Latest / Phil and H Travel - Is It Worth It? Top Travel Destinations Explored! / Finding True Solitude Kayaking Acadia's Coast

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Finding True Solitude Kayaking Acadia's Coast · Phil and H Travel - Is It Worth It? Top Travel Destinations Explored!

• 0:00
  All right, close your eyes for a second.
• 0:01
  I want you to do a little visualization exercise with me.
• 0:04
  It's February. It's probably Gray outside where
• 0:07
  you are and you're planning that big summer vacation.
• 0:10
  Escape. The escape?
• 0:11
  Exactly. And you want something iconic,
• 0:14
  You want New England, You want Maine.
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  So what's the image that pops into your head right now?
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  Oh, I can tell you exactly what it is.
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  I mean, the tourism boards and the marketing departments have
• 0:26
  been perfecting this image for, what, 70 years now, right?
• 0:29
  You are picturing an LL Bean catalog that is just, you know,
• 0:33
  sprung to life. You see a perfect white
• 0:35
  lighthouse sitting on this dramatic rocky bluff.
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  Totally. And there are those pink granite
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  rocks everywhere. The pink granite for sure.
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  And most importantly, you see yourself.
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  You're in a kayak. Yes, and in my mind the water is
• 0:48
  just glass. It's perfectly calm.
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  It's shimmering. I'm probably just wearing AT
• 0:53
  shirt, maybe a baseball cap. Effortless.
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  I'm paddling effortlessly. There's a seal, you know,
• 0:58
  popping its little head up just to give me a cute nod.
• 1:01
  And then scene change. I'm sitting on a dock eating a
• 1:05
  lobster roll that didn't cost me a second mortgage.
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  It is a beautiful dream, it really is.
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  It's also what we in the industry, we call it the
• 1:13
  Instagram lie. The Instagram lie, I like that.
• 1:16
  Because while that perfect day can't happen, I mean it does
• 1:19
  exist. Aiming for that as your baseline
• 1:22
  expectation is just setting yourself up for our source
• 1:25
  material today calls a logistical gauntlet.
• 1:28
  That phrase, logistical gauntlet, it really jumped out
• 1:30
  at me from the page. We are doing a deep dive today
• 1:33
  into what we're calling the Acadia Extension, right?
• 1:36
  This is the whole world of coastal kayaking in Maine,
• 1:39
  specifically in the area around Acadia National Park.
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  And the source material is just fascinating because it isn't a
• 1:45
  brochure at all. It reads more like a like a
• 1:49
  survival manual mixed with the Loveless.
• 1:51
  It's a huge reality check and we need to, you know, shatter that
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  LL Bean image pretty early on here.
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  We are not talking about a leisurely paddle on a lake in
• 1:59
  the Poconos. This isn't a lazy river float in
• 2:02
  Texas. We are talking about the North
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  Atlantic Ocean. Let's dig into that phrase used
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  environmental severity. That sounds, well, it sounds
• 2:12
  intense it. Is intense and people just don't
• 2:15
  have a frame of reference for it.
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  The water temperature in Maine, even in the middle of August,
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  when the air is, say, 80°, the water itself is sitting at about
• 2:25
  55°F. 65 so that's what, 12 Celsius?
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  About that. And that is dangerously cold.
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  That's cold enough to induce an immediate physiological shock if
• 2:34
  you fall in unexpectedly. And then you add the tides and
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  again, people think they know tides.
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  They don't. We're not talking about a gentle
• 2:41
  rise and fall of a foot or two. We are talking about 12 foot
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  tides. A. 12 foot vertical change in
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  the water level. That's higher than a basketball
• 2:50
  hoop. Every six hours, it moves
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  billions of gallons of water. That kind of movement creates
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  currents that can rival whitewater rivers, except
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  they're happening in the open ocean.
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  And it completely, totally alters the landscape.
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  An island you can walk to at 10 in the morning might be
• 3:05
  surrounded by a mile of water at 4:00 in the afternoon.
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  And this brings us right to the core paradox of this whole
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  topic. I mean, everyone knows Acadia
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  National Park is just exploding in popularity.
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  It's the most overcrowded park in the entire Northeast.
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  You literally have traffic jams on the hiking trails.
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  It's become a victim of its own success.
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  Totally. And yet the source argues that
• 3:27
  this exact same region offers total absolute isolation.
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  You can be the only only human being for miles around.
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  But of course, there's a catch. There's a huge catch, and that
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  catch is the skill gap. That isolation you're talking
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  about. It exists, but it's behind a
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  wall. And the price of admission isn't
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  the $30 park pass for your car, right?
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  The real price is having the skill to actually leave the
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  dock, to navigate in fog, to handle those tides, and to deal
• 3:54
  with that dangerously cold water.
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  If you can pay that price in skill, you get the solitude.
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  If you can't, you're stuck in that traffic jam on the Park
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  Loop Rd. with everyone else. So today our mission is to
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  figure out if that price is worth paying.
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  We're going to break down this Acadia extension through the
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  eyes of four very different travelers.
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  I've got the backpacker, the mid range couple, the family and the
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  luxury traveler. A full spectrum.
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  And we are in going to give you a definitive verdict on whether
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  you should book this trip or, you know, maybe just stay on
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  land and eat some blueberries. And to frame this whole
• 4:31
  discussion, we've pulled out three, let's call them
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  contrarian surprises. These are three major points
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  from the source material that really go against almost all the
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  standard travel advice you'll ever hear about Maine.
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  OK, let's hear them #1. The best kayaking is not
• 4:45
  actually in Acadia National Park.
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  That feels wrong. I mean, Katie is the brand name.
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  It's why people go. It's the brand, absolutely, but
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  it's not the best water and we'll get into exactly why that
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  is. OK #2.
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  You likely should not bring your own boat.
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  Even if you're an avid kayaker and you've got a beautiful boat
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  at home, the advice is to leave it there.
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  That seems counterintuitive. I assume that's a logistics
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  thing. It's a huge logistical argument
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  that saves a ton of headaches. And #3 which I'm still trying to
• 5:13
  wrap my head around. It's my favorite one.
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  The fog is actually the best part of the whole experience.
