Stonington and the Deer Isle Archipelago

Last year I made the trip up the coast to Stonington Maine and the Deer Isle Archipelago. In my post about about the visit I quoted Henry David Thoreau:

“The question is not what you look at, but what you see.”

I’ve returned this year and my observations and experiences in such a wonderful and mesmerizing place hold true yet again. I went up to Maine, and I did not look, I went to see. To see the myriad of granite and spruce topped islands floating on clear waters. To glide over undulating fields of seaweed in the gentle swell rolling through the sea. To hear the cackle of the gulls, the rumble of the lobster boats and the swoosh of the winds through the tree tops upon the islands. To listen to the steady cadence of my paddle dropping in and out of the water as I moved through the surreal landscape, island after island revealing itself around every turn. Through fog and sun, rain and wind. Yes, it all holds true that this is indeed a very special place to visit. Both on and off the water.

Stonington

Originally known as Green’s Landing, Stonington is located in Hancock County, Maine, United States, on the southern portion of Deer Isle. The population sits around 1,200 people and includes the villages of Oceanville and West Stonington. Stonington is a picturesque working seaport on Penobscot Bay. Originally inhabited as early as 6,100 years ago by Native Americans their descendants were known to early French explorers as Etchemins. The first European to venture into the region was Estevan Gomez, a Portuguese working for the Spanish Crown. Gomez sailed his ship La Anunciada up Eggemoggin Reach, which divides Deer Isle from the mainland. The French, however, would be the most active in the region, establishing a fort in Castine and intermarrying with Abenaki natives. Toward the end of the French and Indian War, Deer Isle was settled by New England colonists around 1760. From Berwick came descendants of Scots Covenanter George Gray, a prisoner of war taken at the 1650 Battle of Dunbar and shipped to America. Sailors on the island became noted for maritime skills, some even serving as crew in the America’s Cup Races of 1895 and 1899.

The settlers were active in shipbuilding, seafaring and fishing. Green’s Landing, a sparsely populated fishing village, didn’t change much until the granite boom after 1870, when quarrying became a major occupation. Stone excavated here was used to build important structures across the country, including the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Europeans, mainly from Italy, were imported as stonecutters. Some were housed in barracks on Crotch Island, while others lived in hotels and large boarding houses built for that purpose. Many of the original buildings have been transformed since into restaurants, galleries and shops.

On February 18, 1897, Green’s Landing was set off and incorporated by the Maine State Legislature as Stonington, named for its granite quarries. Today out on Crotch Island the quarry is still active and on some days you can still here the machinery quarrying the stone from miles away.

Tuesday, August 23rd

I arrived on Deer Island on Tuesday morning greeted by a brilliant blue sky and radiant sunshine glinting off the water. I arranged to use the kayak landing and facilities at Old Quarry Ocean Adventures on Webb Cove. Old Quarry offers a number services such as guides, rentals, camping and lodging, food and supplies as well as very informative local knowledge of the area. For a nominal fee you can safely park your car and use their kayak launch on Webb Cove. They also require you to file a float plan with them before you venture out into the archipelago which is great because I am sure there are plenty of people who would neglect to do this if not for being required.

I was on the water by 8:30 am paddling out Webb Cove to begin my adventure among the islands. I had a vague plan to visit some of the outer lying islands that I had missed on my previous visit, but really I was just meandering, following my whims as I spotted islands on the horizon. I ended up going all the way out to Isle au Haut, which sits about five miles out from Stonington. Among my travels I visited Grog Island, Hells Half Acre, Coot Island, Camp Island, Devil Island, Millet Island, Spruce Island, No Mans Island, Gooseberry Island, Wheat Island, Burnt Island, Isle au Haut and Merchants Island. Isle au Haut is the largest island in the archipelago off of Stonington with 12.7 square miles of land. Part of the island is included in Acadia National park. There are a number of hiking and biking trails on the island as well as a very small town of the same name to visit. Ferry service is available out of Stonington as well as from Old Quarry if your not so inclined to make the paddle out. There is a one mile crossing from the closest inner island out to Isle au Haut across a very busy shipping channel known as Merchant Row. A good amount of lobster and fishing boats as well as the occasional pleasure boat use this thorofare so it is best to be cautious and attentive when making the crossing.

Along my way out I stopped off on Gooseberry Island where a few other paddlers had stopped for a rest. They turned out to be fellow kayak bloggers The Baffin Paddler and Penobscot Paddles. Earlier in the day I also recognized Michael Daugherty of Sea Kayak Stonington who was guiding a group from Old Quarry as I was passing Hell’s Half Acre. They were all enjoying the wonderful day on the water as well. Cheers guys!

The day ended back at Old Quarry around 4:30 pm where I loaded up and headed back to town to check in at Boyce’s Motel where I was staying for my three day visit.

Wednesday, August 24th

Another beautiful day.

After enjoying wonderful wild Maine blueberry pancakes at the Harbor Cafe in Stonington I headed over to Old Quarry and was once again out on the water by 8:30 am to enjoy another fine day of paddling among the granite and spruce. The wind was beginning to pick up on Wednesday and I decided to not make the mile crossing out to Isle au Haut again. Instead I took my time meandering in and out of the islands within a few miles of shore. I ended up visiting or passing Grog Island, Bold Island, Hells Half Acre, Coot Island, Camp Island, Little Camp Island, Potato Island, Sprout Island, Georges Head Island, Steve Island, Wreck Island, Round Island, McGlathery Island, Ram Island, Coombs Island and Devil Island. The wind increased as the day wore on and by 4:00 pm it was blowing steady at 10 to 15 mph. There were not as many paddlers on the water and I had most of the islands to my self when I stopped for pictures or just to stretch. I enjoyed a fine lunch out on the granite slopes of McGlathery Island among boulders that looked like they were tossed up from the ocean by giants. A truly spectacular vantage point.

Thursday, August 25th

Blown Out.

I awoke to very strong winds on Thursday morning. It was a hazy day with a lot of low hanging clouds and patches of fog. The forecast was for storms later in the afternoon and for the winds to blow hard all day. And they did. Blowing at a steady 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 30. The harbor was white capping and it was looking like it may be a day best spent on land but I was determined to get on water somewhere safe and interesting. So I headed over to Old Quarry and inquired about some areas of paddling interest that may be somewhat protected from the winds. They showed me on the charts an area with a public launch site that sat off of Warren Point, the Inner Harbor. So I headed over for a couple hour paddle through the area. The winds were still stiff and the water was white capping a bit but it was most definitely not as bad as being out in the archipelago. Pulling out around noon for a lunch break the winds began to relax a bit so I took the opportunity to head over to Sandy Beach on the Southerly side of Deer Isle. There is a beautiful public beach here strewn with boulders of granite looking out to the lighthouse on Marks Island. The wind was rising and falling and clouds were coming across the horizon in bands so I stayed close to shore and navigated the small un-named islands near shore. With hazy fog and swirling waters the area was surreal as the fog horn was blowing in the distance at a steady rhythm. The weather slowly deteriorated as the afternoon wore on and I pulled back out on the beach around 3:30 pm with dark clouds building in the distance.

My stay was coming to a close and it was time to head back to town for a final meal and some good beer on the deck at Boyce’s.

Final Thoughts

As I said last year, as I say this year, I came to Maine to see, and again my eyes were open to the experience and wonder of the Deer Isle Archipelago and all of it’s wonderful inhabitants. There is so much more to see and I can’t wait until next year to visit again, to see more, to learn more to grow more.

“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads.”
-Henry David Thoreau

Be sure to check out all the images in the gallery.

Video and Map