- 3 Hours Duration 3 Hours
- Ages 10+ Ages Ages 10+
Kayak across Portland harbor to one of the most fascinating historic sites on the Maine coast. This is a 3-hour guided sea kayak tour with a visit to Portland’s legendary Fort Gorges!
Quick Details
The seemingly endless clusters of islands between Penobscot Bay and Mount Desert Island offer all the elements of an idyllic environment for sea kayak camping: Abundant oceanside campsites, countless pocket beaches, infinite route options for exploration, and plenty of opportunities to find shelter from winds and waves. Each island has its own character, history and beauty, and many of them are open to visitors as part of the Maine Island Trail.
Often called “the lobster capital of the world”, and home to the quarries which provided the granite for Boston, New York, and D.C.s most iconic buildings, this region is also home to some of Maine’s prettiest coastline, where rocky shores and towering evergreens meet. While Acadia National Park draws millions of visitors to experience this environment, this trip provides paddlers with a chance to get away from the crowded hiking trails and explore it by water.
You’ll start this trip on the pink-granite shores of Penobscot Bay, with views of the mountains of Acadia on the distant horizon. Over the following days you’ll island-hop towards those mountains, eventually reaching the shores of Mount Desert Island, where our van will be waiting to shuttle the group back to Portland.
Each trip follows a unique route depending on the conditions and the group, but you’ll be sure to visit dozens of islands and experience many sides of this region. You can expect to paddle 5-8 hours each day at a moderate pace with plenty of island breaks. We limit the group size to 6 people, and often have fewer.
The group meets at 8 AM at Portland Paddle on the first day and will return by 6:30 PM on the final day. We will transport the group from Portland to the Penobscot Bay region on the first day and back from the Acadia region on the final day (both drives are 3+ hours). Alternatively, we can arrange for pickup/dropoff at a site in Central Maine if preferred.
Tents are included in the cost of this trip, but we ask participants to either bring their own sleeping bags and sleeping pads or rent them from us for a small additional fee. Portland Paddle will provide kayaking gear, dry bags, drinking water, other essential camping gear, cooking gear, and all meals. Cold water paddling gear, such as wetsuits, neoprene booties, and dry suits, are available to rent. We are happy to store your belongings (luggage, bikes, etc.) during your trip.
If you would prefer to book a private trip that is just for your group we would be happy to make that happen. A private trip allows your guide to customize the itinerary to fit the interests and experience levels of those in your group. It’s also a good option if the dates of our public trips listed on the calendar above don’t work for your group.
To get more information and request a private trip please submit the form on this page.
CLICK HERE for a detailed trip itinerary and packing list.