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  OK, you're going to have to sell me on that one because that just
• 5:21
  sounds terrifying. I stand by it.
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  If you know what you're doing, the fog is magical.
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  If you don't, yes, it's terrifying, so we'll get there.
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  All right, let's start with the context.
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  Why are we even talking about this now?
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  What is the current state of tourism in Maine that makes this
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  idea of an escape to the water so, so appealing?
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  Well you really have to look at the post COVID travel boom.
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  It changed everything. Acadia National Park
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  specifically, has seen his visitation numbers just
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  skyrocket. I've seen the pictures.
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  We are talking about millions of people cramming themselves onto
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  Mount Desert Island, which, when you look at it on a map, is not
• 6:01
  that big of a place. I was reading about the traffic
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  on the Park Loop Rd. and the description sound like the LA
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  freeway at rush hour. That's not an exaggeration.
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  It is urban level congestion, but in a wilderness setting and
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  Bar Harbor, which is the main gateway town, it just becomes
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  this massive bottleneck. You have cruise ships that are
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  dumping thousands of passengers ashore for the day.
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  You've got RV's the size of buses trying to navigate these
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  little streets. You have families and minivans
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  and the whole atmosphere just becomes frantic.
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  You go there to relax, but the first thing you feel is stress.
• 6:33
  Exactly. You end up hunting for a parking
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  spot for 45 minutes. You're standing in line for
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  popcorn. You're dodging selfie sticks on
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  what's supposed to be a quiet trail.
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  It's that classic loving a place to death phenomenon.
• 6:45
  Yeah, we see that in so many national parks now.
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  You do, and this creates a very specific psychological state in
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  the traveller. The source has a great name for
• 6:54
  it, the Escape from the Escape. The escape from the escape.
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  Think about it, You plan this whole vacation to escape your
• 7:01
  job, your stress, your daily grind.
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  But then the vacation itself becomes incredibly stressful, so
• 7:08
  you find yourself standing on a crowded shore surrounded by
• 7:11
  people, and you look out at the ocean.
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  And the ocean looks empty. It looks peaceful.
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  It looks silent, it looks pristine, and you think to
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  yourself, if I can just get out there, I'll finally find the
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  peace I was promised. That assumption is what drives
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  thousands of people to the water they view.
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  The ocean is just, you know, blue land that Miller's using.
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  But as we've already established, the ocean is not a
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  playground, it's a genuinely hostile environment.
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  And that's where that Instagram lie becomes actually dangerous.
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  You see all the photos of the perfect blue sky and that golden
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  hour light. But the photos don't tell you
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  about the water temperature. They don't show you the current
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  ripping around a headland. The source really emphasizes
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  that the North Atlantic is volatile.
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  The weather can change in 20 minutes.
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  It requires a level of respect that a lot of casual tourists
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  just don't have because they've been trained by vacations to the
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  Caribbean or Florida, where the water is warm and forgiving.
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  This water is not forgiving. There's also a big
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  organizational shift happening on The Maine coast that I wasn't
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  really aware of before reading this.
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  Can you unpack the role of MITA for us?
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  Yes, MIT, that's The Maine Island Trail Association.
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  And if you're going to understand modern kayaking in
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  Maine, you absolutely have to understand MITA.
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  So historically, Maine has thousands of islands.
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  I mean, just a staggering number.
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  Some are state owned, but a huge portion of them are privately
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  owned. For generations, there was this
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  loose, unwritten maritime rule of what's called permissive
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  access. Like an honor system.
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  Kind of. You could paddle out, land on a
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  pretty island, camp for the night, clean up after yourself
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  and leave. It was sort of the Wild West of
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  coastal camping. And I'm guessing that started to
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  change. It did.
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  As kayaking got more popular, and especially as coastal land
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  values just went through the roof, land owners got nervous.
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  They didn't want people trashing their pristine islands, and they
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  really didn't want people suing them if they got hurt.
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  So access started to shut down, gates went up, no trespassing
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  signs appeared. And that's where Mati comes in.
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  Exactly. Mighty stepped in to be the
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  intermediary. They went to these private land
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  owners, you know, families who owned an island for a century,
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  timber companies, conservation trusts, and they made a deal.
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  They said if you let us put your island on our official trail, we
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  will steward it for you. We will have volunteers who go
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  out and clean it. We'll build sustainable
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  campsites. We will insure it.
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  So it's basically like the Appalachian Trail but for boats?
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  That's the perfect analogy, and it completely unlocked the coast
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  again. Now if you're a member of
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  Ivatia, you get a guidebook and an app that shows you exactly
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  which islands are open for camping.
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  It's an incredible system. You can literally camp on a
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  private island that might be worth $5,000,000 all for the
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  cost of a $50 membership. That's an amazing deal, but
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  there has to be a flip side to that kind of organization.
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  Right there is it's the double edged sword of concentration,
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  because now everyone has the same guidebook, everyone has the
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  same app, so everyone knows about and goes to the same best
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  island. The secret spots aren't secret
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  anymore. Exactly 10 years ago, you might
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  have just explored until you found a cool spot to camp.
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  Now you are actively competing for the one campsite on Jewel
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  Island or the 310th platforms on Hills Half Acre.
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  So you need a Plan A and a Plan B, and probably plan C.
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  You absolutely do. You cannot just wing it anymore
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  on a holiday weekend. The beautiful spontaneity of the
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  old days has been replaced by, well, by logistics.
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  Speaking of logistics, let's shift to the sensory experience.
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  The source material describes what it calls a tale of two
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  arrivals, which I thought was just a brilliant way to capture
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  this vibe shift we're talking about.
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  It's the contrast that defines the entire trip.
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  Let's start with arrival #1 Bar Harbor.
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  You've just driven 5 or 6 hours from Boston or New York.
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  You finally crossed that bridge onto Mount Desert Island.
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  What hits you? The very first thing that hits
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  you is the traffic on Route 3. It's just bumper to bumper.
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  But then, as you get into town, it's the smell.
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  If you roll down your car window in downtown Bar Harbor in July,
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  you are not smelling pine trees. What are you smelling?
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  You are smelling fried dough. You're smelling diesel exhaust
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  from the tour buses and the RV's.
