cbcbd
Well-known member
What: Acadia National Park
Where: Acadia National Park
Who: Me and the GF
Doings: Some hiking, kayaking, and snorkeling... almost climbing
When: 9/7-9/9
Sooo....
last minute planning and finagleing get me and the girlfriend heading up to Acadia for a quick 3-dayer in the park.
So we drive out of CT 9pm on Thursday... drive, sleep, drive... arrive at the park headquarters right after opening, at 8:15am - not bad.
Day 1
Trying to decide what to do we start driving around the Park Loop Road, enjoying the views and curvy roads (man, I wish I had my road bike - roads were just repaved! Note: bring your bike!!). We pass the Precipice trail trailhead up to Champlain and I just have to stop. Having heard the legend of this scenic and exposed trail I just have to ask us to stop and go for a quick jaunt. We start going at a good pace but at a section before the 1st ladder Kristia isn't feeling too hot. She says she'll wait, so I quickly and safely run and scramble up the staple ladders and traverses and make it to top in 15.
I take in the great views West to Cadillac, North to Bar Harbor, and South to the Cranberries, which we would be paddling the next day... and start booking it down the same way. Another cool 15 and now my legs are no longer mad at me for the long neglect on the drive up.
We then headed into Sandy Beach to get some snorkeling in.
We put on the 7mm suits and head out into the clear green waters.
Our faces were hurting from the cold water - oh man. The area was "ok" for snorkeling - a little too turbulent for too much sea life. But we still found some crabs and seastars.
Drove up to Cadillac because we're lazy and we could, and then headed back to Bar Harbor for the evening - walking around, checking out the ships at the marina and the lowtide sealife.
Day 2
After waking up in Blackwoods campground we headed to Seal Harbor to begin our planned paddle from the harbor (A), to Great Cranberry Island (B), around Baker Island (C), and back. I heard there were seals in Baker and we wanted to check out The Pool in G. Cranberry for snorkeling.
Paddling out with the tide going out we pass Sutton Il. (F) and keep looking back to the mainland. I was pretty psyched that one could see the silhouette of the mountains from the water - very cool.
Scoping around a little and we decide that we find a good point (D) to check out.
We get the wet stuff on and plunge into the receding tideline.
Stellar snorkeling!
We find huge beds upon beds of delicious mussels!! In addition to that, a few sea urchins, a few seastars , a sea anemone, tons of rock crabs, and a couple lobsters hiding under rocks!!
I really dig swimming with the fishes and with the thick neoprene I stayed in the water for over an hour... finishing off with a collection of mussels to be boiled later at camp - the most delicious mussels I have ever had!!
So anyway, with the tide going out and still going to Baker, we got back on the pointy boats and headed out between Great(B) and Little Cranberry(E), where we met some seals hanging out on the exposed rocks (E). Most were hanging out on the rocks or floating with their heads above the water checking us out - they were very curious and one followed us a ways after we left for Baker.
We rounded Baker just as the tide was coming back in = fun swells and choppy water. I like.
Landed on Baker, hiked to the lighthouse and out to the Southern end of the trail. Had some snacks and started heading back on the East side of Little Cranberry(G). Hit the harbor right at sunset - aaaaah.
We went back to camp and that night had tuna, flounder, and some very fresh and most excellent mussels!! Sweet
Day 3
Pretty uneventful since it rained most of the day. I had wanted to go climbing at Otter cliffs or Precipice cliffs, but the rain nixed that. We drove to Seawall and walked around Ship Harbor, drove around Somes Sound, walked along the Otter cliffs... awesome places and views... but the rain was just eh. Ate in Bar Harbor and left to visit some friends in Bangor that night... left at 10pm, arrived at 5am, worked at 9am...
The end!
Doug
Where: Acadia National Park
Who: Me and the GF
Doings: Some hiking, kayaking, and snorkeling... almost climbing
When: 9/7-9/9
Sooo....
last minute planning and finagleing get me and the girlfriend heading up to Acadia for a quick 3-dayer in the park.
So we drive out of CT 9pm on Thursday... drive, sleep, drive... arrive at the park headquarters right after opening, at 8:15am - not bad.
Day 1
Trying to decide what to do we start driving around the Park Loop Road, enjoying the views and curvy roads (man, I wish I had my road bike - roads were just repaved! Note: bring your bike!!). We pass the Precipice trail trailhead up to Champlain and I just have to stop. Having heard the legend of this scenic and exposed trail I just have to ask us to stop and go for a quick jaunt. We start going at a good pace but at a section before the 1st ladder Kristia isn't feeling too hot. She says she'll wait, so I quickly and safely run and scramble up the staple ladders and traverses and make it to top in 15.
I take in the great views West to Cadillac, North to Bar Harbor, and South to the Cranberries, which we would be paddling the next day... and start booking it down the same way. Another cool 15 and now my legs are no longer mad at me for the long neglect on the drive up.
We then headed into Sandy Beach to get some snorkeling in.
We put on the 7mm suits and head out into the clear green waters.
Our faces were hurting from the cold water - oh man. The area was "ok" for snorkeling - a little too turbulent for too much sea life. But we still found some crabs and seastars.
Drove up to Cadillac because we're lazy and we could, and then headed back to Bar Harbor for the evening - walking around, checking out the ships at the marina and the lowtide sealife.
Day 2
After waking up in Blackwoods campground we headed to Seal Harbor to begin our planned paddle from the harbor (A), to Great Cranberry Island (B), around Baker Island (C), and back. I heard there were seals in Baker and we wanted to check out The Pool in G. Cranberry for snorkeling.
Paddling out with the tide going out we pass Sutton Il. (F) and keep looking back to the mainland. I was pretty psyched that one could see the silhouette of the mountains from the water - very cool.
Scoping around a little and we decide that we find a good point (D) to check out.
We get the wet stuff on and plunge into the receding tideline.
Stellar snorkeling!
We find huge beds upon beds of delicious mussels!! In addition to that, a few sea urchins, a few seastars , a sea anemone, tons of rock crabs, and a couple lobsters hiding under rocks!!
I really dig swimming with the fishes and with the thick neoprene I stayed in the water for over an hour... finishing off with a collection of mussels to be boiled later at camp - the most delicious mussels I have ever had!!
So anyway, with the tide going out and still going to Baker, we got back on the pointy boats and headed out between Great(B) and Little Cranberry(E), where we met some seals hanging out on the exposed rocks (E). Most were hanging out on the rocks or floating with their heads above the water checking us out - they were very curious and one followed us a ways after we left for Baker.
We rounded Baker just as the tide was coming back in = fun swells and choppy water. I like.
Landed on Baker, hiked to the lighthouse and out to the Southern end of the trail. Had some snacks and started heading back on the East side of Little Cranberry(G). Hit the harbor right at sunset - aaaaah.
We went back to camp and that night had tuna, flounder, and some very fresh and most excellent mussels!! Sweet
Day 3
Pretty uneventful since it rained most of the day. I had wanted to go climbing at Otter cliffs or Precipice cliffs, but the rain nixed that. We drove to Seawall and walked around Ship Harbor, drove around Somes Sound, walked along the Otter cliffs... awesome places and views... but the rain was just eh. Ate in Bar Harbor and left to visit some friends in Bangor that night... left at 10pm, arrived at 5am, worked at 9am...
The end!
Doug
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