Maine: Kayaking in Bar Harbor

*(C) Christina Saull – All Rights Reserved*

Our kayak trip with Aquaterra Adventures in Bar Harbor, Maine was the wild card of the three kayaking tours we went on during our trip. We were both nervous that it would be too touristy, too easy. As we ambled up to the dockside boathouse, which houses Aquaterra, an overpriced lobster restaurant, & a service which offers whale watching to a few hundred at a time, our nerves were not calmed. When we were greeted by a group of gum smacking teenagers at the front desk, we considered cancelling. We just didn’t want to deal with a bunch of beginners slowing down our paddle. Pompous? Yes. But we were determined to make the last kayaking trip of our vacation the best.

When we met our quirky guide Jeff (kayak guide by summer, YMCA janitor by winter), we knew we’d be in good hands. When Jeff told us that we were the only ones who had signed up for our tour, so we paid for a group tour & ended up with a private one, things started exceeding exceptions. Little did we know it would only be he beginning of what we wanted: the best kayaking trip of our jaunt up the Maine coast.

After practicing how to get out of a flipped over boat (the first time we’d ever actually been instructed how to do so), we slipped into our tandem kayak & headed out to sea. Fighting what a meteorologist would call “moderate chop,” we paddled away, my husband doing the lion’s share of the work. We paddled out toward the Porcupine Islands that dot the coast of Mt. Desert Island. As we approached the first island, our ears were perked by the sound of porpoise coming up to the surface for a breath. We became instantly still, but even with our paddles hovering over the surface of the water, we weren’t able to catch of a glimpse.

We traveled around each of the islands, dodging the occasional piece of seaweed & the more than occasional speed boat. My biceps screamed as I continued to dip the tip of the paddle into the the crystal clean water, while forcing my brain to focus on admiring Cadillac Mountain & Acadia National Park. I forgot all about the pain when we turned a corner & spotted two bald eagles, sitting majestically at the top of a pine tree, their white heads popping against the bright blue sky.

As we approached a rockier island, Jeff told us about a rock formation called the “Bar Harbor Formation”: sea floor that was pushed up by glaciers thousands of years ago. It is hard to wrap your head around the fact that you’re looking at something that used to be on the floor of the ocean – 420 million years ago – & continues to push toward the sky at a painfully slow rate.

After thoroughly exploring each island, paddling further than we had paid for, we started back to the dock. The headwind picked up & my muscles strained as we fought the current to make it back. The winds turned so strong that the next series of trips were cancelled, making us thankful that we had the skills necessary to not only go out, but go out & have a thrilling time.

All in all, Jeff took us on a 3.5. hour, 8 mile paddle. It will definitely go down in the record books as one of our best ever.

I wasn’t paid or perk’d by Aquaterra Adventures to write this – it was just honestly an unexpectedly awesome time! If you’re planning a trip to Maine this summer, especially if you’re new at paddling, give them a call.

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Travel Which is Not Quite Luxury, Definitely Not Budget, and Probably Isn’t Long Term

Do you have a full time job, a mortgage and a garage to clean, but the biggest thrill in your life comes from a new passport stamp? Me too. This is your place to learn and plan to make the most out of your limited vacation days.

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