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  You're smelling sunscreen and hot asphalt.
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  It sounds like a State Fair or a carnival.
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  It feels like a cruise ship terminal because functionally
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  that's what it is. The dominant emotion you feel
• 11:35
  isn't peace, it's anxiety. Specifically, parking anxiety.
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  Every single driver is just scanning, scanning, scanning for
• 11:43
  a spot. They're aggressive, they're
• 11:45
  tense. It sets this incredibly frantic
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  tone for your whole trip. OK, so that's a rival one.
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  Now let's cut to arrival #2 the launch site.
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  The source mentions places like Stonington or Seal Cove.
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  These are maybe an hour's drive away from Bar Harbor, but they
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  sound like they're on a different planet.
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  A different planet entirely. It's a total sensory reset.
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  You drive down one of these long peninsulas, away from the
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  T-shirt chops and the neon signs.
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  You pull into a working harbor or a little gravel landing.
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  You step out of the car and the first thing that hits you is
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  that smell. And what does that smell like?
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  It smells like low tide mud. Now, some people might think
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  that's a gross smell, but to a paddler, that is the smell of
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  life. It's sulphurous, it's salty,
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  it's organic and rich, and it's mixed with the smell of spruce
• 12:30
  resin from the trees right at the water's edge.
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  That sharp, Piney scent. It just smells clean and wild.
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  And there's a physical shock that comes with it, too.
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  The temperature drop. This is wild to experience.
• 12:43
  You can be in Bangor, just an hour inland, and it's 85° and
• 12:48
  humid. You step out of your car onto
• 12:50
  the dock in Stonington, right next to that massive body of 55°
• 12:54
  water, and the air temperature plummets to 65.
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  It's breezy. It's crisp.
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  The source says you have to layer up almost immediately.
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  You do. You get out of your nice air
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  conditioned car and the first thing you do is reach for a
• 13:05
  fleece or a windbreaker. And that simple physical act?
• 13:09
  Putting on a jacket in the middle of August, it signals to
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  your brain that the rules have changed.
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  You are not in the summer vacation world anymore.
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  You are in the maritime world. The whole visual landscape
• 13:19
  shifts too. It's not just pretty water
• 13:20
  anymore. No, the water itself looks
• 13:23
  serious. It looks heavy.
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  It's as deep, dark green or sometimes Gray.
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  It doesn't invite you to just jump in and splash around.
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  It demands respect. And then you see the industry.
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  We're talking about the lobster buoys.
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  The working coast. This is such a crucial concept.
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  You are not entering A sterile, manicured park.
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  You are entering a factory floor.
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  The entire surface of the ocean is this incredible minefield of
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  thousands and thousands of colorful Styrofoam pot buoys.
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  Every color of the rainbow. Every color and every single one
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  of those is attached to a heavy lobster trap on the bottom with
• 14:00
  a rope. Navigating through that must be
• 14:02
  tricky. It's like a constant slalom
• 14:03
  course, but also has this huge psychological impact.
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  You see the lobster boats out there hauling their traps.
• 14:09
  They are working, you are playing, and it makes you feel
• 14:11
  small. It makes you realize that this
• 14:13
  place does not exist for your entertainment, it exists for a
• 14:15
  livelihood. You are a guest, and a very
• 14:18
  small one at that. Let's talk about the economics
• 14:20
  of being a guest in this place, because usually when we think of
• 14:23
  outdoor adventure or dirtbag style trips, we think cheap, but
• 14:27
  the source suggests the Acadia extension has this really
• 14:31
  extreme cost. Variant It's massive.
• 14:34
  You can do this trip for almost nothing, or you can spend a
• 14:37
  small fortune, and it depends almost entirely on one thing,
• 14:42
  your skill level. OK.
• 14:43
  Let's breakdown the cost. Let's start with accommodation.
• 14:45
  If you're that scrappy dirtbag and you're trying to do this on
• 14:48
  a shoestring budget, where are you sleeping?
• 14:51
  If you are the scrappy dirtbag, you are camping, and ideally
• 14:54
  you're camping on the E main tea islands.
• 14:56
  If you have your $50 membership. Many of these incredible islands
• 15:00
  are free or maybe donation based.
• 15:02
  So you were sleeping on a private island with $1,000,000
• 15:05
  view for $0.00 a night? That sounds incredible, but what
• 15:09
  if you can't get to the islands? Or what if you don't have the
• 15:11
  skills yet? Then you're in trouble
• 15:12
  financially. The public camping in the park
• 15:15
  at places like Blackwoods or Seawall.
• 15:17
  It's about $30 a night, which is reasonable.
• 15:21
  But, and this is a huge morning, it books out six months in
• 15:25
  advance. The minute the reservation
• 15:28
  window opens on the website, every single spot for July and
• 15:31
  August is gone. So if I decide today that I want
• 15:34
  to go to Maine next week, I am not camping in the National
• 15:37
  Park. Not a chance.
• 15:39
  So now you're pushed out into the private market.
• 15:41
  You're looking for motels and because of the insane demand, a
• 15:44
  basic, run-of-the-mill two star motel in Ellsworth or Trenton.
• 15:48
  It's going to run you 150 to $250 a night.
• 15:52
  For a roadside motel. For a totally unremarkable
• 15:54
  roadside motel, and if you want that classic New England bed and
• 15:57
  breakfast experience right in Bar Harbor, you should start
• 16:00
  your budget at $400.00 a night and expect it to go up to 800
• 16:03
  pretty quickly. OK, that's just a place to
• 16:05
  sleep. What about the kayaking itself?
• 16:07
  The gear. This is where the hidden costs
• 16:10
  really bite the casual traveler. Let's say you've kayaked a few
• 16:13
  times on a lake. You're comfortable, you think
• 16:16
  I'll just rent a boat for a few days and go do some island
• 16:18
  camping? Sounds like a reasonable plan.
• 16:20
  It's an impossible plan. Most reputable Outfitters in
• 16:23
  Maine will not rent you a proper sea kayak for a solo multi day
• 16:27
  trip unless you can prove you have rescue skills.
• 16:31
  So they're gatekeeping the boats?
