Same Mistake Again?

Not by Mistake!

“Down East (or Downeast) Maine is the rugged, eastern coastal region between the Penobscot River and the Canadian border, primarily covering Hancock and Washington counties. Named for the downwind, eastward sailing route from Boston, it is celebrated for pristine nature, maritime history, and authentic, off-the-beaten-path coastal charm.”  - Wikipedia

As we ponder what to do with the remaining dog days of summer, we are reminiscing about the favorite places we’ve cruised to in Maine. Clearly, Penobscot Bay has been an easy and gratifying geography to explore. Many of our previous blogs attest to the lovely anchorages we have explored there. Meeting friends at places like East Blue Hill, Lawry’s Island, Matinicus Island, Southwest Harbor, and in port at Rockland has added to our enjoyment of this bay. The active music scene in the area has been very entertaining.

Damariscove Island off Boothbay

As wonderful as the area from Boothbay to Mount Desert Island is, our wanderlust takes us to Down East, off the beaten path to the rugged and isolated coast between Acadia National Park and Eastport. This remarkable coastline has few services and recreational amenities. Marinas are sparse along the over 1000 miles of nooks and crannies of the bays and rivers along the rugged coastline. East of Mount Desert there are only a couple places to duck into to escape weather. The few ports are working waterfronts populated by lobster fishermen and salmon mariculture.

Our favorite places along this stretch of coastline include Roque Island. It is an atoll-like basin surrounded by islands. Its claim to fame, aside from a 100+ year old agricultural heritage, is that it is Maine’s only white sand beach. The crescent beach sweeps in a gentle curve for about a mile. The water is reminiscent of Caribbean waters with a glow of greens and turquoise. Only the spruce forest and grassy meadows belie the tropical vibe.

A quiet cove and rocky beach to land our dinghy.

Close to Roque Island is Cross Island National Wildlife Refuge. This island has a couple of suitable protected anchorages. While ashore, there are numerous trails to wander and an abandoned Coast Guard station. At night, the blinking lights of the VLF’s (Very Low Frequency) tall towers of the Cutler Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area array provide a spectacular show. Nearby salmon farms are the only other humans for miles.

Cross Island Refuge has miles of hiking trails through a moss-blanketed forest

Cross Island National Wildlife Refuge, used as a stopover for Outward Bound

Nearest neighbors are the gulls and workers servicing the Atlantic salmon farms.

In previous years we passed by Mistake Island on the outside, but never stopped.

Last year we discovered Mistake Island, not by mistake, but on purpose. On a cruising blog the anchorage was touted as a great place to safely drop the hook in most all weather. While we had passed by the light several times on our way to and from Eastport, the blog sparked us to stop and explore. The stout Moose Peak lighthouse is sometimes visible but often is shrouded by fog. We have since learned this place holds the Eastern U.S. superlative for the number of hours of fog. The light marks a channel, or thorofare, from the Atlantic to Jonesport.

At Mistake, the Moose Peak Lighthouse was auctioned to private owners when the USCG declared the property to be surplus. The rest of the island is owned by the Nature Conservancy.

It is a windswept granite rock with kind of a cross between salt-pruned vegetation and tundra. All the plants and trees are stunted in this harsh environment. A small boathouse provides a dinghy landing to access a boardwalk from the thorofare across the island to the lighthouse. One might see a fishing boat transit the cut, but it’s rare to observe anyone else in this remote location.

These isolated areas near Jonesport and Cutler, around Great Wass Island, hold a special place in our Maine memories. Marvin is so taken with these locales that he has painted many of them. Even as remote destinations for cruisers, they are far away from the tourist path. We like the challenge it has provided in the past and look forward to testing our limits again. Fortunately, AQUAVIT has served us well as we’ve explored the coast less travelled.

With a little luck, we will return next year, as we take our Tiara back up the Eastern Seaboard to explore a little more. In the meantime, if you are in Camden, be sure to visit Small Wonder Gallery on the waterfront where Marvin’s new paintings are hanging and are for sale.

Thanks for reading, and stand by for an update on where our wanderlust takes us next.