5 days, 6 nights - lodge-based accommodation
June 30 - July 6, 2024
Arrive by ferry on the 30th, depart by ferry on the 6th.
Located 12 miles off the midcoast of Maine, lies the large island complex of Northhaven and Vinalhaven, known for its striking natural beauty and home to the largest lobster boat fleet on the East Coast. Here you will experience a full range of paddling opportunities from calm protected waters, to meandering channels through island thoroughfares, to the open seas along the southern coast. Pristine islands with white sandy beaches, deep penetrating coves providing shelter from the seas, and a meandering shoreline of spruce forest interrupted by simple to stately summer homes, provide the backdrop to our paddling experience. The adventure, however, reaches far beyond the seas surrounding this island archipelago. Take a walk down Vinalhaven’s main street, and a few side streets, and enjoy the wonderfully restored historic homes with beautifully-maintained gardens, stroll along miles of maintained hiking trails taking in the smells, sights, and sounds of the forest, and meet the some of the colorful residents of the island at the local diner. This is a place not to be missed, a place that warrants at least a week to explore, and a place that will lure you back again and again.
In addition, we will spend an afternoon aboard a Maine lobster boat with renowned ornithologists, John Drury, who will enlighten us on the sea birds that exists in this area, taking us to a Puffin population not seen by many off the Coast of Maine. John’s wealth of information not only about the sea life but Vinalhaven, lobstering and its history will add a whole new dimension to your visit.
Our home for the trip is a historic saltwater farm built in the 1800s situated on 15+ acres of rolling meadow, spruce forest, and a meandering shoreline. Offering stunning views to the west of the Camden Hills, this old farmhouse offers a unique setting that is extremely private and simple. The house is full of antiques and original charm - its simplicity offers the essentials of what one needs to be conmfortable. There are five bedrooms, 2 shared bathrooms, a large dining room, living room, and quaint kitchen. Both bathrooms have traditional cast iron tubs and one has a shower. There is an additional outdoor shower equipped with both hot and cold water. Want to pitch a tent and enjoy a view like no other? You can certainly do that on the vast lawn and rolling meadows near the house yet still enjoy the luxury of indoor dining, plumbing, and shelter if the weather is a bit unsettled.
Besides the great paddling we can experience taking off from the private beach, there are trails around the property to explore too. From our private beach we can access some of the best kayaking Vinalhaven has to offer - beautiful coves, granite islands with white sandy beaches, lighthouses, and ledges quite often haul out spots for harbor and gray seals. We are also just a short paddle away from the Fox Island thoroughfare, the waterway separating Vinlahaven from its northerly neighbor, North Haven, a waterway chosen by mariners as that sail or motor east to Acadia. Often times we will see the three-masted schooners complete with sails navigating gracefully through the thoroughfare - a sight to behold.
And, if we have bad weather one day, a visit to Main street in Vinalhaven is well worth the time - check out the historical society, the wonderful lobster boats in the harbor, and admire the wonderful architecture and landscaspe of old captain’s homes. This is a trip all levels of paddlers can really enjoy and to me offers some of the best kayaking anywhere in Maine!
Cost: $1695 per person based on double occupancy; those who want a single room $1995 and those who wish to camp $1395 per person.
Price includes: Roundtrip ferry service from Rockland, accommodations for six nights, Lobster boat tour, skills training throughout the week, meals as noted on itinerary, kayaks and related gear, and professional leadership by H2Outfitters’ staff and Registered Maine Guides.
“We just returned home from a 5-day trip exploring Vinalhaven Island with H2Outfitters.
My wife and I were looking at lodge-based kayak trips as a goal to help her recover from some medical issues. This trip fit the bill perfectly.
Cathy was our guide, cook, and trip planner, and she was extraordinary! With a list of kayaking credentials second to none, we knew we were in good hands.
She worked up a meal plan for my wife who has a very special needs diet, and Fran was happy with every meal. And I don’t know how she did it but lunches on the water were just like a restaurant, and the dinner meals were better, I did a pretty good number on her pan of Low Tide Brownies. So much for losing weight on this holiday… I wonder if she caters?
On the water, Cathy’s experience really showed, safety was her first goal, having fun came close second, she made some on the fly trip changes to keep us safe, and turned it into a downwind run all the way back to the harbor. During this I noticed that she’s giving everyone tips on paddle strokes, form, how to handle swells and wind, during which I was half-heartedly between a bow rudder and stern draw and heard her say “keep both hands over the water, unless you’re just fooling around…”, she does not miss a thing. We had 4 great paddles with varying wind speeds of 5 to 20 knots with higher gusts, and with different wind directions during our stay, it allowed us 4 very different day trips.
Did I mention how beautiful the scenery is around Vinalhaven, the islands, coves, bays and harbors are like paddling in a national geographic, stunning, never a bad view. Add in the wildlife, seals, guillemots, eagles, osprey, eiders, loons and even a racoon, I’m sure I missed more than I saw.
We will definitely be looking into other trips and/or training with the Head Honcho at H2Outfitters, it was the best trip we’ve ever taken, thank you Cathy and H2Outfitters!
Tom Hunt, PA”
