ADK Adventure Travel

Itinerary

Day 1, Sunday, July 12, 2009:

Arrive in Bar Harbor between 4:00-6:00pm and check in at the Town Hotel at 12 Atlantic Ave. At 6:00pm we’ll rendezvous a few houses down from the motel at 23 Atlantic Ave. From here we’ll walk along the famous shore path into town for a dinner of fresh Maine lobster. We’ll get acquainted at dinner, meet the land staff and go over any final details. After dinner we’ll walk through town and stop at Ben & Bill’s ice cream shop where anyone who did not get enough lobster at dinner can try some lobster flavored ice cream. Next we’ll stop at Cadillac Mountain Sports for any last minute gear purchases. Then it’s back to the motel to get a good night’s sleep.

Day 2, Monday, July 13, 2009:

Approx. 9 statute miles.
Between 7:00-8:00am we will check out and grab some breakfast at Adelman’s – right across the street from the motel (additional $$). At 8:00am we’ll begin shuttling the gear and paddlers. We’ll be treated to spectacular views as we drive the loop road in Acadia National Park to our put in at Seal Harbor. We’ll paddle along dramatic rock cliffs with views of the Cranberry Islands. Along the way we will stop to rest in coves and fishing harbors. For lunch we’ll dock in Northeast Harbor. After lunch we cross the Cranberry Islands and make our way to the Sea Wall- one of the natural wonders of Acadia. Sea Wall is our take out for the day. Here we will meet the land crew and get shuttled to our campground for the night. For anyone who needs a lobster fix, there is a lobster cookout right at the campground. (Additional $$)

Day 3, Tuesday, July 14, 2009:

Approx. 9 statute miles.
Between 8:00-9:00am we will shuttle back and launch from Sea Wall. Today’s paddling will take us past the Bass Harbor lighthouse and into Bass Harbor itself. If the tide is with us, we’ll paddle into the Bass Harbor Marsh and explore this wetland environment. We will be paddling on the west side of the island where there is little development and few tourists. As we paddle, we will explore picturesque coves then take out at Goose Cove. If the weather is good and the group is feeling up to it, we can extend our paddle another 3 statute miles to Seal Cove. From here we will be shuttled to our campsites at the top of Somes Sound.

Day 4, Wednesday, July 15, 2009:
Option Day! (We’ll choose one or more of the following options)

Paddle- Approx. 8 statute miles.
From our camp at the head of Somes Sound, we’ll set out to explore the only true fjord in the Eastern United States (and many say the only true fjord in ALL of the U.S.) The mountains rise steeply on both sides and Man-O-War brook cascades into the sound in a dramatic waterfall. If the tide is right we can paddle through the mud flats right up to the Port in a Storm bookstore where we will find the islands best selection of books by local Maine authors. (Note this trip requires a minimum of 3 paddlers and can be shortened if we choose.)

Hike – Approx. 4-5 miles with 1300 ft. elevation gain.
We can take a break from the water and hike up nearby Acadia and St. Sauveur Mountains. From the summits we will see Somes Sound and the entire expanse of the southern end of the island. We can retrace our first day’s paddle from this “aerial” view. After descending from the summit of Acadia Mountain, we’ll cross over Man-O-War brook and view the waterfall that empties into the sound. Then we can hike back on the fire road or continue up St. Sauveur Mountain for some more great views.

Take the day off!
You can lounge around the campsite enjoying the spectacular views of Somes Sound or catch the Island Hopper bus that stops at the campground. The Island Hopper will take you into Bar Harbor where you can explore or catch another bus to one of many island destinations for the day. Just make sure to be back by 5:30pm.

We’ll meet up at the campground at 5:30 to catch our ride to the Maine Lumberjack show. Timber Tina and her Lumber Jacks – and Jills- will compete in chopping, sawing, pole climbing and log rolling. After the show, it’s back to the campground.

Day 5, Thursday, July 16, 2009:

Approx. 6-8 statute miles.
Between 8:00am-9:00am we will shuttle to Pretty Marsh Harbor and launch. Today we continue paddling the west side of the island. We may explore the coast of Bartlett Island before we make our way among coves and islands to the tidal marsh at Mount Desert Narrows. The tidal marsh is a truly unique ecological area. We’ll observe the unique plant life and birds before ending up at our campsite for the night in Thomas Bay.

Day 6, Friday, July 17, 2009:

Approx. 10 statute miles.
Between 8:00-9:00am we depart from Mt. Desert Narrows (Thomas Bay). As we round Hadley Point, we’ll paddle out of the Mt. Desert Narrows and into Frenchman Bay. We’ll paddle past unique rock cliff formations including The Ovens- natural sea caves- and make our way to Bar Harbor enjoying spectacular views along the way. We’ll take out at the town pier and shuttle back to the Town Motel for the night.

Day 7, Saturday, July 18, 2009:

Approx. 5 statute miles.
At 7:00am we will enjoy a blueberry pancake breakfast at Jordan’s restaurant. We can’t leave Maine without trying some delicious Maine blueberries and what better way to eat blueberries than in pancakes and muffins! After breakfast we’ll check out of the motel and shuttle the boats to the town pier for one last paddle. Paddling out from the pier we’ll see lobster boats and perhaps a yacht or two moored at the dock. We can explore the Porcupine Islands and as we turn back towards town, we will be treated to amazing views of Cadillac Mountain. Then it seems that all too soon our trip is at an end.

Recommended: Give yourself a few days on either end of the trip to explore Acadia National Park. Do some hiking or rock climbing. Try some of the many fantastic local restaurants, etc.