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One look at Bruce Smith’s effortless stroke paddling in the waters that slope down from his home base in Deer Island and you immediately know you’re in good hands. The owner of Seascape Kayak Tours has a fluid turn of the arms, feeling almost Zen-like with the surroundings. And wow, what a playground he gets to kayak, the granite-studded, pine-laden islands in Passamaquoddy Bay, the large body of water that separates New Brunswick and Maine. This is Smith’s 28th year in business, first starting in St Andrews before making the wise move to Deer Island. The remaining 8 months of the year, he leads sea kayaking and hiking trips off the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica.
We took the short ferry to Deer Island from the New Brunswick mainland, geared up, got cozy in our double kayaks, and within 5 minutes we were so close to harbor seals, you could hear them breathe. The waters were serene, with sunlight shimmering on the light surf. The next 4 hours were a magical blur as we could also hear porpoises breathing as pods swam by, arching their backs in and out of the water; paddled past historic circular herring weirs and more modern Atlantic salmon fishing farms; followed a family of great blue herons along the boulder-strewn shoreline; found a mink with a fish in his mouth atop a seaweed covered rock; watched both harbor and gray seals pop their heads out of their waters and look at us in disbelief, like “What are you doing here?” and stopped for a lunch of ripe red rose hips on a deserted beach. All the while we paddled in little surf around quiet islands with no boat traffic. None. When I asked Smith where all the recreational boats were on this blissful weekday morning, he noted that many boaters are spooked by the Bay of Fundy tidal shift, the largest in the world. I would be too! One minute you’re in deep ocean waters at high tide, the next your boat’s docked on the ocean floor, nowhere to go. But for the sea kayaker, this is sheer bliss.
I want to thank Neil Hodge at Tourism New Brunswick for designing a fantastic trip this week. I’d also like to thank Canada for opening its borders to Americans. It was a joy to get away to savor the scenery, adventure, fresh fish, and craft beer of New Brunswick.
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Few people know the rivers of Idaho better than Peter Grubb, owner of Idaho’s largest adventure travel company, ROW Adventures. They run more trips on more rivers than any other outfitter in the state. Grubb’s other obsession is the Galapagos Islands, where for the past two decades, he’s been running land-based multisport trips for all, including children ages 7 and older. We’ve sent a dozen or so clients on their trips and they’ve all loved it. Who wouldn’t relish the chance to sea kayak, hike and bike around the islands past century-old tortoises, and to snorkel at protected coves with friendly sea lions and few other people? ROW Adventures other trips are just as exhilarating. They include sea kayaking during the whale migration in Baja; sea kayaking, hiking, and biking Cuba; hiking the Inca Trail in Peru and the W Trek in Patagonia; and his latest offering, paddling and seeing the gorillas of Rwanda. How cool is that? If interested in any ROW Adventures itinerary, please let ActiveTravels know and we’ll check availability and help with all logistics including flight and pre- and post-hotel stays and route design.
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Churchill is known as one of the best spots in early winter to spot polar bears. Natural Habitat Adventures gained acclaim as the first outfitter to bring visitors to this destination. Now, they’re praising the year-round attractions of Churchill. Venture on one of NatHab’s summer trips and you’re guaranteed to raft and kayak with beluga whales. More than 3,000 of these friendly white whales congregate at the mouth of the Churchill River for summer feasting. You may also spot polar bears on the horizon.
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As the birds start to chirp outside my bedroom window and the crocuses and hyacinths are popping up in my front yard, my mind instinctively thinks of summer and heading north along the coast. Anyone who’s checked out this blog over the past 9 years knows that I adore Nova Scotia, having visited the Canadian province practically every summer or fall. It’s not the just the moose I see every time I hike the Skyline Trail in Cape Breton, the exceptional golfing at Cabot Cliffs, the wonderful wineries in Annapolis Valley, and the chance to go clamming or lobster fishing, only to return to the shores for a gluttonous seafood feast. Driving along the coastline on the Cabot Trail or the outskirts of Lunenburg, the scenery is majestic.