• 16:32
  They have to. It's a liability and safety
• 16:34
  issue. They will want to see a
• 16:36
  certification like from the American Canoe Association or
• 16:40
  they will literally ask you to get in the water at their dock
• 16:43
  and demonstrate a wet exit and a self rescue.
• 16:46
  If you can't do it, you don't get the boat.
• 16:49
  Period. So what's the alternative then
• 16:51
  for the person who can't do a self rescue but still wants to
• 16:53
  get out there? You have to hire a guide and
• 16:56
  that changes the entire financial equation of the trip.
• 16:59
  A guided half day trip is maybe $150.00 per person.
• 17:03
  A full multi day expedition where the guide is providing the
• 17:07
  food, the tents, the boats, the navigation, the safety.
• 17:11
  You're going to be spending between 800 and $1200 per
• 17:14
  person. So let's put that in
• 17:15
  perspective. The scrappy dirtbag with their
• 17:18
  own gear and skills pays maybe $300.00 for a whole week.
• 17:22
  Gas, food fees, and the unskilled but enthusiastic
• 17:27
  traveler is paying $1500 for that same week.
• 17:30
  Exactly. Skill is currency in this
• 17:33
  environment. Knowing how to rescue yourself
• 17:35
  from a capsize literally save you $1000.
• 17:38
  There's one other economic indicator we absolutely have to
• 17:41
  discuss. The source calls it the Lobster
• 17:44
  Roll Benchmark. The Big Mac Index of New England
• 17:47
  coastal travel. So what are we looking at for
• 17:49
  prices right now? Lay it on me.
• 17:51
  It is genuinely shocking to people who haven't been in a few
• 17:53
  years. The current market price for a
• 17:55
  lobster roll, which is, let's be honest, a hot dog bun with some
• 17:59
  meat and mayonnaise, is hovering between 30 and 45 dollars. 40 $5
• 18:05
  for a sandwich. It's a perfect storm of supply
• 18:07
  and demand. The lobster catch fluctuates,
• 18:10
  the fuel prices for the boats are way up, and frankly, the
• 18:12
  tourists are willing to pay it. But what that means is a simple
• 18:15
  lunch for a family of four can easily hit $200.
• 18:18
  Even the grocery stores on the islands, they mark things up
• 18:21
  right. Yeah, you'll see about a 10 to
• 18:23
  15% markup. It's the island tax.
• 18:25
  Getting goods out there on a ferry costs money.
• 18:28
  So when you Add all this up, is the value actually there?
• 18:33
  It depends on your approach. The source argues pretty
• 18:36
  convincingly that the scrappy dirtbag approach is maybe the
• 18:39
  highest value travel experience in all of North America.
• 18:43
  I mean, think about it. You have a private island, you
• 18:46
  have silence, seals, incredible sunsets, all for the cost of a
• 18:50
  tank of gas and some groceries. It feels like you're cheating
• 18:53
  the. System for the guided client
• 18:55
  paying top dollar. The value is different.
• 18:58
  It's not about saving money. You are paying for stress
• 19:00
  reduction. You're paying so that you don't
• 19:02
  have to worry about the fog rolling in or what the tide is
• 19:05
  doing or trying to cook dinner in a howling wind.
• 19:07
  You are buying safety and expertise and given the
• 19:10
  environment we're talking about, that is a very, very valid
• 19:12
  purchase. Let's talk more about why you
• 19:14
  might need to buy that safety. The source outlines this
• 19:17
  logistical gauntlet in the form of what it calls the Three
• 19:20
  Traps. These are the specific things
• 19:22
  that can turn a dream trip into an absolute disaster.
• 19:26
  Yeah, these traps are very specific to the coast of Maine.
• 19:28
  If you aren't ready for them, they will ruin your week.
• 19:30
  Guaranteed. OK, trap #1 the tide trap.
• 19:34
  We mentioned the 12 foot swing, but walk me through a specific
• 19:38
  scenario of how this actually traps a kayaker.
• 19:41
  OK, so imagine this. It's noon, it's high tide.
• 19:44
  You paddle into this beautiful, picturesque little Cove.
• 19:47
  There's nice gravel beach at the back of it.
• 19:50
  You pull your kayak up, say 5 or 10 feet from the water's edge.
• 19:54
  Seems safe enough. You get out, grab your lunch.
• 19:57
  Maybe you hike into the woods a little bit, take a nap in the
• 19:59
  sun. You come back at 2:00 PM.
• 20:01
  Just two hours later. Just two hours later, the tide
• 20:03
  has started to go out. But because that Cove has a very
• 20:06
  shallow, gentle slope, the water hasn't just dropped vertically,
• 20:10
  it is receded horizontally. The water's edge is now 300,
• 20:15
  maybe 400 yards away from your boat.
• 20:17
  That's three or 4 football fields.
• 20:20
  Exactly, and the ground between you and the water isn't nice
• 20:23
  hard packed sand. It's what's called mudflats.
• 20:27
  It is this thick, sucking glacial silt covered in seaweed.
• 20:32
  It will pull your boots right off your feet.
• 20:33
  Since you can't just drag the boat.
• 20:35
  I mean you could try a fully loaded sea kayak can weigh 100
• 20:39
  lbs or more. Trying to drag that thing 300
• 20:41
  yards through knee deep stinking mud is one of the most
• 20:45
  exhausting and demoralizing things you can do.
• 20:47
  You can pull a muscle, twist an ankle so effectively you are
• 20:51
  stranded. You have no choice but to sit
• 20:53
  there for four or five hours until the water comes back to
• 20:55
  you. That completely ruins the day.
• 20:57
  It's but the reverse scenario is actually much more dangerous.
• 21:01
  You arrive at low tide, find a nice flat spot for your tent
• 21:04
  near the water. You go to sleep.
• 21:05
  You wake up at 2:00 AM floating inside your tent.
• 21:08
  That's a genuine hypothermia situation.
• 21:10
  And the fix for this trap is. You have to have to have to be
• 21:14
  able to read a tide chart. It's not optional.
• 21:16
  And practically, you ask the locals, you ask your outfitter,
• 21:20
  where is the high watermark? Where is the storm line?
