Unique Hiking, Snowshoeing, Lighthouse Adventures in Mid Coast Maine
Malaga Island Sea Kayak Tour
Malaga Island is an island that was used by our Native Americans, a mixed race or interracial colony, and now has no inhabitants in eastern Casco Bay. Stories and plays have been written about it, historians investigate, archeologists are fascinated, and the locals from Phippsburg don't like to discuss its sad history and the part their forefathers played in its history. Alice takes groups of 2 to 8 on regularly booked sea kayak tours. You can book your own private tour of any size group.
Come learn some of the secrets of this island with Alice's Awesome Adventures. Paddle to the island from a small local launch site where you might see seals basking at low tide. During a three hour tour you will have time to land on the northern shell beach for a snack and see a kiosk about the history and listen to Alice's extensive knowledge of the island from the time of Native American use to today.
On a longer tour, you will have time to explore the island with Alice, visiting different historical sites along its mile long perimeter trail entering different "rooms" and experiencing its different climates, vistas and having a snack at the south end of the island like the gals to the left. You will decide if the island talks to you.
Join Master Maine Guide Alice on your personalized group or private trip to Malaga Island in a single or double kayaks. Learn about its history, explore its forests, bogs, ledges, and vistas. Three hour tours paddle to the island and land at the north end and visit the kiosk. A break for snacks are at the north end beach with some historical stories.
The longer tours land at the same place but go on an interpretive 1.2 mile hike around the island. We have our snacks or lunches at the southern end of the island where we have a totally different vista. While on our interpretive hike, we walk over uneven surfaces, rocks, tree roots, small wooden plank bridges, and moss covered trails. This trip is not advised for those that have difficulty walking or are in wheelchairs. This trip really helps you to understand the island, the Malaga Island Colony of the late 1800's and their expulsion, as well as earlier history and later history.
Books that are available currently that feature Malaga Island Colony include: Historical Fiction- Lizzy Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt, Dis Place A True History of Malaga Island by Matt Herrick, and Rattled Bones by S.M. Parker and a new Collection of Poems- Midden by Julia Bouwsma.
Canoeing in Mid Coast Maine
Paddling by canoe in the Mid Coast region of Maine offers opportunities to explore the quiet backwaters of smaller rivers that are like streams, paddle on tidal rivers because they are near their exit into the Atlantic Ocean, or on many lakes and ponds.
If it is too windy to paddle along the coastline then it is often a great day to paddle on one of the rivers. One trip offers the sighting of beaver hutches and crossing broken and working beaver dams while going upstream to the headwaters of that river where you'll find water lilies. Another trip offers a 3 mile paddle up to a dam and back over some of the best small mouth bass fishing water in Maine.
If you would like to explore a unique water confluence area of the world, come here. Major rivers do not like to share the same delta area and yet Merrymeeting Bay has five rivers converging (Kennebec, Androscoggin, Cathance, Muddy River, and Abagadasset) and then going out to the ocean through Bath as the Kennebec River. This bay is home to turtles, sturgeon, eels, bass, pickerel, pickerel weed, arrowhead, cattails, wild rice, and migrating ducks and geese. Then there are the lakes and ponds to enjoy when you want a short trip and sometimes an overnight trip.
Alice's Awesome Adventures, LLC offers 3 hour, all day, and overnight trips on all of these waters with instruction in paddling, wildlife recognition, and historical information given freely. Smaller groups find that they can explore more to their own pleasure, while family groups and groups of friends always find the trips fun. Canoeing is offered whenever there is open water but usually between mid-April and late October. Those who like to take photographs often find canoes more stable than a sea kayak. If you would prefer to do these trips in a sea kayak, that can easily be arranged. Only the beaver hutch and dam trip is not recommended for kayaks.
Mid Coast Maine Lighthouses
Maine lighthouses facinate us. To reach the one on the left in Rockland, you will walk a long granite block jetty. The jetty breaks up the waves so the boats inside the harbor are protected. Other lighthouses are on the side of a river, on a cliff, or sitting on a rock ledge.
Join Alice while she guides you to many lighthouses accessible by land or by water along the Maine coast between Cape Elizabeth and Rockland.
Her favorite greater Portland driving trip will bring you to the base of at least three lighthouses (Portland Head to the right, Spring Point in South Portland, and Two Lights in Cape Elizabeth) and from there you can see another one. We can visit one fort and see a second or if we are paddling a sea kayak we can visit forts by water and see lighthouses from the water. An optional stop is seeing a land lighthouse in Portland that we can go inside if it is open.
There are many lighthouses big and small nearby Bath and the mid-coast region. Some were used to guide ships up the challenging Kennebec River from the ocean for refitting at Bath Iron Works or other shipyards or to drop off their cargo. Doubling Point and the Kennebec Range Lights (a pair of lights) can be seen from parts of Bath or visited by car. Doubling Point is to your left.
There are more than 20 lighthouses between Cape Elizabeth and Camden, Maine. Some are on islands and the usual way to get there is to book passage on a regularly scheduled boat trip. Burnt Island Light and Seguin Island Light are two examples. Of course if you want to book passage on the Casco Bay Island Ferry you can see most of the Portland area lighthouses from the water. You don't need me to help you with that.
