpectedly emerged from the fog. The long, distinct islands of Vinalhaven and North Haven appeared to our west and the entire western shore of Isle au Haut gloriously opened in front of us.
This was the second day of a three-day sea kayak trip exploring the Deer Isle Archipelago and the outer reaches of Penobscot Bay. Our trip began the previous morning at the Old Quarry Campground, located on Buckmaster Neck, a couple of miles northeast of the town of Stonington on Deer Isle.
The Deer Isle Archipelago is arguably the premiere sea kayaking experience along the coast of Maine. Dozens of islands of varying sizes provide shelter from the open water and offer paddlers outstanding opportunities for camping and exploration. They also facilitate access to the distant and scenic island of Isle au Haut, while minimizing any significant exposed crossings.
Numerous potential navigation hazards exist in this area so kayakers must be fully prepared. The clustered islands cause confusion and fog is a frequent danger. Paddlers should have strong orienteering skills and be adequately equipped. We each carried deck compasses and nautical maps of the area and we brought a weather radio and GPS. We needed them all.
On day one we launched at the Old Quarry Campground, traveled south out of Webb Cove, and then southwesterly between Russ and Camp islands. We persisted against a modest headwind negotiating through the archipelago and past the southern end of Wreck Island. Leaving Wreck, we experienced the longest exposed crossing of the day, about a mile and a half, and arrived at Merchant Island, the northern-most and largest of a group of islands just northwest of Isle au Haut.
The Maine Island Trail Association maintains campsites on several islands in the area. Since we wanted to explore Isle au Haut, we chose one of the two sites on Wheat Island, a tiny islet just north of Burnt Island and Isle au Haut.
We embarked on our 18-mile circumnavigation of Isle au Haut early the next morning with sunny weather, light winds and a favorable tide. Initially, we paddled south along the east shore. The northern half of the island has a modest amount of development while the southern portion is predominantly Acadia National Park and ruggedly pristine.
After our adventure with the fog on the southern end of the island, we paddled north for a couple miles to Duck Harbor, the primary access point for Acadia. Regular ferry service operates from Stonington to both the Village of Isle au Haut and Duck Harbor. The park maintains five primitive lean-to style shelters at Duck Harbor which can be reserved between May 15 and October 15. It also provides an extensive system of hiking trails on the island. We chose a relatively short hike to the summit of Duck Harbor Mountain, with its 360-degree views of Penobscot Bay and the mountainous Midcoast shoreline — an ideal spot for a long, relaxing lunch.
Leaving Duck Harbor, we again had beneficial tides as we traveled north along the west shore of the island past Trial Point and into the Isle au Haut Thorofare. The thorofare, between Kimball Island and the village of Isle au Haut, narrows down to just a few hundred feet in what was a busy harbor the day we arrived. The town is both a working fishing community and home for a relatively small population of seasonal residents. Walking along the village roads was like stepping back in time given the abundance of older homes and the relaxed pace. A small general store next to the shore with a convenient boat landing offered an excellent opportunity to re-supply. The village is also a popular destination for cyclists who take the ferry and spend the day riding the lightly traveled island roads.
Departing the village, we kayaked north to explore Burnt Island which has a sheltered MITA campsite on the east shore. From there, a short paddle took us back to Wheat Island. As we approached our campsite, the fog again started filling in from the west and within minutes the whole Deer Isle archipelago was engulfed. We were thankful to be camping on Wheat another night.
On our final day, we arose to cloudy weather and windy conditions. Our weather radio indicated that stormy weather was approaching from the southwest, so we quickly packed and paddled across the bay into Stonington Harbor just east of Crotch Island. From there, a pleasant paddle two miles east brought us to the Old Quarry Campground launch site and ended our trip.
Ron Chase is a Maine adventurer and the author of “Mountains for Mortals – New England” a guidebook to the 30 best mountain hikes in New England.