Yet, if you need more topical reasons to head to Nova Scotia, there are several new excursions. Pleasant Paddling in Blue Rocks will take one lucky couple on a guided kayaking trip to a seal colony and hidden inlets, perfect for biking and a picnic lunch. Only to be followed by an overnight private island stay in a hand-crafted yurt with a clear skylight ceiling for star-gazing. The excursion also includes a locally-sourced dinner of mussels and charcuterie, and breakfast. Price is $899 CAD per couple and is available to book on June 25, July 16, August 27 and September 17. In Grand Pré, Tangled Garden will be offering a Gourmet Garden Party food tour on July 11, August 15, September 5, and September 19. The journey starts with a glass of sparkling Nova Scotia wine, followed by exploration of the gardens. Pop-up tastings are tucked away in hidden nooks, featuring fresh seafood, pairings of herbs and local delicacies, rum and more. A picnic lunch is served at the top of garden, accompanied by local musicians. Price is $195 CAD per person or $360 CAD per couple.
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]]>The post Adventures in New Brunswick Week—Hiking Matthews Head/Sea Kayaking the Saint John River appeared first on Active Travels.
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We woke up early today to hike a 90-minute loop in Fundy National Park to Matthews Head. Breakfast could wait! Except for a handful of bunnies and noisy chipmunks, we had the trail to ourselves. We hop-stepped it through the web of roots through a forest of tall timbers, the reward soon appearing as one stupendous vista of the coast. High atop the hills of Fundy National Park, we looked down on the jagged shoreline, rocky beaches, and boulder-strewn coves. The Bay of Fundy waters were still this early in the day. All you could hear was the lapping of the water and see the sunlight shimmering on the bay to create a magical light show.
From Alma, we drove 90 minutes to Dominion Park in Saint John to paddle on the mouth of the Saint John River with Go Fundy Events. Our guide, Dan, escorted us past the limestone cliffs to see the earliest fossils recorded by scientists, curly-cues and concentric circles on the cliff face. As we made our way around the bend, Dan pointed out a massive eagle’s nest in a tall pine but we couldn’t find any birds. We did however, spot a large sturgeon jumping out of the water. We paddled onward to find the remains of a lime quarry dating from the 19th century, red bricks that were imported from Scotland. Then we turned the kayaks around and peered up to see the wingspan of an eagle and that distinctive white head. Soon another eagle joined him, his talons holding on to a fish, possibly a sturgeon. They flew above us for a good 10 minutes, stopping only to find a perfect perch, as we continued to paddle back into a strong headwind. It was remarkable end to a memorable day of play on the waterways of New Brunswick.
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We started the day at low tide at the iconic Hopewall Rocks, sunlight splintering through the sea stacks or flowerpots rocks as the locals call them (many of the formations have trees sprouting out of the top, thus resembling flowerpots). Walking along the beach snapping photo after photo at the picturesque blend of towering rocks, cliffs, and sea, we walked on the rocky beach and clay-like mud that lined the Bay of Fundy floor. Soon we heard squawking of birds only to peer up at one of the rocks and see a majestic peregrine falcon perched high above. We continued south on Route 114 to reach Cape Enrage at the height of high tide, water and wind whipping around us atop a cliff and lighthouse that juts out onto the sea vulnerable to the elements.
After lunch of fresh pan-fried haddock cakes and a tangy tomato soup, we were energized and ready to go sea kayaking with Fresh Air Adventure on the outskirts of Fundy National Park. Owner Gina was excited to have us try out her new toys, surf skis, slender and speedy 17-foot ocean Epic V7 kayaks that she uses to race in Hong Kong, where she spends half the year. We got acclimated to the kayaks as we made our way down the Upper Salmon River, an estuary, slicing through the water with a paddle so light the stroke felt almost effortless. Then we turned around and went past the handful of fishing boats before making our way out to the Bay of Fundy. We had to paddle against the winds on the way out to open water, looking at Nova Scotia across the bay. The tide was still coming in with a moderate chop as waves spilled into the kayak. I peered at the tall spruce and firs that stood tall atop the craggy rock of the Fundy National Park bluffs before a larger wave swept me up and I found myself swimming in the salty drink. Gina guided me back into the kayak and we turned around to feel the ebb and flow of the highest tides in the world. I quickly understood why they call these kayaks surf skis. You paddle hard atop the crest of the wave and you feel the sudden rush of water surge you forward, like surfing. It was an exciting way to end an exhilarating day.