• 21:23
  If you look for the line of dried seaweed and driftwood way
• 21:26
  up on the beach, you never ever guess.
• 21:29
  OK, trap #2 the launch site trap.
• 21:32
  This is all about access. People look at Google Maps, they
• 21:35
  see a little Rd. that ends at the pretty blue water and they
• 21:38
  think, perfect, I'll just launch my boat there.
• 21:40
  Seems logical. I would probably do that.
• 21:42
  In Maine, that is a trap. You drive down that long winding
• 21:45
  road and you find a gate with a chain across it, or a no parking
• 21:48
  sign, or a town residence only sign.
• 21:51
  Maine has very very strong private property rights.
• 21:54
  Just because you can see the water does not mean you're
• 21:56
  allowed to touch it. And I'm guessing parking is
• 21:59
  scarce even at the public spots. Incredibly scarce, even at the
• 22:02
  designated public landings, the parking lot might only hold 6
• 22:05
  cars. If you arrive at 9:00 AM on a
• 22:08
  Saturday in July, it is already full.
• 22:10
  So now you're stuck driving around with a 17 foot boat on
• 22:13
  your roof, getting more and more frustrated.
• 22:15
  So the advice from the source is basically just pay the money.
• 22:19
  Just pay the money. Use a verified commercial launch
• 22:21
  site like Old Quarry in Stonington.
• 22:23
  Pay the 10 or $20. You get safe parking.
• 22:26
  You get advice, you get clean bathrooms.
• 22:28
  Don't try to be clever and find some secret free spot.
• 22:32
  You'll just get towed or waste half your day.
• 22:34
  All right, that brings us to trap #3 the fog trap.
• 22:38
  This goes back to our earlier contrarian point.
• 22:41
  But before we talk about why it's good, let's explain the
• 22:44
  danger. The danger is total sensory
• 22:47
  deprivation, and the fog in Maine is not some gentle mist.
• 22:52
  It is a wall of white. You can launch in bright,
• 22:54
  beautiful sunshine at 10 in the morning.
• 22:57
  Then the wind shifts just slightly, pulls that cold, moist
• 22:59
  air from the ocean over the warmer land, and boom, by 1:00
• 23:03
  PM, you can't see the front of your own kayak.
• 23:05
  So visibility is basically 0. It's 50 feet if you're lucky.
• 23:09
  Landmarks you're using to navigate completely disappear.
• 23:12
  Islands vanish and sound gets really weird and distorted.
• 23:15
  You hear a lobster boat engine, but you can't tell where it's
• 23:17
  coming from. It sounds like it's on your left
• 23:19
  and on your right. It's incredibly disorienting.
• 23:21
  And this is where people get into trouble by relying on their
• 23:24
  phones. This is the tech trap inside the
• 23:26
  fog trap. People think it's fine.
• 23:28
  I have Google Maps but 2 miles offshore there is no cell tower.
• 23:32
  Your GPS signal might be weak, or your screen gets wet and it
• 23:36
  won't register your touch, or the cold just drains your
• 23:39
  battery in 20 minutes. If your phone is your only
• 23:42
  navigation tool, you're effectively blind and lost.
• 23:45
  So you need the old school analog skills.
• 23:48
  You absolutely need them. You need a proper deck mounted
• 23:51
  compass, you need a paper chart and a waterproof case on your
• 23:54
  deck. And you need to have practice
• 23:55
  using them before you go. And a foghorn the source
• 23:58
  mentioned. Non negotiable.
• 24:00
  If you hear a boat engine getting louder but you can't see
• 24:02
  it, you blast that horn. It's the universal signal for a
• 24:06
  tiny plastic boat here. Please don't run me over.
• 24:08
  So with all that real palpable danger, why on earth did the
• 24:12
  source claim that the fog bug is the best part?
• 24:15
  Because when you do have the skills, when you're not
• 24:18
  panicking, because you trust your compass in your chart, the
• 24:21
  fog changes the entire world. The wind usually dies down
• 24:25
  completely. The water becomes oily and calm.
• 24:29
  The world shrinks to a 50 foot circle around your boat.
• 24:32
  It's incredibly quiet and peaceful.
• 24:35
  It sounds very atmospheric, almost meditative.
• 24:38
  It is. It feels like you're paddling
• 24:40
  through a cloud. It forces you to be completely
• 24:43
  present in a way that bright sunshine just doesn't.
• 24:45
  It's a so profound experience, but only if you're not terrified
• 24:49
  of being lost. Let's move into what the source
• 24:52
  calls the grit. We've talked about these
• 24:54
  external traps, but now let's talk about the physical reality
• 24:57
  of living out of a tiny boat in Maine.
• 24:59
  The source is pretty blunt about safety and comfort.
• 25:02
  Yeah, it doesn't sugarcoat it at all.
• 25:03
  The number one killer out there isn't sharks, it's not getting
• 25:05
  run over by a boat, It's the cold.
• 25:07
  Ropathermia, we have to keep hammering this point home. 55°
• 25:11
  water. Walk me through what happens to
• 25:13
  the human body at that temperature.
• 25:15
  OK, so the moment you fall in unexpectedly, your body goes
• 25:19
  into something called cold water shock.
• 25:22
  The first thing that happens is an involuntary gasp reflex.
• 25:26
  You just suck in air. If your head happens to be
• 25:29
  underwater at that moment, you suck in water.
• 25:31
  You can drown instantly without even taking a breath.
• 25:33
  And if you survive that initial gasp.
• 25:36
  Then you have about 10 to 15 minutes of what's called
• 25:38
  functional disability. The cold water makes the blood
• 25:41
  rush from your extremities, your hands and feet to protect your
• 25:43
  core organs. Within minutes, your fingers
• 25:46
  stop working. They become useless claws.
• 25:48
  You can't zip a zipper. You can't hold onto a rescue
• 25:51
  line. You can't climb back into your
• 25:52
  boat, even if you know how. That is just terrifying.
• 25:55
  You become completely helpless. In a matter of minutes, you do.
• 25:58
  And that is why the right gear is absolutely non negotiable.
