Maine Coast & Western Maine Sea Kayaking & Backpacking

Baltimore Cheasapeake Bay Outward Bound
Baltimore, MD, United States

Course Format: Classroom | E-learning | Virtual Class | Online | On-site | Blended | Self-paced

Course Description:

'' Explore Maine¡¯s rocky shoreline from a sea kayak, visiting coastal islands and magnificent bays. Backpack through spruce-fir forests along the Appalachian Trail in Maine or New Hampshire, deep in the heart of the Mahoosuc or White Mountains. Begins in Portland, ME.
Course Area
Your wilderness classroom will be the mountains of western Maine and the islands and coves of Muscongus and Penobscot Bays. While backpacking, you might find yourself in the Carter-Mahoosuc range, which is located near the ME/NH border, the Appalachian Trail, the Bigelow Range, or the Caribou-Speckled Moutatain Wilderness Area. These spruce-fir and hardwood forests are home to hundreds of species of birds as well as moose, deer, and black bear. Most of this hiking terrain is protected from logging and development and offers both pristine and established camping, rushing waterfalls and twisting streams, and spectacular views from rocky summits.

Your sea kayaking expedition will take place in Muscongus or Penobscot Bays, where thousands of coastal islands and secluded coves offer both navigational challenges and beautiful campsites. Rock climbing will be taught at one of the many granite cliffs throughout the Mahoosucs or on Hurricane Island.

The Expedition

You don¡¯t need to have previous backpacking or sea kayaking experience. We will teach you everything you need to know¡ªhow to pack appropriately, load a backpack, set up tents, paddle a kayak, navigate using a map or chart and compass.

Your course will begin near the Portland Jetport and we will transport you to the woods or to the ocean, where the real magic takes place. During your course you will be traveling expedition-style in sea kayaks or with a pack on your back. ¡°Expedition-style¡± means that you will be travelling throughout the entire course instead of returning to a base each evening. You will travel with all the food and equipment you need to conduct your expedition: stoves, tents, food, etc. Your group might occasionally sleep at the same campsite twice, but generally you will be moving to a new campsite every night as you hike and paddle along your expedition route. This means no showers, no telephones, no television, or any other modern luxuries that you may be accustomed to. You should come to your course emotionally prepared for, and excited about, devoting all of your time and energy to your expedition, your group, and your Outward Bound experience.

The instructors¡¯ goal is to teach you the skills you need to become self-sufficient in the backcountry. The instructors will spend the early days of the course coaching you in wilderness expedition skills. As you grow more competent and confident with your skills, the instructors will ask that you take more responsibility for the leadership of the expedition. Neither guides nor counselors, the instructors are teachers and mentors whose goal it is to train you to travel independently in the backcountry.

Expedition Life

You and the other members of your group will learn to cook tasty and nutritious meals over portable gas stoves. Our meals are mainly vegetarian (meat is heavy and spoils quickly) and consist of grains, pasta, beans, cereals, and other light, dehydrated foods. The food may seem unfamiliar at first¡ªwe don¡¯t pack many processed foods or ¡°junk food¡±¡ªbut you will find that it tastes good and gives you energy for each day. A typical breakfast might be granola or oatmeal; lunch would include crackers and cheese or peanut butter and jam on biscuits that you bake yourself; dinner might be macaroni and cheese or beans and rice. We can accommodate some special food needs (such as lactose intolerance or vegan eaters), but only if we know well in advance.

As this is not a guided trip, all group members will pitch in to do camp chores, including cooking, washing pots, setting up tents, and hanging food bags (to keep them safe from critters). You¡¯ll find that as the expedition progresses, your understanding of these campcraft skills will enable you to operate efficiently and effectively in the outdoors.

A typical day involves rising with the sun, making breakfast, packing up camp, and hitting the trail or water. You will paddle or hike all day¡ªtaking breaks for food or to enjoy a view, of course -¡ª but generally covering lots of territory. Once you reach camp, group members will divide and conquer to get food cooked and camp set up. After dinner, you may meet to discuss the next day¡¯s plans before crawling into your sleeping bag for a well-deserved rest.

Student Independence

There will be times on this course when you will not be directly supervised by instructors. This will include time around camp cooking or setting up tarps, sleeping, and solo. Outward Bound has found that a degree of independence is an effective educational tool and we expect that all students come to this course with a willingness to learn skills and practice them without instructor supervision, either alone or with other group members.

Weather, Remoteness, and Other Challenges

Wilderness travel is demanding. Your backpack will weigh 40 to 60 pounds and you will be hiking up and down steep trails, or through trail-less terrain, which can contain areas of thick spruce or massive ¡°blowdowns¡± (dead trees lying on the ground). Kayaking includes numerous challenges, such as paddling into headwinds, steering, and carrying the boats and gear up past the high tide line. Generally you will paddle in a ¡°double¡±¡ªa two-person kayak¡ªbut sometimes you will have the opportunity to practice your solo paddling skills in a ¡°single,¡± which means that you will have to paddle twice as hard to keep up with your group mates in their doubles! Arriving physically fit will enhance your experience and ability to do well on the course and ultimately allow you to take full advantage of the expedition.

The weather in western Maine varies significantly in the summer. Temperatures decrease at higher elevations by as much as 5 degrees per 1000 feet of elevation. You may be above 4000¡¯ at times, so be prepared for cold temperatures. Winds are also stronger at higher elevations, especially above the treeline. The average temperature of the lakes will range from 40 to 50 in the spring to between 50 and 65 in the summer.

The Maine coastal area is famous for its beautiful rocky shoreline and warm comfortable days of low humidity in the summer, but it also gets some cold and raw summer weather. Rain and fog are common and winds can be strong at sea. Temperatures in the spring and fall often dip into the 40 to 50 range. The ocean temperature hovers around 42 in May and reaches a high of 57 in September.

Many students ask ¡°What do we do when it rains?¡± The answer is that we put on our rain jackets and keep moving. Lightning storms are frequent during July and August and are cause for us to stay put until the storm passes, but afterwards we continue to paddle or hike. Sometimes strong winds cause us delays in the kayaking expedition, so we have to make up time paddling in the early morning or into the evening, when the winds have died down. We rarely take layover days due to inclement weather, so be prepared to push on even when it seems nasty outside.

You will be traveling in very remote areas. While each course carries a cell phone for emergency communication, coverage in the backcountry is limited and there is no guarantee that the phone will work from any given location. Medical evacuations may take up to a day.

A consistent theme in our instruction is identifying and managing the risks of travel in remote areas. The instructors are trained in first aid, search and rescue, and emergency management, but they cannot guarantee your absolute safety -¡ª you must take a certain amount of responsibility for your own well-being. You should come to your course prepared to work hard, take responsibility fo ...''

Phone:410-448-1721

School Address:

1900 Eagle Drive - Leakin Park
Baltimore, MD 21207
United States
410-448-1721
baltimore@hurricaneisland.org

Jobs & Resumes: Baltimore
Houses & Roommates: Baltimore

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