Acadia Maine (Mt Desert)

[casem]

I'm taking a trip up to Acadia Maine (Mt Desert Island) and I'm kicking aroung the idea of taking my boat with me (15' whilly boat). Any ideas of what to expect up there? My guess is alot of fantastic sailing but I don't want to tow the thing 600 miles and not be able to use it.

So how are the conditions there? I'm used to sailing in the northern part of the Chesapeake.

[ 05-11-2003, 12:59 PM: Message edited by: casem ]

[Wild Dingo]

Lisa is the girl here! she was gonna take me and the girls canoeing and kayakin in that area... sigh... and if memory serves ol Jack {Ish} is around there too... and some of them fellas from the frozen wastes should have some idea not bein that far away that is... and heck theres a mess of fellas and sheilas here who live around the Maine area and maybe they can pipe up and give yer the drum!

Have a ball mate!! :cool:

[Wiley Baggins]

There are a variety of areas to sail and mess about in that neck of the woods. This includes lake ("pond"), harbor, and less sheltered waters. Public ramps are available. You should be able to get more information from the usual suspects, National Park Service, Chamber of Commerce (Bar Harbor, Southwest Harbor), etc.

[ahp]

Beautiful scenery, but very very cold water, even in July and August.

[R.I.Singer30]

Alot of links are posted on the Ranging Maine With Loomis thread from Norm Messinger(Misc. boat related).It is beautiful and cold as mentioned .I'd never done it myself but I think it would be enjoyable as long as the trailer is ok for the trip.There are lots of bays and islands and many fresh water ponds in the area if the ocean isn't hospitable.

[LisaS]

Think big rocks, cold water, and awesome scenery. What time of year?

Lisa

[casem]

Early June. It looks like alot of protected water from the maps I've seen. June isn't the hurricane season or anything like that, is it?

[R.I.Singer30]

Hurricane season is mid August to November+-.

Here is a web site from Norm's page http://www.mita.org/ Youshould check the thread out if you haven't yet. There are a few good description of what you'll find. Dan L.

[ 05-12-2003, 03:03 AM: Message edited by: R.I.Singer30 ]

[casem]

Wow that looks great. I'll defineatly try to take my boat (it's not the trailer that I'm worried about, its the car).

Only other thing I'd ask is how are the bugs that time a year? (Oh yeah, and I was just kidding about the hurricane season; I've gotta start using those little faces in my posts).

[Bob P]

Hey, what's a few "Noseeums" between friends.

Bob

[Chris Coose]

I lived on "the rock" for 18 years.
Trailer to Northeast Harbor. On a good day you can swing around into Somes Sound and venture out to the islands just out off the harbor.
Do not miss The Thuya Lodge and gardens above NE Harbor and the connected carriage roads in that area. A short walk out to Hunter's Beach (near Otter Creek) is better than the shore walk in the park IMO.
Naturally, a drive up Cadillac Mtn. has to be on the list. Bring a chart up with you and look out on the cruising area off Northeast Hbr.
Bar Harbor and Frenchman's Bay would be my second choice for sailing, it may be a bit more exposed than out front of NE Hbr.
The breeze is generally out of the SW. High pressure will bring it in from the Northerly.

Tides are to be reconed with. 12'up or down every 6 hours. Out front of the Sound would be the most apparent.

MDI is a place so luxurious in visual pleasure that when you are in the boat you'll be wondering about the hiking and visa versa cept', of course, when the fog is in.
If you don't bring the boat you'll be sure to be wishing you had.
You'll want to move there and when that thought overwhelmes you, write to me or go to a nut doctor right away.

[Bruce Hooke]

There's lots of great water up there for small boats. If you've got time I'd head over to Stonington (or Brooklin) and sail from there too. The waters off Acadia get exposed much more quickly than the waters around Deer Isle. The MITA guide is very useful - among other things it lists the islands were you are welcome to land.