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Some of us chase after the morning train to get to work. The more indulgent will chase down that shot of bourbon with a pint of Guinness. And the truly intrepid? They follow Ed English as he chases icebergs. Come June, it’s not unusual for villages on the east coast of Newfoundland to wake up to a mountain of electric blue ice the size of a 15-story building. The icebergs calve from the glaciers of western Greenland and begin a slow 1900-mile journey south with the Labrador Current on a route dubbed Iceberg Alley. English, owner of Linkum Tours, takes sea kayakers up to his lighthouse inn on Quirpoon Island, the northernmost point of Newfoundland, to get as close as possible to the huge crystalline structures before they float away. An added bonus are the pods of humpbacks, minkes, and the occasional beluga whales who feed in Iceberg Alley as they make their way north.
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]]>The post Sea Kayak with Nat Hab Adventures in Greenland, Antarctica, and the Galapagos appeared first on Active Travels.
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When I was working as a columnist for National Geographic Adventure and researching my first book, Outside Magazine’s Adventure Guide to New England, I would often go on multi-day sea kayaking trips along the Maine coast or around Prince Edward Island. The trend of long distance sea kayaking was becoming popular in the late 90s thanks in large part to one man, Olaf Malver, who was the director of development for Mountain Travel Sobek. While Richard Bangs put the sport of whitewater rafting virgin rivers on the map, Malver explored the world within the cozy confines of a sea kayak.
I had the good fortune to catch up with Malver over dinner last week in Boston, where he was introducing the wine he produces in the Republic of Georgia to distributors (we’ll talk more about Georgia tomorrow). Olaf mentioned to me that 80% of adventure travelers only visit 20% of the world, leaving behind such gems as the Marquesas Islands in the South Pacific or eastern Greenland, one of the most breathtaking landscapes he has ever witnessed. Now working with Natural Habitat as Chief Exploratory Officer, Olaf brings groups of passionate travelers to remote Greenland each summer. He also organizes trips to the Galapagos Islands, where he promises to get kayakers in secluded coves far away from the cruise ships. He even sea kayaks in Antarctica, where guests have the option to camp on the shores with the penguins before returning to their 60-foot sloop. If any of these trips interest you, please contact ActiveTravels.
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The first you thing you wonder when entering a sea kayak on Saguenay Fjord is where are all the boats? No motorboats, sailboats, jet skies, nothing. Our guide, Jean, tells us there are few places to dock along the 100-kilometer shoreline and even less places to find gas. The second thing you notice is that the water is the color of black ink, perhaps because it reaches a depth of some 900 meters in the middle. We were 80 kilometers down the fjord, only 20 kilometers from the mouth at the St. Lawrence River. This is a prime spot for spotting beluga whales since the federally preserved waters of Baie-Sainte-Marguerite, where belugas mate, were directly across the 2 kilometer channel from us. We paddled along the jagged shoreline lined with cliffs and oversized boulders and topped by pines that remarkably still stand after the harsh winters here. We spotted herons and cormorants but Jean tells us that the rugged shoreline is also a favorite of peregrine falcons.
Then we crossed the channel as the tide rolled out and waited patiently. “Just listen,” said Jean “and you might hear the belugas breathing.” In the distance, we spotted a patch of white break the surface. Then we spotted it again. Jean has had curious belugas come directly to his kayak to peer up at him, but we weren’t so fortunate today. Nonetheless, the weather was perfect, under sunny skies with a slight breeze. It was wonderful to finally be paddling in the Saguenay Fjord, one of the southernmost fjords on the planet, something that has been on my wish list for quite some time.
In the morning, we took a 2-hour hike on the De la Statue trail at Parc National du Fjord-du-Saguenay. We spotted several massive glacial erratics before climbing atop the cliff face. Spectacular vistas of the fjord were around every bend. Whether you hike or paddle the Saguenay Fjord, it’s hard not to be impressed by the quiet beauty.
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]]>The post AMC’s Best Sea Kayaking in New England: 50 Coastal Paddling Adventures from Maine to Connecti appeared first on Active Travels.
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Registered Maine Guide Michael Daugherty has just come out with a beauty of a book describing his favorite sea kayaking paddles along the New England coast. They include many of my favorites, including the Porcupine Islands near Acadia National Park, Georgetown Island off mid-coast Maine, Castle Neck in Ipswich, Monomoy Island off of Chatham on the Cape, Newport, and Connecticut’s Thimble Islands. Many of these jaunts can be done in a memorable day trip or turned into an overnight, ideal for the novice to more experienced paddler. Daugherty notes the distance of each trip, but far more important discusses the tidal changes and necessary cautions against strong currents and boat traffic. Only an avid paddler with a mind for detail could write such a book and I’ll happily carry it in my dry bag for many joyous days along the coast.
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