Introduction:

The term "Down East" refers to a sailor's heading. The prevailing maritime winds took the old sailing fleets down wind and east along the coast. If you look towards Canada from Schoodic Point on the northeastern edge of Acadia National Park, you'll begin to see Down East Maine. You see where tourism ends and one of the last places for real adventure on the East Coast of the United States begins.

It's a place where narrow peninsulas finger out into the cold Fundy current. Tamarack pine, Peat bogs, and blueberry barrens replace oak forests. The fog is more enduring and impenetrable. The farther east one paddles, the more subarctic the coastal ecosystems appear. The climate is cool, raw, and damp all but one or two months each year. Rare arctic flowers occupy the extreme tips of islands and peninsulas. Even today, the settlements along the coast and occupying islands are few and far between.

Illustrated chart of area
(Click on to enlarge)

We'll discover the marine environment and the dozens of islands in Narraguagus Bay, Pleasant Bay, and the Great Wass Archipelago. Paddling this area completely takes more than just a few days, as there are many tempting spots along the way. Our guides have extensive knowledge of these waters and will customize the itinerary to accommodate the group’s overall interest and ability.

• Day 1 Arrive Bangor. Camp Birch Harbor, Maine
  Arrive at Bangor International Airport and be picked up by the Compass Rose Van. Drive to Ocean Wood campground, Birch Harbor, Maine. As we arrive we'll arrange the gear and food, set up camp for the first time, and get to know each other. We'll have dinner and go over the trip. According to their literature, the Bruntons built this drive in campground and operate it for campers with a deep respect for nature
  
  
• Day 2 Birch Harbor Maine - skills day, ~ 8 miles
  We'll work on advanced paddling skills in the morning and explore Schoodic Point by kayak in the afternoon. The French referred to Schoodic Point as Cap Enrage...enraged cape. Dinner followed by an evening lecture on navigation or the rich history of the area. Spending two nights at Ocean Wood allows us to be better prepared for what we might expect. The nearby Petit Manan Island Light averages more hours of fog from June to September than any other station in Maine.

• Day 3 Birch Harbor to Bois Bubert Island, ~13 miles
  Paddle out towards Petit Manan Point, passing through Prospect Harbor, Cranberry Point and around Dyer Neck and on to the Sally Islands. Petit Manan Point for lunch with views of the Atlantic. Once we've rounded Petit Manan Point we'll paddle north and into Pigeon Hill Bay. Bois Bubert Island will be our destination and campsite for the next 2 nights

• Day 4 Bois Bubert - Petit Manan Island - Bois Bubert, 12+ miles round trip
  We'll paddle out to Petit Manan Island, 2.5 miles off Petit Manan Point, in search of the Atlantic Puffins that have taken up residence. We'll also explore the light that was established in 1817 with the present tower built in 1855, and standing 119-ft. high. Both Petit Manan and neighboring Green are well protected by distance, fog, and the fast currents that flow between them and mainland. This is definitely worth the day trip.

• Day 5 Bois Bubert to Dyer Island, 4 miles plus exploration
  This will be a light day of exploration and checking out Jordan's Delight and Shipstern Islands. Both islands have roseroot-covered towering cliffs that drop more than 100ft into the ocean. This area most resembles the shores of Ireland more than any other area along Maine's coast. We'll likely view nesting Eagles and Peregrine Falcons. We'll camp on Dyer Island just to the north.

• Day 6 Dyer Island to Little Water Island, ~14 miles
  Passing by Cape Split and Moose neck, we'll paddle into the Great Wass Archipelago. The farther east we paddle, the islands begin to look more subarctic. Historically, this area was never prosperous, probably due to the long, exposed winters. About one third of the islands in the archipelago are protected from development, which allows paddlers miles of shoreline of great granite slabs and tight-packed forests of spruce and fir. Just east of Great Wass Island, we'll camp on one of the smallest islands in the archipelago.
  
  

• Day 7 Little Water Island to Halifax Island, ~8 miles
  We'll paddle mostly open water on our way through Chandler's Bay, and into Englishman's Bay. Englishman's Bay is one of those incredibly beautiful places that make visitors remark they wish they could remain a lot longer. Unfortunately, most of the Roque Island Archipelago is privately own and off limits to all visitors. Halifax Island is the eastern most of the islands in the archipelago, and is the farthest east we will travel.

• Day 8 Halifax Island to Roque Bluffs, 3-4 miles
  On our way to our pick up at Roque Bluffs, we'll paddle a short distance to Roque Island and walk the beach. We'll continue on to Roque Bluffs for a mid-afternoon pick up. Once in the van again, we make our way back to the campground that we stayed in on our first night. It truly is one of the best campgrounds we've ever stayed in. We'll reorganize gear, have a group dinner somewhere local and bring closure to an amazing experience.

• Day 9 The way home
  The 9th day would find us departing early for the airport in Bangor.

Expedition Grade: Intermediate/Advanced. 9 Days 8 nights (camping)

Group Size: Min 6/ Max 8 plus 2 staff

Price includes: One and two person expedition kayaks; Kayaking equipment (PFDs, paddles, etc); All meals during trip; Group camping equipment (tents, untensils, etc); Camping fees; Transportation to and from Bangor International Airport Price does not include Air Travel to Bangor International Airport Items of personal nature, including alcoholic beverages Accommodations outside of trip dates

Boats outfitted by:

Getting there: Currently there are 4 major airlines flying into Bangor International Airport. They are:

• Pan-Am # 1800-359-7267
• Com-Air # 1800-354-9822
• American Eagle # 1800-433-7300
• US Airways Express # 1800-428-4322
• Bangor International Airport # (207) 947-0384

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* We also run trips that are 4-6 days...