In sticking with this month’s Acadia National Park theme, I present to you “Cranberry Crossing”! I took this photo during a day trip that I led to the Cranberry Islands on our 2011 MITOC trip to Acadia. The trip out to and around the Cranberry Islands from Seal Harbor has been touted as one of the top five paddling trips on the East Coast of the US according to many. On a clear day the trip offers everything that is quintessential Maine: rocky shores, light houses, lobster boats, seals…you name it. However, as our trip (and the photo) demonstrates, it’s not always sunny on the Maine coast. Thick fog is common place in the late spring and summer months. Paddlers should expect it, respect it, and prepare for the fog even if the skies are clear at the launch. We made the blind crossing (~2-3 miles) to the Cranberries with only our compasses and the sound of the bell buoys to guide us…quite the adventure!
Happy Paddling!
-Kayak Dave