Early June is a wonderful time in Maine but a good bit of caution is in order because the air and water are still quite cold that time of year. I've seen lows in the 40's and below in early June in that part of Maine and the water temperatures in the ocean will likely be in the low 50's. When the air and water are both in the 50's a mistake on the water can turn into a tragedy in very short order. This website shows the water temperatures to expect:

http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/natl.html

Note that the water temperature for Portland is running a few degrees below normal for this time of year, which is not surprising given the late spring this year. So, the water temperatures might still be in the high 40's when you get there. This is, I think, on a par with the water temperatures in your area in early April.

Also, on a more general note - a lot of visitors make the mistake of not bringing enough warm clothes. On a foggy day with the air temperature in the 50's it can feel like winter to folks from warmer climates. I've been quite happy to have my wool hat on when sailing on the Maine coast even in mid-summer.

[Alan D. Hyde]

Naturally, you'll wish to take care and to avoid silly mistakes. And do bring some wool clothes.

But don't let talk of the "cold water" scare you off.

Why, Old Orchard Beach is a long-time Canadian hang-out, and, at Popham Beach, the water gets up to 59 degrees in just a little while... Have a swim out to the island and enjoy it, have a look at the Hatch marker on the top (and heed its implicit warning), then eat some supper at Cook's Lobster Pound on your way back.

Cold?

Nah, "stimulating algidity," I calls it. :D

Alan

[ahp]

Alan, you must have ethylene glycol instead of blood in your vains. I don't swim in any water less than 80 F.

[ishmael]

A Maine Gazeteer is a handy thing to have. Just a fancy word for a book filled with detailed maps of the entire state. It's handy for finding the launch ramps, and generally navigating the automobile. Pick one up at almost any corner store.

Bugs...if ya have to ask :D . We're just seeing our first black flies the last few days, but I don't know how it is right on the coast. Count on mosquitoes, maybe deer flies, ticks? I've rarely had a tick on me in Maine...not like the ticks can be down your neck of the woods.

[Wiley Baggins]

Hmmm...I have been remiss. While in the area, you should try and get into "Two Cats," a restaurant in Bar Harbor.


http://www.bayoffundy.com/dining/acadia/index.shtml

"Two Cats Cafe (Bar Harbor) - Omelettes, pancakes and sandwiches. Breakfast and lunch daily from Memorial Day weekend until Columbus Day, then only Wednesday - Saturday."

[casem]

I'm glad this thread came back up. Keep the advice coming since I'm definately taking the boat (we're stopping over in CT on Fisher's Island Sound to break the trip up).

By the way, what kind of currents can I expect with the 12 foot tides? My boat only goes about 3 knots.

[Bruce Hooke]

The currents are definitely there but except in a few places they are not strong enough to present major problems with your speed over the bottom. Most of my sailing in those waters has been in a 23' boat that rarely breaks 4.5 knots and I have not generally had much trouble. When there is a problem it is more commonly with the wind blowing against the current and creating steep choppy waves. Bass Harbor Bar is a good example. The tide can run quite vigorously across this bar, just east of Bass Harbor (between the point and the offlying islands), and when the wind is blowing the other way it can set up a nasty situation. The cruising guides and the coast pilot will point out the worst of these locations.

It is certainly worth paying attention to what the tide is doing and where the current is taking you. In the fog this is, of course, essential. On a clear day it can still be frustrating to find yourself beating back against a current with a dying wind and dinner long overdue. If you have a motor you can overcome the tide except in a very small number of locations. If you don't have a motor then you do need to pay close attention to the tides otherwise you may find yourself spending a long night out drifting with the tide and waiting for the wind to return in the morning.

[rbgarr]

If the ocean conditions don't suit, Lake Megunticook in Camden offers two boat ramps, no current, and spectacular scenery (as good as Somes Sound on MDI, IMO). Take Rt. 52 north off Rte. 1 out of Camden for about 4 miles, and there's a ramp with ample parking and lake sailing under the lee of a substantial mountain (watch out for downdraft catspaws!).