Penobscot Expedition: Journey From River to Sea

Blue Hill Bay, Maine

Come sail a whale of a boat with cedar ribs and canvas skin – a 24-foot wood canvas canoe in the style of the Voyageurs. We will begin our journey at the Historic Lookout Inn near Blue Hill Bay, on the remote Maine coast. Our days are spent paddling with the tides, sailing with the wind, and navigating between islands and through fog. We will learn practical leadership skills, become expert ocean navigators, and learn to set camp on the rocky shores and inlets of the Deer Isle Archipelago. We will dig clams and harvest fresh mussels, and if we are lucky, we may barter with a local fisherman for some lobster! Our focus will be on coastal navigation, marine ecology, study of tidal pools, craftwork, wild foods, and the ancient art of making a home in the wilderness.

Through it all, we share in the hard work and simple joys of our salty, nomadic life. After two weeks on the ocean we make our way to the tidal waters of the Penobscot River, the ancestral home of the Penobscot Nation. Learning the indigenous story of relationship between people and place we will spend a day on Sugar Island focused on native plants and crafts, visit the Penobscot reservation on Indian Island, eat a traditional meal, learn basketry and other crafts, and be accompanied by Penobscot guides while paddling through tribal waters. This is a trip about living off the land and the thrill of the ocean. It is about accomplishments, searching for meaning and sharing the joys of our salty, nomadic life.