Closer to Damariscotta we can visit Marshall Point and Pemaquid Lighthouses or drive to Boothbay and see the Cuckholds from the south end of Southport Island.
We will have a bit of driving for any customized tour, so plan at least a half day. A full day will allow you to have fun visiting and exploring. During a full day tour, we will stop for lunch either at a restaurant or have a picnic lunch that Alice has prepared or one that you have brought. Most people prefer to do some sort of picnicing because it maximizes time sightseeing. Some of the sites have admission fees, so you can choose whether or not to enter and how you want to see the different lights and structures. Prices are decided once we know how much time you have to spend, which light houses you would like to see, how many are in your party (1 - 4), how much driving we will be doing or if we are paddling.
Be sure to bring a camera, sunglasses, water, odorless insect repellent, warm clothes or at least a windbreaker put in a small backpack. Be sure to wear sturdy closed toed shoes to safely walk on the rocky shores and the uneven trails that get us to some of the lighthouses. The weather changes quickly and can be bright and sunny one moment, windy and cool or foggy the next, but that is part of the fun of visiting lighthouses. While its wonderful to see them on a sunny day, a day with weather gives us a better understanding of why they are where they are and usually makes the photos you'll take even better.
If you are a paddler, you can see some of the lighthouses, forts, and other navigational aids by water. Don't expect to be able to land and visit most of the light houses, but if you have intermediate sea kayaking skills, Alice's Awesome Adventures, LLC. can create a trip to see some of these.
Snowshoeing and Other Winter Skills
I love snowshoeing! The thrill of walking in the woods or along the coast for a half hour or longer when everyone else is inside, is unbelieveable. Escaping the confines of indoors using the beautiful white stuff - snow makes so much sense. Join me on a private snowshoe outing or learn how to make wooden or metal frame snowshoes go where you want to go easily.
If you are worried that snowshoeing is hard, throw that thought away. Snowshoeing is easy for young and older. If you can walk then you can snowshoe. You can use poles to steady you or walk without. Keep up your physical activities that you started during summer over the winter. Discover the joy of walking across fields or even trying some of your favorite trails.
>Book a customized winter tour for one to six people to follow the tracks of squirrels, fox, deer, and more. Look for chickadees, crows, woodpeckers, bald eagles, juncos, sparrows, and cardinals. We might see robins that are wintering or even a flock of cedar or bohemian waxwings eating leftover berries and crabapples left on trees. Trips can be as short as 1 hour but three hour trips are what most people find fun.
Snowshoeing usually requires only an investment in snowshoes and outdoor clothing. Poles are optional equipment but do make it easier. Many people use older skiing poles but summer hiking poles with baskets attached work well, too. Most often there are no fees for the activity compared to alpine skiing. Just remember, if walking where someone has been cross country skiing, don't walk on their tracks.
During the winter I offer group snowshoeing and winter camping workshops greater Brunswick area on Saturday and Sunday mornings. These are family friendly three hour sessions but are snow dependent. If you wish to join one of these group clinics call - 207 729 6333 to reserve your time. I don't usually put these up on my website as the weather is fickle here along the coast. Snow cover one day, grass the next. I have all the equipment for those that are 3 years old to so much older! Pricing is based on time out and the size of the group. Call and get the specifics! 207 729 6333 Please leave a message if I don't answer.
Cross country skiing is my second favorite sport of the winter quickly followed by sledding. I find the touring centers in Maine to be most welcoming for all skill levels. Fun places to explore include the recreation parks in Portland, Falmouth, Bradbury Mountain, Pineland and many golf courses such as Highland Green, MereCreek, and Portland Country Club all of which allow cross country skiing and snowshoeing.
Call to book your trip or a workshop: 207 729 6333 or fill out this form.
Hiking and Exploring Mid Coast Maine
Hike, bike, walk, or just explore the outdoors in Mid Coast Maine.
We will build a custom intinerary for you. You can go on your own or go with a guide.
Do you want to see old stone forts, monuments, old homes, weathervanes, or statuary?
Do you want to see a small working fishing village or walk across a Historical Landmark Swinging Bridge?
Do you want to walk along trails in and out of the woods finding mushrooms, old stone walls, or look for specific birds, wildlife, or fauna?
Do you want to walk along the craggy cliffs and if the tide is right watch surf breaking where the regular tourists don't go?
When was the last time you built a fairy house or a stone sculpture and do you know where we do?
Do you bike on road, casually, or mountain bike?
Do you geocache?
Do you like exploring old cemeteries or do you want to discover some of your ancesters?
Do you want to explore sand or stone beaches? What are your favorite treasures to look for when walking?
Do you want to see the foliage in the fall or walk under the trees as the leaves fall?
Alice's Awesome Adventures, LLC. creates trips for all of these experiences and more. I can take you around or give you the information so that you can do it on your time. When you come to a new area - get the local info from a native who knows. Make the most of your visit to Mid Coast Maine!
Book your private tour, hike, bike or walk today.
Call 207 729 6333 if you want to talk and have an itinerary built for you to do independently without a guide going with you on your trip.