• 26:02
  You must wear a wet suit or a dry suit if you are doing any
• 26:05
  kind of open water crossing. If an outfitter tries to rent
• 26:08
  you a kayak and says it was a nice day I would just wear
• 26:10
  shorts and AT shirt. You should turn around and walk
• 26:12
  away. They are being negligent.
• 26:15
  The rule is you dress for the water temperature, not the air
• 26:18
  temperature. Let's lighten the mood slightly
• 26:20
  if we can. Let's talk about bugs, the
• 26:24
  biological hazards. Ah yes, the green head fly.
• 26:27
  The source makes them sound like something out of a horror movie.
• 26:30
  They are legitimately nasty. A mosquito is annoying.
• 26:33
  It sort of pokes you with a needle.
• 26:35
  A green head fly has these mandibles that work like tiny
• 26:39
  serrated scissors. They literally saw a chunk of
• 26:43
  skin out of you to get the blood flowing.
• 26:45
  Ouch, that's vivid. And they are fast.
• 26:48
  They're relentless. And here's the kicker, your
• 26:50
  standard chemical repellents like D eat or citronella, they
• 26:54
  couldn't care less. They're visual hunters.
• 26:56
  So you can't just spray them away.
• 26:58
  No, the only real defense is physical barriers.
• 27:01
  Long sleeve shirts, long pants, thick socks, preferably light
• 27:05
  colored clothing. So let's get this picture
• 27:07
  straight. You're on a stunningly beautiful
• 27:08
  island. It's the middle of August, but
• 27:10
  you're bundled up in a wet suit or heavy canvas pants because
• 27:13
  you're either freezing or you're being eaten alive.
• 27:15
  It is definitely not the bikini and board shorts vibe you get in
• 27:18
  the Caribbean. You are essentially wearing
• 27:20
  armor against the elements at all times.
• 27:22
  And finally, let's talk about the ultimate filter, the one
• 27:26
  thing that truly separates the casual tourist from the
• 27:28
  committed traveler in this environment?
• 27:31
  Sanitation. The Wag bag.
• 27:34
  Please explain what a wag bag is for those who are blissfully
• 27:37
  unaware. OK, so these beautiful granite
• 27:40
  islands have very, very thin soil.
• 27:43
  It's mostly just rock with a little bit of Moss and Duff on
• 27:46
  top. You cannot dig a proper cat hole
• 27:49
  to bury your human waste like you would in a deep forest.
• 27:52
  It just won't decompose, it'll just sit there.
• 27:54
  So leave no trace means you have to pack it out.
• 27:57
  Leave No Trace taken to its most literal extreme use what's
• 28:01
  called a WAG bag. It stands for waste Alleviation
• 28:03
  and gelling. It's a specialized double bag
• 28:05
  system with a gelling powder inside that neutralizes the
• 28:09
  smell for the most part and solidifies the waste and.
• 28:11
  Then what? Do your business in the bag.
• 28:13
  You seal it all up, you put it inside a hard plastic tube
• 28:15
  called the poop tube to protect it, and you carry it in your
• 28:18
  kayak hatch with your food and your tent for the rest of the
• 28:21
  trip. That is an intimate travel
• 28:23
  experience. It's a huge reality check.
• 28:26
  The source is very clear. If you are grossed out by the
• 28:29
  idea of carrying your own poop in a bag for three days, this
• 28:33
  trip is probably not for you. It's a major, major filter.
• 28:36
  So let me recap. We have dangerously cold water,
• 28:39
  disorienting fog, sucking mud, flesh eating flies and poop
• 28:44
  tubes. Why in God's name does anyone do
• 28:47
  this? Because of the magic.
• 28:49
  Because the highs are so incredibly high.
• 28:51
  Let's talk about those highs. The source gets almost poetic
• 28:54
  when it describes these magic moments.
• 28:57
  The biggest one, the one that everyone talks about, is the
• 28:59
  bioluminescence. The source mentions a specific
• 29:02
  campsite, Hell's Half Acre. It's a famous spot for it.
• 29:06
  In the late summer, the water in Maine fills with these tiny
• 29:09
  microorganisms, dinoflagellates, and they emit light whenever
• 29:12
  they're disturbed. Like fireflies, but in the
• 29:14
  water. So much better than fireflies.
• 29:16
  The source describes going out at night in a kayak when there's
• 29:19
  no moon. Every single time you dip your
• 29:21
  paddle into the water, the water just explodes in a swirl of neon
• 29:24
  blue-green light. You can run your hand through
• 29:26
  the water and it looks like you were painting with blue fire.
• 29:29
  And you can't take a picture of it.
• 29:30
  And that's the best part. It's too faint for an iPhone
• 29:32
  camera. You can't put it on Instagram.
• 29:35
  It is a purely ephemeral, personal experience.
• 29:39
  You have to be there in the dark, probably shivering a
• 29:42
  little from the cold, to see it. It feels like actual, real
• 29:46
  magic. There's also the satisfaction of
• 29:48
  navigation. We talked about the fear, the
• 29:50
  fog, but there's a flip side to that coin.
• 29:52
  It's the feeling of pure competence.
• 29:55
  Imagine you are in that thick, disorienting fog.
• 29:58
  You can't see anything, but you've done your homework.
• 30:01
  You take a bearing off your chart.
• 30:02
  Let's say it's 270° W You put your boat on that bearing and
• 30:05
  you just stare at your compass. You paddle for 45 minutes,
• 30:09
  trusting the math, trusting the needle.
• 30:11
  And then out of the Gray mist, a dark shape starts to
• 30:15
  materialize. And it's the dock.
• 30:17
  It's the island, exactly where it was supposed to be.
• 30:19
  That must feel incredible, like a superpower.
• 30:22
  It makes you feel so capable. You weren't just a passive
• 30:25
  observer looking at nature, you are actively surviving in it.
• 30:29
  You're navigating through it using your own skill that build
• 30:32
  this deep, primal kind of confidence that you just don't
• 30:36
  get from sitting on a tour bus. But the trip has an emotional
• 30:40
  arc, and it seems to end with a crash.
