Yesterday, we traveled by jet propulsion for Whale Watching; today we make our own propulsion. We arrive at Maine State Sea Kayaking, a 5-minute drive from our RV campground for tandem kayaking in Southwest Harbor. We have to arrive 40-minutes early to get fitted for our life vest and get some training for our kayaks.
Our shuttle for today with kayaks on the trailer ready to go. There will be six two-person kayaks in our group. We choose the Southwest Harbor location because its less active than at Bar Harbor.
We sit and get ready as the kayaks are off loaded. Our guide for today's trip was Max
To load the kayak, the front passenger sits on the kayak to stabilize it while the rear passenger gets aboard. We decided the Kathy would handle the rudder by foot control while I took pictures up front and provided the primary oar power.
We do need our oars before heading out. We were also provided skirts to keep water from coming into the kayak. You fold them along a ridge to keep them attached and you dry.
The average tandem kayak measures between 18 and 20 feet long. Tandem kayaks are designed with a wider base, making them less prone to tipping over and providing a more stable paddling experience.
I took this photo as we were testing our kayak for control and turning. The rudder makes turning easier.
And we are off. We departed from Seal Cove heading North. We were headed into the wind and against the incoming tide. It was much easier heading back since the wind was behind pushing us.
Photos of our other companions. Why are tandem kayaks called divorce boats?
They jokingly call these “divorce boats” because some couples fight over which way they are going. Unlike a tandem bike where the pedals move at the same time regardless of what each partner is doing, the paddling pair must really work well together to make it down the river.
Max did a great job with our mandatory training and talking about the wildlife we saw along the route. We did see several different bird species, a seal and two eagles. He also provided information about our surroundings such as the mountains and coves.
After kayaking about 2.5 miles, we got a chance to unload and stretch our legs, it was also time for a needed rest and snack.
We did see this sailboat, when we started back to Seal Cove.
It's hard to show our exact route on this map. We departed Seal Cove, traveled North along Mt Desert Narrows to Great Cove where we took a break and headed back to Seal Cove. The 5-mile round trip was just the right distance. Although we took rain jackets, they were never needed, the weather was excellent. We had a great time.
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