Maine State Sea Kayaking - Southwest Harbor

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.   

Bar Harbor Whale Watching Trip

 The Bar Harbor Whale Watching Company located on West Street.   They also do many other smaller tours to include lighthouses, wildlife, and bay cruises.  

 

We arrived very early to get a good parking spot and seats for our trip.   This vessel uses jet propulsion like a jet ski and is very safe around whales and wildlife since it has no propeller. It also travels about 35 knots which is pretty fast for its size. 

We decided on the upper level to have a good advantage point to see the wildlife. We were hoping to see whale breaches that we did not get to see on our previous whale trip.   

While leaving the harbor, we had an opportunity to see some of the million dollars estates along Frenchmen Bay.   These are referred to as cottages.  Some cottages! 

Million Dollar Row.   Homes of America's super-rich and powerful families the Ford's, Rockefellers, Gettys, and Vanderbilts along with presidents and vice presidents.   

The weather was very warm this day, 90 degrees in the harbor and the seas were extremely calm.  At sea however, the temperature was a little chilly.  You needed a sweater at times.   We took ice water and snacks for our 3–4-hour trip. 

After an hour or so we spotted our first whales.  I decided to use video mode instead of photos.  I turned on the camera and hit the record button when I saw a whale come up.   Much easier than trying to catch each camera shot. 

 3 Whales - YouTube

Our first contact, three whales.  The video takes a second to adjust but you can see all three whales. 

Whales Dolphins - YouTube

Did not realize for a while that there were a family of dolphins swimming alongside the whales.   We counted more than five dolphins in the group. Not sure why this happens, but we were very lucky to experience this during our trip. 

We also had an opportunity to see Mt. Desert Island Lighthouse, 18 nautical miles from Bay Harbor. College of the Atlantic researchers stay on the island in the summer months and depart for the winter. It was automated in 1977. 

Although we had a good time, we never saw any whale breaches, but we were extremely happy to see the dolphins swimming along with the whales.   All in all, a very nice day out on the ocean.