• 30:42
  The source talks about the culture shock of returning to
• 30:45
  the mainland. This hits everyone and it hits
• 30:48
  them hard. You've just been on an island
• 30:50
  for three or four days. The only sounds you've heard are
• 30:52
  waves and gulls and wind. You paddle back to the launch.
• 30:56
  You load your car and then you decide to drive into Bar Harbor
• 31:00
  to get a celebratory burger. And the noise just hit you like
• 31:02
  a wall. The noise, the smell of diesel
• 31:04
  exhaust again, the crowds of people, the rampant consumerism.
• 31:08
  It feels jarring. The source describes it as
• 31:10
  feeling like a physical blow. You suddenly realize how loud
• 31:13
  and frantic and stressful or normal lives are.
• 31:16
  You can actually ruin the relaxation of the whole trip if
• 31:18
  you're not mentally prepared for that reentry.
• 31:20
  One last disappointment the source mentions and it's a
• 31:22
  quirky 1. Purple paint.
• 31:24
  This is a legal quirk specific to Maine.
• 31:27
  Yeah, if you are walking or paddling and you see a vertical
• 31:30
  purple stripe painted on a tree or a post, it is the legal
• 31:34
  equivalent of a no trespassing sign.
• 31:36
  So it replaces a sign. Exactly.
• 31:39
  And in Maine, land owners are very serious about it.
• 31:42
  So you might be paddling along and you see this stunningly
• 31:44
  beautiful Cove. The perfect spot for a lunch
• 31:46
  break. But then you see that little
• 31:48
  slash of purple paint on a tree at the edge of the beach.
• 31:51
  And you can't land there. You have to keep paddling.
• 31:53
  It can be really frustrating to see miles and miles of beautiful
• 31:57
  coastline that you are legally barred from ever setting foot
• 32:00
  on. It's a constant reminder that
• 32:03
  you are a visitor and that access is a privilege, not a
• 32:07
  right. OK, let's get into the practical
• 32:10
  how to section. The source was very clear, the
• 32:13
  best kayaking isn't actually in Acadia.
• 32:15
  So if I want to plan this trip properly, where should I be
• 32:17
  looking? We have three main alternatives.
• 32:19
  These are the big three alternatives to paddling right
• 32:21
  around the main park loop on Mount Desert Island.
• 32:24
  Let's start with option 1, Stonington and Deer Isle.
• 32:27
  The source calls this one the better Acadia.
• 32:30
  Stonington is the lofter capital of the state of Maine.
• 32:33
  It's about an hour's drive South of Bar Harbor, and the geography
• 32:36
  here is just spectacular. It's home to an archipelago
• 32:39
  called Merchant Row. What exactly is merchant row?
• 32:43
  It's this incredibly dense cluster of dozens and dozens of
• 32:46
  islands. The granite there is this
• 32:48
  beautiful pink color. The spruce trees are a deep
• 32:50
  green. The water is this dark, clear
• 32:53
  blue. It is visually stunning, like
• 32:56
  the platonic ideal of The Maine coast.
• 32:58
  And why is it better for kayaking than, say, Bar Harbor?
• 33:02
  Because while it's a busy harbor, it's busy with working
• 33:04
  lobster boats, not giant cruise ships and tourist ferries.
• 33:08
  The logistics are infinitely easier because of the old quarry
• 33:11
  launch site. It's a commercial hub that is
• 33:12
  specifically designed for kayakers.
• 33:15
  If your main goal is pure island hopping and camping, Stonington
• 33:18
  is the absolute gold standard. OK, option 2, Muskongas Bay.
• 33:23
  This is a bit further South in what's called the Mid Coast
• 33:25
  region. This is the historical
• 33:27
  birthplace of the main Island Trail.
• 33:29
  The vibe here is much, much quieter.
• 33:31
  There are no ferries. There are no cruise ships.
• 33:34
  The water is a little bit more protected from the open ocean.
• 33:37
  The source specifically mentions Crow Island, which has these
• 33:40
  incredible wildflower meadows in the summer.
• 33:43
  If you want deep silence and solitude, and you're maybe an
• 33:46
  intermediate paddler, Muskongas Bay is the place to find it.
• 33:49
  And option 3, Casco Bay. The source called this the light
• 33:53
  version. Right.
• 33:54
  This is the area right off of Portland, and it's great because
• 33:57
  it's so accessible. You can actually take a public
• 33:59
  ferry with your kayak out to some of the outer islands like
• 34:03
  Cliff Island or Long Island. That sounds a lot easier
• 34:06
  logistically. It is.
• 34:07
  And because you're so close to Portland, you feel a bit safer.
• 34:10
  There's more boat traffic, you're closer to civilization.
• 34:13
  If you run out of coffee, you're just a short paddle away from a
• 34:15
  town where you can get a latte. It's a great safety net location
• 34:19
  for beginners or families with older, capable teenagers.
• 34:23
  The source also offered an ideal combo itinerary if I have 5 days
• 34:27
  for a trip. How do I do this right?
• 34:29
  The advice is brilliant. I think it says don't mix the
• 34:33
  streams. You need to split the trip into
• 34:35
  two distinct parts. Break that down for me.
• 34:37
  Days one and two. Stay in or near Bar Harbor.
• 34:41
  Be a tourist. Embrace the tourist vibe.
• 34:44
  Go hike the Beehive Trail, Eat the famous popovers at Jordan
• 34:47
  Pond House. Drive your car up Cadillac
• 34:50
  Mountain for sunrise. Get that classic National Park
• 34:53
  checklist Done. Get it out of your system.
• 34:55
  Exactly. Then on the morning of day
• 34:57
  three, you leave, you drive the hour S to Stonington, you rent
• 35:01
  your kayak or you meet your guide, and you spend days 3-4
• 35:05
  and five on the water in Stonington in that better
• 35:09
  Acadia. So you get the best of the land
• 35:10
  based park and the best of the water based adventure without
• 35:13
  compromising either one. And you completely avoid the
• 35:16
  stress and the danger of trying to kayak in the crowded boat
• 35:20
  filled harbors of Acadia proper. It really does maximize the
• 35:24
  strengths of both locations. I love that strategy.
• 35:27
  OK, we have arrived at the moment of truth, the final
• 35:29
  verdict matrix. We need to look at our four
• 35:31
  traveler types and give them a definitive yes or no.
