Come along in a journey that retraces ancient wisdom and ways from the river out to sea. We begin our journey at Kroka preparing food and equipment for our long journey. Next we head up to Maine to the homestead of a local artisan who will teach us to carve our own wooden paddles! We will meet master canoe builder, Rollin Thurlow, and learn how he builds handmade cedar canoes. We will also enjoy Maine life in the summertime: swimming, paddling, and exploring the northern forests. After a week of preparation we are ready to set off down the Penobscot River, the ancestral home of the Penobscot Nation, which we will follow all the way out into the ocean for our boat’s maiden voyage. Learning the indigenous story of relationship between people and place, we will spend a day with Penobscot guides on Sugar Island focused on native plants and crafts, visit the Penobscot reservation on Indian Island, eat a traditional meal, and learn basketry and other crafts. An exciting day of white water below Indian Island will bring us to where the river becomes tidal and our rhythms shift to paddle with the tides, sail with the wind, and navigate 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 spectacular Deer Isle Archipelago. Through it all, we share in the hard work and simple joys of our salty, nomadic life.

A rough, wild line that few sail, and fewer kayak. Dramatic cliffs and prominent tides. Paddling towards Canada, sometimes with the water, and sometimes against it. The name of the coast speaks for itself. After honing our sea kayaking and expedition skills along tamer sections of the Maine coast, we will set off for the easternmost miles of the U.S. coastline, paddling by day and carefully searching for hidden coves to spend the night. We’ll dive into the history of the region, of colonial settlers, of lonely lobstermen and shipwrecked boats, of the indigenous who came first, and take in the pristine beauty and nature of Maine's farthest reaches. After a brave final crossing we enter the safe waters of the harbor and arrive at our destination. Come along on an adventurous paddle that is a feather in the cap of any sea kayaker!

For novice - intermediate buccaneers
 
Come one and all for a two-week treasure-hunting adventure! We will form our crew and head to the coast of Maine where we will take to the sea in voyageur canoes modeled after those that have been navigating northern waters for thousands of years. On the first day, we will travel a short distance across a sheltered bay to our first wilderness island home. We will sail from camp to camp, practice fire building, and create wilderness crafts.  There will be islands to overtake and explore, coves to brave cold waters in, and tidal pools to investigate. We will forage for mussels, fish for mackerel, and harvest shells and special seaweed. Everyone will come away from this week having witnessed beautiful sunsets and made lasting new friendships. Sign up to uncover some of the mysteries of the sea!