• 35:34
  Is the Acadia extension worth the money and the hassle?
• 35:38
  Let's do it. Traveler Type 1 The backpacker
• 35:41
  or the budget traveler? The verdict here is a resounding
• 35:44
  yes, but, and this is a big but, it comes with a caveat, High
• 35:50
  effort. Explain that.
• 35:51
  If you are willing and able to embrace the dirtbag lifestyle,
• 35:55
  you know, sleeping on the ground, dealing with the bugs,
• 35:58
  eating oatmeal for breakfast, managing all your own logistics
• 36:00
  and safety, this is arguably the best value trip in the entire
• 36:04
  country. You get a world class $1,000,000
• 36:06
  experience for pennies, but you absolutely have to have the
• 36:09
  skills to do it safely on your own.
• 36:11
  OK Traveler Type 2 the mid range couple you know they're looking
• 36:15
  for a unique romantic getaway. The verdict for them is also
• 36:19
  yes. In fact, the source calls this
• 36:21
  the sweet spot. But they recommend spending some
• 36:23
  serious money here. They do.
• 36:25
  The advice is don't skimp. Hire a private guide for a three
• 36:30
  day two night trip. It's going to cost you maybe
• 36:32
  $2500 for the two of you. That's a lot of money for a
• 36:35
  camping trip. It is, but you have to compare
• 36:38
  it to the alternative. You could spend that same $2500
• 36:42
  on a mediocre hotel and a few nice dinners in Bar Harbor.
• 36:47
  The guided kayaking trip will create memories that will bond
• 36:50
  you together for years. You overcome challenges
• 36:53
  together. You see things that almost no
• 36:55
  one else gets to see. It is an investment in the
• 36:58
  relationship itself. Or it breaks you U.
• 37:00
  That's true too. If you can't handle a little
• 37:03
  adversity together, you will find that out very, very quickly
• 37:06
  on a foggy island with no cell service.
• 37:09
  Traveler Type 3 The family specifically with kids under,
• 37:13
  say, the age of 12. The verdict here is a very hard
• 37:16
  NL. That seems harsh.
• 37:18
  I mean, kids love boats. They love camping.
• 37:20
  Kids love boats when it's warm and fun and they can jump in the
• 37:23
  water. They do not love 55° water, a
• 37:25
  cold wind that's been blowing for three hours and no
• 37:28
  bathrooms. It really comes down to being a
• 37:30
  liability issue. It's a massive liability.
• 37:32
  Managing a potentially hypothermic 7 year old 2 miles
• 37:35
  offshore is a parent's absolute worst nightmare scenario.
• 37:39
  It is just too dangerous and too stressful for everyone involved.
• 37:43
  The source is to stick to the inland lakes or take them on the
• 37:45
  big harbor tour boats where there are bathrooms and snacks.
• 37:48
  Wait until they are capable, resilient teenagers.
• 37:51
  Finally, Traveler type 4, The luxury traveler.
• 37:54
  For this one, the verdict is IT. It depends.
• 37:58
  Depends on what? It depends entirely on your
• 38:00
  personal definition of luxury. If your idea of luxury is 1000
• 38:04
  thread count sheets, 24 hour room service, and perfect
• 38:07
  climate control, this is a hard no.
• 38:09
  You will absolutely hate this trip.
• 38:11
  You're pooping in a bag and sleeping in a tent.
• 38:13
  But if luxury means something else?
• 38:15
  Exactly. If luxury to you means
• 38:17
  exclusivity and silence. If it means privacy.
• 38:20
  If it means access to places no one else can go, if it means
• 38:23
  having a private guide who is also a gourmet chef cook you a
• 38:26
  fresh lobster dinner on an uninhabited island where you are
• 38:29
  the only two human beings for miles around, then yes, it is
• 38:32
  the ultimate luxury. It is experiential luxury, not
• 38:35
  comfort luxury. So to wrap all of this up, what
• 38:39
  are the key takeaways for someone listening who is now
• 38:42
  ready to book this trip? I'd say there are three main
• 38:45
  things. One, respect the logistics.
• 38:48
  The ocean is the boss, not you. Do your homework on the tides
• 38:51
  and the fog. Two, pay for expertise.
• 38:55
  If you don't have the skills, hire a guide.
• 38:57
  It is worth every single penny. And three, learn to embrace the
• 39:01
  cold. It's part of the package.
• 39:03
  It's what makes it Maine. And.
• 39:04
  What about timing? Is there best time to go?
• 39:06
  Yes, the source calls it the Goldilocks window and it is
• 39:09
  September 5th to September 20th. Why that specific two week
• 39:13
  period? It's the sweet spot.
• 39:16
  The ocean water is at its warmest point of the entire
• 39:18
  year, which is still cold, but it's relatively warmer.
• 39:21
  The bugs, especially the green heads and mosquitoes, are mostly
• 39:23
  gone after the first cold nights, and the big summer
• 39:26
  crowds have thinned out because schools are all back in session.
• 39:29
  It is the absolute perfect time. I want to leave our listeners
• 39:31
  with one final thought from the source.
• 39:33
  It was about the ultimate vibe of this trip, what it really
• 39:36
  feels like. Yeah, that was a great line.
• 39:39
  The ultimate vibe isn't that sunny, easy, picture perfect
• 39:43
  paddle. That's not the core memory
• 39:45
  you're going to take away. The real core memory is waking
• 39:48
  up on a slab of granite. The fog is so thick you can't
• 39:51
  see the water, but you can hear it lapping just a few feet away.
• 39:55
  You're holding a mug of hot coffee and you feel very, very
• 39:59
  small. You feel like a guest in a wild,
• 40:01
  powerful world. And that is a feeling that is
• 40:03
  getting harder and harder and harder to find.
• 40:05
  Well, there you have it, the definitive guide to the Acadia
• 40:08
  Extension. Whether you're ready to pack
• 40:10
  your dry suit and your Wag bags, or you've decided to stick to
• 40:13
  the popovers and the comfort of the land, now you know.
• 40:16
  See you out on the water. Or maybe in the parking lot.
• 40:19
  Thanks for listening.